The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-12-26
JOHN MUIR, NATURALIST.
Famous Man Died in Hospital in Los
Angeles from Pr.s..saa MIA.

IOC aN0E11Eo, tdliI.s lee. ~ - Es
John Muir, the naturalist, died in a
hospital here Thursday Of pneumonia. Y
He was 20 years old.
| John Muir's life was a very remark
able one. and his studies in geology and
botany led him into many lands. He b
was a member of the rescue party
which pushed into the Arctic in search
of the Genett expedition, and for years I
wandered amid the frozen wastes Of
northern Alaska in his pursuit of the
study of glaciers. He perhaps had a
more exhaustive knowledge of Ameri-
can flora than any other man. For
$50 years he made his headquarters in
California, most of the time amid the
grand scenery of the Yosemite and in
1.-The wilds of the higher Sierras on the
Pacific coast.
He was born in Dunbar, Scotland, in
1898. His father, Daniel Muir, was a
Ierain merchant; his mother, Anne Gil
|rye, was descended from the old fam
lily of Gilderoy. From the age of three
he was sent to the public school. In
1850 he emierated to America, his
father settling as 4 pioneer IN the viii
derness near Fox River, Wisconsin
While working on the farm, the son de
voted his spare time to inyenting mill
wheels, wooden clocks, etc, and to
reading. In 1860 he entered the Uni
. yersity of Wisconsin, pursued sclen- |
| tific course there for four years, and |
then went into the wilderness to bot |
! lanize. For several years he led a wan |
:, dering life in the Southern states, and |
5 finally, after spending several months
:, in Cuba, he turned to California, in
: April, 1868. He made the Yosemite
his home, herding sheep. or running a
= sawmill, in order to earn a living
! whilst he was pursuing his study of ma
ture. Having laid up Il few hundred
= dollars, he devoted his whole time 70
! making a systematic survey of the
= Sierras. In 1876 he joined a party
: connected with the geodetic survey of
!, the Great Basin, and in 1879 he eX
: lplored Alaska discovering the great
i, glacier which bears his name. In 1881
4 he accompanied party on the CorWin
= in search of the crew of the lost Jean.
= nette. Mr.. Muir had contributed many
:. articles to magazines It was largely
!, owing to his early descriptions that the
- grand beauties of the Yosemite became
! generally known, and his papers on
- The Treasures Of the Yosemite had
- great influence on the establishment by
{ the national government of the Yose-
r. mite National park His book, Tie
= Mountains of California, was publish
=. led in 1895. When Emerson visited the
70 Yosemite Mr.. Muir was his guide for a
- week. '1He is more wonderful than
he Thoreau, was Emerson 5 opinion of
he him.
Four years ago lie made year S
journey through Africa and South
America, and was as vigorous on his
r. arrival as healthy man of 10, and de
clared that he could cover 20 miles 3
day over i Wilderness trail. Mr. Muil
Tor went particularly in search OF the arau
caria tree. which he had seen befor,
only in figurative. captivity in the no
of tauieaI gardens of civilization HI
ice said it had survived many geological
led periods, and that he thought it one O
ng the most interesting in existence. AT
SITS ter journey of one thousand miles M
so the Amazon Mr.. Muir found large for
re ests Of the araucaria trees, which, i
US the district Of Parana. are known a
the monkey puzzle, because Of tn
al spiny bark. which makes it impossibl
en- for the monkeys to climb them. Tn
us naturalist went down into southcr
as Chile. thence to Buenos Aires, where Il
th- embarked for South Africa, and tran
cled through the mountainous district
yo of Rhodesia, the general foliage an
iii formation OF which, he said. resemble
ing those of the rugged Yosemite valley.
When John Muir left college it wa
with the determination not TO make
fortune, but TO see rs many of TN
world 5 beauties and wonders as i
might before his then much iniure
sight should wholly fail. For nearl
in 80 years lie has faithfully followe
that ideal not idly though, as his frui
full ranch and great shelf of books be-
ast witness, and his power of outward ii
Y ion strengthened as did his mental il
ucr sight. With what success lie stored h
ing memory with rare scenes and exper
enccs is well known to those who WEI
and privileged to enjoy his campfres IN Il
ore mountains, for it was then that he FIRE
UNI " shared them with his fellows.
IDS.