DEATH OF CHARLES A. DANA AND SUNDAY AT ST. MARY'S

Charles A. Dana.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, October 18, 1897.

DEATH OF DANA.

Venerable and Brilliant Editor of The Sun Passes Quietly Away.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 18.—Charles A. Dana, editor of the New York Sun, died at his home near Glen Cove, L. I. His death had been expected for several hours and his family and physicians were at his bedside when the end came.

   Mr. Dana's condition had been such for several months that the members of his family had kept themselves in constant readiness to go to his bedside at any moment.

   On Saturday morning he had a relapse and it was apparent that recovery was impossible. Several times, however, he rallied, but toward night he began to sink. During the night there were feeble rallies, but they did not last long.

   Sunday morning it was seen that the end was but a few hours off and his attendants remained almost constantly at his bedside. The end came quietly.

   The extreme heat of Friday and Saturday had considerable to do with hastening the end. On Friday he showed signs of distress and everything possible was done to relieve him. He had been weakened by his long illness and during the summer was several times thought to be on the verge of a fatal collapse. But each time he rallied. He did not improve much at the coming cooler weather, and the sinking spells became more frequent.

   On Friday Mr. Dana was able to take only the lightest nourishment and this condition continued. Paul Dana and his sisters, Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Underhill and Mrs. Brannan were at his home on Saturday morning and were warned to remain there. They were at the bedside when death came.

   The cause of Mr. Dana's death was cirrhosis of the liver.

   Mr. Dana was born at Hinsdale, N. H., on Aug. 8, 1819, being 78 years old when he died. He had been connected with the New York Sun since 1868.

SIGHT RESTORED.

Accidental Spattering of Hot Grease Burned Off a Cataract.

   ST. Louis, Oct. 18.—Mrs. Carl Hoeffler, who lives a few miles north of Baden, about four years ago discovered something the matter with her eye. She consulted a physician who told her she had better see an oculist. This she did, and. had an operation performed to remove a cataract, and for a time was relieved. It soon returned.

   While she was in the kitchen working around the stove some hot grease popped up into her face, one drop striking her in the eye.

   The eye was badly burned, and the woman at once bound it up and kept applying tea leaves, until she removed the bandage and found that she could see as well as ever, the burning grease having removed the cataract.

   An oculist was consulted, and he said he had often thought a cataract could be burned, but this is the first case he has ever heard of where it was accidentally done.

SUNDAY PAPERS DENOUNCED.

Rev. Mr. Ostrander Says They Weaken the Church's Influence.

   POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., Oct. 18.—Rev. Angelo Ostrander preached at the Trinity Methodist Episcopal church on the Tivolio Home and Sunday newspapers. He said that it was true that little girls had been put into a pigpen for punishment at the home, but he defended the management for doing so, asserting that the punishment was not excessive nor inhuman, and that it proved effective.

   He said that he stories which were put in circulation about the management of the home were caused by jealousy on the part of "another sect which grabs at public institutions and tries to put its hands into the public treasury."

   Then he severely criticized the press for having printed the charges against the management, and indulged in a sweeping arraignment of Sunday newspapers, which he called ''the abomination of desolation.''

   Among other things he said that the Sunday paper is a part of the secret of the weakening of the church and the low standard of Christian life.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Charles A. Dana.

   The death of Charles Anderson Dana ends the long and active life of a man  who had greatly distinguished himself in literature, in patriotic service to his country, and in building up one of the greatest newspapers in the world. In the variety of his achievements, in the courage of his convictions, in the persistency of his opposition to what he believed to be wrong, in the breadth of his culture, in his uncompromising patriotism, and in his mastery of the profession to which the greater portion of his life was devoted, he occupied a place of his own among famous Americans.

   Mr. Dana was born in Hinsdale, N. H., on Aug 8, 1819, being descended from Richard Dana, progenitor of most of those who bear the name in the United States. When he was two years old his  parents removed to Gaines, Orleans county, N. Y., and six years later to Guildhall, Vt. At the age of 12 the boy went to live in Buffalo. Here he worked in the store of his uncle William, then the chief dry goods merchant of the city. The panic of 1837 brought failure to the firm, and young Dana was made the assignee to carry on and wind up the business.

