The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-12
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I
. With 32-p. Skin Book on request ADJ
dress postcard "Cutfcura. Dept. T, hos
ton." Sold throughout the world.
and ] never knew, nor found another
OF his friends who knew. to what de-
1 nomination he belonged, or whether
/ he had membership I'M any church.
It seemed descending to the trivial
to ask George Fitch about his church
membership, when one knew how
thoroughly he lived christianity.
A Sweet Soul ex Cathedra.
In his attitude toward the rest of
the world he was firm and sweet. At
times he was doematic and always
his opinions were to him immntable
facts. II he liked you we'll enough,
he would sometimes tell you that
your own opinions were rank, absurd
foolishness, and that your alleged
facts were bunllum, non-existent and
1 impossible-and would say these
things in way that made you like
him more than ever.
Here is little story, previously
untold. which Eliminates the fine
character of George Fitch. The read
er may recall how H. M. Pindell was
appointed minister to Russia, was the
victim of some enemies and appar-
emily some foolish friends, was on
the first page Of all the newspapers
for fortnight, and finally was con-
] ffrmed by the senate with flying col
ors, after (which he resigned his com
mission to President Wilson There
was lot Of mystery about this case,
and is yet, for that matter. Pindell
made his friends and his enemies
with the Peoria Journal Fitch was
/ for years an editor of the Peoria
Transcript; these two papers. have
always been as friendly as sulphuric
acid and chlorate of potassium. One
day at luncheon at the Creve Couer
club when Fitch was host, Pindell
told how throughout that strenuous
time. George Fitch was the only man
whom he took completely into his
confidence, and whose advice s4Ie
sought and took.
Some Personal Characteristica
| Siwash college had no particular
original. but George Fitch belonged
to Knox college. He belonged to the
trustees. to the faculty, to all the
college organizations, to the student
body and very especially to the Beta
Theta ri chapter. Any OF these we're
welcome to his time. energies and
best brain work whenever they chose
to telegraph him for assistance Of
any kind. 1t is very seldom that the
removal Of one man leaves as big
hole in the world as does the death
of George Fitch.
| - 10 "a
stories told illustrating Fitch's even
ness of temper, and how impossible
4 it was to irrftate him or destroy his
sweetness of disposition. could tell
one concerning his old automobile,
laffectionately named Pete, and how
1 Pete was discovered to be entirely
out of water and nearly out of gaso-
| line with home five miles away over
the hills-and how Fitch went those
! five miles discoursing sweetly on
philosophy, economics and sociology,
1 to finally make the garage nearest his
home with few drops OF gasoline
left in the tank and with the engine
1 so hot that water could not be put IN
! TO the radiator until next morning.
/ Fitch made that delightful speech at
the Hugh l.. Cooper banquet on one
/, hours notice. He was in a most dis
/ reputable suit of camp clothes. with
/ all of his good shirts and trousers at
the bottom OF a lock in the Hennep1n
canal. He spent the hour borrowing
/ and buying clothes, and then got up
and made a speech about the place
of the engineer in the world, which
was better than most orators coulo
achieve on q years notice.
His Work and Literature.
Tho place in literature of George
Fitci, will be fixed in the future. TO
NV mind he was to be ranked as a
GENIAL philosopher rather than as a
hunorist. Probably nobody has the
lnast doubt that if he had lived an
tier decade his name would have
CON nermanently fixed among the
mmortals of American literature
THAT is one of the phases OF the
tr,sedy of his death. His keenness
~ observation and insight into the
,ore of things was SURPRISING me.
sf.er a dav or two in Keckuk he made
r,tt,e speech at Major Hamilfs din
no. which gave as accurate descr1p-
tson oe the complex and uniGue spirit |
,,e Keokuk life and thought as could |
-,.ro heen written ~ one wfo pelone-
:. 70 the old Keokuk, His CAPACITY |
ror work was tremendous. At the time !
- our little house partr IN heokuk'
no daily schedule of which ran IRON
oven o'clock in the morning unti
.wo o'clock the next morning. Fi,ch
.at down every evening ana did ms
-,ilv stunt Of werk-and IT was goo9 |
-.crE. exactly as good as that ne o.a
:, the uuietude of his WORK shop al
,ome. -. ~. s.ardin. as