Evening star., 1921-10-15
\. H.BE.MACFARLAND
C|v|CLEADER, DEAD;
CITY M0URNS LOSS
Former Commissioner Suc-
cumbs After Illness of
Six Months.

Commissioner of the District. prom
inent newspaper correspondent. law
yer and leader in promoting civic
for a quarter of a century. died yes
terday afternoon at his residence, at
1908 18th street northwest. He had
been ill for about six months, but it
was not until three weeks ago that
his ailment took a serious turn.
Funeral services. which will be pri-
vate. will be held at the residence Mon
day afternoon. A memorial service. the
date for which has not been selected,
will be held later in the week at the
Church of the Covenant.
Flags to BE Lowered In Respect.
The flags at the District building and
on other District government structures,
which had been lowered because of
the death of Senator Knox. will be
continued at half-st out of respect
to the memory of the former presi-
dent of the board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Rudolph announced to-
day. The Commissioner issued the
following statement upon learning of
the death Of Mr.. mcfarland.
"The news of the death of Henry,
B. F. Macfarland leaves me with the
feeling OF having suffered a great
personal loss; he was my good friend
for "a Quarter Of century and
mourn his passing as all in and OF
Washington owes much to him. No
man rendered such disinterested
service or gave more of himself to-
ward the building up of great ma
tional capital-in season and out, as
a public servant or private citizen
than did he. His family and his many
friends may feel justly proud of the
record this quiet. earnest worker for
the public good leaves behind him"
The city heads met in special board
session at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon to
adopt resolutions Of regret on the death
of the former Commissioner.
Services Over Wide Field.
Mr.. Macfarland's services for the
District extended over a wide field.
First as a newspaper correspondent.
then as Commissioner and, finally.
as private citizen. he devoted the
greater part of his life to promoting
projects that had as their aim the
development of the capital and the
improvement Of living conditions for
it's citizens.
His participation in every move
ment for betterment-civic. religious.
educational and philanthropic-was
noteworthy. Many honors came to
him besides the commissionership. He
had served as chairman Of the board
of trustees of George Washington
University; had directed the work OF
the citizens committee for the Ma
tional Capital centennial celebration.
in 1900; was president of the interna-
tional convention OF the Y. NJ c. A.
held in 1904, and. more recently, had
devoted great deal of time to the
work of the citizens Joint committee
for national representation. he was
an elder of the Church of the Cove
nant at the time of his death.
Took Part in War Loans.
DUNG the war he took prominent
part in the various war loans and
speaker at theaters and other rallies
at great sacrifice OF his time and
Born in Philadelphia. February IL.
1861, Mr.. Macfarland came to WASH
ington with his parents, in 1867, and
was educated in Rittenhouse Academy
He studied law in the office of Will
liam B. Webb, and attended lectures
at Columbian College, now George
Washington University.
Being too young for admission to the
bar, although qualified. Mr.. Macfar-
land enterad the newspaper profess
sion and at. once displayed an aptitude
was destined to lead him to distin-
guished honors. He entered the WASH
ington bureau of the Boston Herald
in 1879, and became chief of that office
in 1892 In 1900. he left the newspaper
profession to become a public official.
President Mckinley appointed him
District Commissioner on May 2. 1900,
and he was elected president Of the
board one week later. He was the
youngest civilian ever to be appointed
to the position.
Improved His Departments.
During his\tenure Of Office he in
terested himself in the establish
ment of safe and sane Fourth of
July. the transfer Of the remains Of
grave to Arlington, and the securing
of the consent of the President to
competitive appointments of cadets
to the United States Military and
Naval academies. He brought about
improvements in all of the District
were assigned specially to him.
On November 13, 1909, MIR. Macfar-
land resigned from the Commission
ership. his resignation following close
on the heels Of that of his COL
league. former Commissioner Henry
L. West. He announced that he had
taken the step in order that he might
take up the practice of law.
IT have no private fortune" he said,
upon retiring. II am forty eight
years old, and cannot afford to re-
main longer in Office. 1 feel that 1
have given all the time to the Dis
trict government service that ought
to give"
Citizens Give Testimonial,
District citizens rendered a recep-
tion to retiring Commissioners Mac
farland and West, the event being
held in the boardroom of the District
building on the evening of Decem-
ber 80, 1909. Mr.. Macfarland was
presented with a law library and Mr..
West with a silver dinner service,