   It was at this time that the determination to acquire greater learning took possession of Mr. Dana, and he decided, against his father's wishes, to go to college. He prepared himself at night and at odd moments. When he entered Harvard in 1839 he received no assistance from his family. So be earned money by teaching school at Scituate during vacations, and he gave the college an insurance on his life for a loan from the college fund. The final reimbursement was not paid until twenty years later. Mr. Dana's eyes began to fail him, and he managed to pass the sophomore examinations only after assistance in preparation by a classmate, John Emory, who read to him and heard his recitations. He was compelled to leave college because of his affliction although afterwards he was given his bachelor's and master's degrees.

   The Brook farm community struck Mr. Dana as a place where he could work outdoors and yet be surrounded by a literary atmosphere, thus being able to complete his education despite his weak eyesight. He therefore joined the community in 1843. He soon proved himself to be the only man of affairs connected with this somewhat Utopian institution. His first newspaper work was on the Harbinger, the organ of the community.

   In 1844 Mr. Dana became assistant editor to Elizar Wright in the [Boston] Chronotype. In 1847 he became assistant to Horace Greeley on the Tribune. The following year he spent eight months in Europe and on his return became one of the proprietors and managing editor of The Tribune, a post he held until April 1, 1862. Under him and Greeley the paper became a powerful anti-slavery organ. Its great fight was against the extension of slavery rather than its suppression where it already existed. During the first year of the Rebellion a rupture occurred between Mr. Greeley and Mr. Dana, the former objecting to forcing The Tribune to demand the utmost possible vigor in prosecuting the war. Mr. Dana therefore resigned.

   On June 16, 1862, Mr. Dana was employed by Secretary Stanton in special work of the war department. In January, 1864, be became assistant secretary of war, an office he held until after the surrender of Lee. With intense zeal, equal to that of the great war secretary whose assistant he became, and yet, with clear vision and cool judgment, he gave himself unreservedly to the work for which he had been selected. He went to the front wherever vital battles were to be fought; made himself welcome to every Union commander; mastered every situation; gave helpful advice on the spot; and wrote letters to Stanton and Lincoln full of facts which they would not otherwise have known, and of suggestions which were of the highest importance. His letter after the battle of Chickamauga undoubtedly caused the supersedure of Rosecrans by Thomas and the transfer of the command of the operations on the Tennessee to Grant, the conqueror of Vicksburg, in [season] to prevent Rosecrans from retreating and to make possible the decisive victories around Chattanooga.

   In 1867 Mr. Dana became connected with a new paper in Chicago, called The Republican, which for some reason did not last long. In 1848 Mr. Dana published a volume of stories translated from the German. In 1885, with George Ripley, he planned and edited the American Cyclopedia. To it and the latter edition he contributed many articles. In 1868, with General James H. Wilson, he wrote a life of General Grant. Mr. Dana also edited the very popular work ''Household Book of Poetry,'' a collection of the best minor poems in the English language. It was first published in 1857, and passed through many editions, the latest being the thoroughly revised one of 1884. In 1883 Mr. Dana edited, with Rossiter Johnson, ''Fifty Perfect Poems.''

   On Jan. 27, 1868, Mr. Dana issued the first number of the New York Sun. It was Democratic in politics. In 1873 some of its criticisms of President Grant s administration led to an attempt being made to take Mr. Dana from New York to Washington, to be tried for libel in the police court of the latter city without a jury. Judge Blatchford of the United States court, however, denied a warrant of removal, holding that the proposed form of trial was unconstitutional. In 1877, Mr. Dana vigorously opposed he acts of the electoral commission which made Mr. Hayes president. The Sun continued t o support the regular Democratic party until the advent of Bryanism.

   Under the management and editorship of Mr. Dana, the paper took the lead in American journalism. It became pre-eminently a newspaper, while its editorial opinions were read more carefully by newspaper men than were those of any other paper.

SUNDAY AT ST. MARY'S.

The Sacrament or Confirmation Administered by Bishop Ludden.

