River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-10-03
DEATH FOLLOWS
ILLNESS Of YEAR
END COMES PEACEFULLY FOL-
LOWING RELAPSE HEALTH
FAILING SINCE JANUARY.
AWARE SUMMONS WAS NEAR
Catholic PreIate's Last Hours Lighted
BY Smile Which Had Been Charm
lngIy Characteristic Through Life
Foremost Northwest Figure.

St Paul, Sept 25-Archbishop John
Ireland died Wednesday morning at
1855 o'clock at his residence, 226 Sum
nit avenue, st. Paul.
The eminent Catholic prelate had
been iii almost continuously for nearly
q year. He suffered a relapse ten days
ago and became gradually weaker I'M
til his death. The end came peace
fully.
Knew End Was Near.
Archbishop ireland was aware for
more than 48 hours before his death
that the end was near. His counte-
nance was continually lighted with a
smile, which throughout his life had
been one of his most charming char
acteristics He said several times dur
ing the last two days that his life work
had been accomplished and that he
was ready to go.
His recent serious Illness became
known hast Thursday when Father
Thomas A. WEIGH announced that the
archbishop's condition was very low.
He sank gradually Friday and on Sat
urday hope was given up by those at
his bedside.
Went South for Health.
The first information that the arch
bishops health was failing came last
January when 1t was announced he
was going to Florida for his health.
En- route. he was snoWbOund at Chi
CagO for one day. This is believed
to have been very detrimental to his
physical condition.
He gradually became better and
early I'm April returned to his old
home at GIT Portland avenue. On
April 20 it became known that the
archbishop had suffered relapse.
Physicians in attendance at that time
announced that the strain OF the long
trip to Florida had been more detri-
mental to him than the climate was
beneficial.
Rallied From Illness.
Archbishop ireland rallied from that
fitness and was able to leave his bed
late in May. Ia July he moved to his
new home at 226 Summit avenue,
which had been bought by commune
cants of the st. Paul diocese.
Archbishop Ireland was honored on
May Is by the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion of the United States by
being elected commander of that body
at a meeting at the West hotel. 1t is
the highest gift within the power of
20 4 p1iYi nd
gressiVe body composed exclusively of
officers of the Civil war and officers
sons.
Eighty Years Old.
Archbishop Ireland was so years old
September IL He spent the day at
his residence. but there was no cele-
bration of any kind. He received
few OF his friends and many congratu-
latory messages from various parts of
the country.
His new home on Summit avenue is
considered one of the finest structures
on the avenue 1t is built on the emf
nence overlooking St. Paul and the
Mississippi river. while the front of
the building faces the st, Paul cathe-
dral.
Stimuiants ProIong Life.
It was learned Saturday night that
stimuiantS had been used to keep the
archbishop alive since last November
Oxygen has also been used during the
past week in an effort to sustain life
Mother Superior Seraphine, sister of
Archbishop Ireland; Bishop Thomas
O'Gorman, of Sioux Falls, and Bishop
James Trobec of st. Cloud. Mimi, had
been at the bedside of the prelate
since Saturday.
Foremost Figure Gone.
The passing of Archbishop Ireland
reAloves foremost figure in Mime
sofa and the Northwest. national
figure for many years AS priest,
army chaplain. colonizer, temperance
advocate. educator. diplomat. friend OF
presidents and popes. and leader in
religious thought, he had been among
the most widely known Americans OF
his time.
Erection of the Pro-Cathedral of St
Mary I'm Minneapolis and the new Ca
thedral in st. Paul. both works OF
stHB last decade. was browning
Enlargement of the archbishop's. He
had seen the archdiocese of st. Paul
develop from log chapel erected by
his church in st. Paul to a great mis-
sionary field with six suffragan bishops
and great edifices as monuments to his
Eeal and faithfulness.