Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-26
THOS. F|NECAN,
MEMBER OF CITY
COUNCIL, DEAD
Well Known Pioneer Of
Boise Passes Away at st.
Alphonsus Hospital Fol
lowing Operation.
Councilman Since the Adop-
ton of Commission Form
of Government in Boise
For Years Successful Con-
tractor.

Councilman Thomas Finegan died
this morning at $3.50 o'clock at ST. AL
phonsus hospital. Death came fol-
lowing an operation performed on Dec.
I. From that date the well known
pioneer contractor lowered between
life and death until he finally lost In
his battle for life. The end came with
his family at the bedside. Death had
been expected at any minute since
Christmas morning.
Mr.. Finegan was born in Ireland In
1S4s. He came to the United States
in 1857 and lived in New York a num-
Der of years, following contracting. He
built many large buildings in the east
and his work covered points in New
York, Massachusetts and Pennsylva-
MIA. In 1881 he came west, locating in
Boise. He at once began contracting
and many of the principle buildings
of Boise are monuments of his work
He built the old Central school build
ing. the old odd Fellows building on
Eighth street, now the Greenbaun
building, which was the first large
Odd Fellows building in the state; the
ha ndsome Overland building at Eight
and Main streets, st. Teresa's acad-
envy and st. Alphonsus hospital. The
foundation of the old capitol buildins
was put in by Mr.. Finegan as were
the foundation of the postoffice build
ing and the foundation and super
structure of the Soma building. HI
built and owned the Finegan apart
ments on North Sixth street, where HI
made his home.
KNOWN OVER STATE.
His contracting work took him owe
a large part Of southern Idaho. wher'
he put in the water and sewer sys
TENS in a number of towns. In hi
contracting work he was signally sue
cessful. He established the name o
being a thorough workman, fair to hi
employees and one who never slighte'
any detail of his contract.
When the commission form of gov
, eminent was adopted in Boise MI
Finegan was elected councilman owe
large number of candidates by
handsome majority. He was electe
for the one-year term, but SO salts
factory was his service that at tn
second election he was returned to tn
office by an even larger majority tina
4
, he was elected for the -four year tern
which ended last April. He was agai
p reelected and had served nearl
eight months of his. third term whe
stricken.
TlRELEss WORKER.
In the city council Mr.. Finegan wa
O a valuable man. His knowledge c
$ contracting has many times saved tn
t city goodly sums of money as bushes
n of that character was generally lei
a in his hands. His keen Irish wit va
: the life of the council sessions and h
was always ready with clever an
e swer In making motion or talkin
n upon an ordinance he generally cal
" ried his point by some witty rema.
r on the problem under consideration
z He was tireless worker and whe
: the city was threatened with FLOOD
n when the spring SHOWS melted in tn
n hills, often worked with his men a
night to avoid property damage. II
work as street commissioner We
highly successful and under his teri
It many and numerous improvement
e have been made in Boise proper an
II on the south side.
n Mr. Finegan is survived by MS VIII
e three daughters, Misses Margare
If Ann and Mary: two sons. Edward an
'e Charles, and a sister. Mrs. Georf
n Norcross of Nantucket, Mass. TT
! body is at the Schneider & Sidenfade
l. funeral parlors awaiting word from h
n sister before funeral arrangements al
% made.
=