Arizona republican., 1914-05-27
Famous Author and Social Worker Dies at His Sum mer Home ill Barre, Mas sachusetts, After Long Illness
WAS FRIEND OF
 COL. ROOSEVELT
Former President Upon Reaching Washington is Shocked to Learn of the Passing of Such "Useful Citizen

BARRE, Mass, May 26.-Jacob A. Riis, author and social worker. died at his summer home here today after a long illness.
 Of Jacob August Riis. Theodore Roosevelt once said he became. through his work in behalf of the poorer people of New York. the most useful citizen" of the metropo- lis.
 As an almost penniless immigrant he obtained knowledge of the slums at first hand and found conditions there so repellant that he conse- crated his whole life to warfare against wretchedness.
 Riis was the thirteenth child of d Latin teacher in Ribe, Jutland, Den
 mark He was born in 1s49. When Riis was T year old, having learned his trade, he embarked for New York with only $40 In his pocket. He spent half the sum for a heavy navy pistol as soon as he landed ito fight Indians and desperadoes."
 Riis led a varied career during the following six years. At 2 he spent his last cent in reaching New York. hoping to enlist through the French consul in the French army against Germany for the Franco -Prussian war, but his services were refused. and Riis was forced to accept a be- ginners place as d reporter for New York news bureau. At the very first he made his most conspicuous success in the study of conditions on the East Side of New York.
 As a reporter on the New York Tribune and later on the New York Sun, Riis took up his real work in slum fighting While attending to routine duty as a police reporter, he worked night and day to arouse the people to the need of improved living conditions. One of the first of his campaigns was against the impurity of the city water, and it was his fight which finally led to the pur- chase of the Croton watershed to assure safe drinking water for New
 York.
 Riis drove bakeshops out of the ten ement basements; he fought for laws abolishing child labor, and was large ly instrumental in getting the pass age of the briefest, wisest and best staute on the books of New York, laying down the principle that here after mo school shall be built with
 out adequate playground
 After twentyseven years as q re- porter, Ris resigned 10 continue his fight by writing and featuring.
 Among the products of his pen are How the Other Half Lives" The Children of the Poor The Making of an American" this autobiography. The Battle With the Sum-" "Chil- dren of the Tenements," The Old Town" Theodore Roosevelt. the Git
 izen," and Hero Tales From the
 Far North
 WASHINGTON. May 26.-Theodore Roosevelt. for many years an inti- mate friend of Jacob Riis and his associate when the former president was police commissioner of New York. was shocked upon his arrival today to learn of Riis's death. The colonel die tated the following telegram to Mrs. Riis:
 T am grieved more than I can ex- press I feel as if I had lost my own brother Jake's friendship meant moro for me than I can ever say. l mourn with you and wish I could say anything that would be any com fort to you. (Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT When l was police commissioner of New York, Roosevelt aded. 'I felt that Jacob Riis was the most useful citizen in New York. In all the Unit ed States I never knew a more useful man nor a stauncher citizen