Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-18
seth HL0W,f0RMER
MAY0R0F GOTHAM,
TAKEN BY DEATH
Leader in Civics and One. Time
President of Columbia Uni
versity, Dies at Bed
ford Hills.
ILL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
Pronounced Change for Worse
Is Noted on Saturday
Night.
WAS BEATEN BY TAMMANY
I'LL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
WAS BEATEN BY TAMMANY

New York, Sept. l7-Seth Low,
former mayor of New York, and one
time president OF Columbia univer-
sity, died late today at his country
home, Broadbrook Farm, Bedford
Hills, N. Y. at the age OF 66 years.
He had been i'll several months OF
complication of diseases.
A change for the worse was an
nounced last night, and it was then
said the patient probably could not
recover.
Mr.. Lows most recent activities
were exerted in an effort to find a
solution of the differences between
the railroad brotherhoods and the
railroads.
Activities Were VarieG.
Since the outbreak of the European
war, Mr.. Low had been especially ac-
tive as president of the New York
Chamber of Commerce and president
of the National Civic federation. He
was chairman of theNexecutive COM
mittee of Tuskegee institute. delegate
at-large to the recent New Yorl' state
constitutional convention, ant mem
Der OF a government commission ap.
pointed to investigate labor troubles
in Colorado.
For three months prior to his i'll
ness, he devoted himself almost ex-
clusively to trying to find solution
to the differences between the rail-
road brotherhoods and their employ
ers.
Friend of Labor.
Even after stricken, he kept in
touch with the brotherhood heads,
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
other union leaders, with whom he
was on terms OF intimate friendship.
Until his illness assumed an acute
stage, several weeks ago, Mr.. Low
busted himself with plans Of the Ma
tional Civic federation, in which he
was deeply interested.
Mrs. Low and other members of
the household were with him when
he died. Arrangements for the fu-
neral have not yet been completed.
g1, Leader in Civic Affairs.
Seth Low was twice mayor of
Brooklyn, once mayor OF New York,
and fon eleven years was president of
Columbia university. In each of
these Offices he became distinguished
for public service and he was known
throughout the country as one OF the
leading figures in New York City
life.
Born in Brooklyn, January IS,
1850, he came of long line OF mer-
chant princes and men of culture. His
grandfather, for whom he was named,
was, a, Harvard-bred merchant, who,
previous to his settlement in New
York, did prosperous business in
Salem, Mass. His father, Abiel Abb
bott Low, founded big business in
the importation of tea and silk in
New York, and at one time had a
fleet. of more than a dozen clipper
ships engaged in the China trade.
Educated in Brooklyn.
Young Low was educated at the
Polytechnic institute in Brooklyn,
and then at Columbia, from which he
was graduated in lS70,\at the age OF
TO- In college he had been dis
tinguished both as a student and an
athlete. He excelled in tennis and
foot ball, bowling and billiards, and
on the gridiron he often lined up
against the herculean form OF Hamil-
ton Fish. DR.. Barnard, the then pres
yident OF the college. was particularly
attracted by young Lows work and
personality, and in the spring OF
Lows senior year. the president
spoke of him in letter to friend:
81 have Just been having long talk
with young Low. the first scholar in
college, and the most manly young
fellow we have had here for many
year"
On leaving Columbia, Mr. Low
went to his fathers business house.
entering as a clerk and traversing all
the grades until he was finally head
of the firm. In the meantime he be-
came greatly interested in public lite,
particularly in Brooklyn charities. In
1873, he organized and became the
first president of the Brooklyn Bu-
reau of Charities, which was one u.
Continued on Page Two, Column Tw0.)