   The services at St. Mary's church yesterday were of an unusually high order, the special significance of the day being attached to the fact that a class of over 160 received the sacrament of confirmation at the hands of Right Rev. P. A. Ludden, bishop of Syracuse. The bishop pontificated at the mass at 8:30 A. M., when the large class received the holy communion. At 10:30 o'clock solemn high mass was sung, and the sermon was preached by Right Rev. J. J. Kennedy of Syracuse, vicar-general of the diocese. His discourse was a masterly one, and was listened to with deep attention by the large audience present. He spoke particularly of the respect children should show to their parents, and brought out parallel cases in the church, referring to the respect the people have for the priests, and the respect of the priests for the bishop. The sermon was particularly applicable and appropriate. The musical program rendered by the choir under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Lanigan, was a high order of excellence.

   The sacrament of confirmation was administered after the singing of Lejeal's vespers at 3 o'clock P. M., and long before that hour the large auditorium was crowded to its greatest extent, and many were unable to gain admittance. Immediately after the singing of the vespers, and before the administering of the sacrament of confirmation by Right Rev. P. J. Ludden, bishop of Syracuse, a few remarks were made by him directed especially to the members of the class who occupied seats in the body of the church. In his remarks the bishop exhorted the members of the class to ever live upright lives, to avoid bad company and to remember their Father in heaven. He congratulated Rev. J. J. McLoghlin, the pastor of St. Mary's, on the fact that so large a number had, under his supervision, come to the point where they were to receive the sacrament of confirmation. His remarks were delivered in a clear and forcible manner and made a deep impression on his hearers. He was assisted in administering the sacrament by Right Rev. J. J. Kennedy of Syracuse, Very Rev. J. J. McDonald of Binghamton, Rev. J. J. McGuiness of Truxton, Rev. J. F. McLoghlin of Tully, and Rev. C. V. McGuire of Marathon.

Congregational Church.

   The pastor preached a very helpful sermon in the morning from I Peter v:7 and Psalms lv:22. Subject "Casting Our Care Upon God." Mrs. Persons sang very impressively the solo "One Sweetly Solemn Thought."

   The evening text was from Matt. xi:29—"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me." Subject, "The School of Life." The choir sang "Nearer My God to Thee" by Williams.

   Number present at Sunday-school, 352. Number present at East Side Sunday-school, 65. Number of scholars present who go nowhere else to Sunday-school 24, showing the necessity of the work carried on by the church on the East Side.

   At the meeting of the Christian Endeavor society Miss Lena Dalton gave a report of the state convention to which she was a delegate. At the meeting of the Junior Endeavor society the pastor delivered an impressive charge to the nine different committees.

   The subject for the Thursday evening prayer-meeting is "Making the Church a Home."

   The Ladies' Missionary society will meet for sewing at 2:30 on Friday afternoon. It is hoped there will be a large attendance as a comfortable is to be tufted for the missionary box. More supplies are needed to fill it and articles of clothing will be acceptable.

   At the late annual meeting of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions the pastor, Rev. Wm. H. Pound, was made a corporate member of the board.

First Baptist Church.

   "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."—Ps. xxiii:4. With this text as a basis, Mr. Chapman preached a sermon rich in blessed assurances. In closing, he told of the beautiful ending of Mrs. Chapman's beautiful life on earth, the remembrance of which is an inspiration to those who knew her.

   The evening sermon was also one of rare power, making the thought of heaven very real and very personal. The text was, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."—Heb. xl:10. At this service the choir was assisted by a men's chorus, composed largely of members of the Baraca class.

   The Ladies' Aid and Home Mission society will meet Wednesday afternoon. The subject of the exercises at 4 o'clock will be, "Alaska and its Missions." Supper from 5:30 to 7.

BREVITIES.

   —Rood's Candy Kitchen was connected with the local telephone exchange to-day.

   —The Cornell university freshmen defeated the Normals at football Saturday on the fair grounds by the score of 18 to 0.

   —Ex-Lieutenant Governor Thomas G. Alvord is ill at his home in Syracuse and not expected to live many days. He is 87 years old.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Howe Stove Co., Stoves and Ranges at Bargains, page 6; Bingham Bros. & Miller, Stylish Clothing, page 8.

   —In police court this morning the case of The People against Fred Stout was dismissed, the prosecution withdrawing the complaint and not appearing.

   —The official ballot for the Greater New York election will have eleven columns and will be two feet and three inches wide and a foot and a half long.

   —The Indoor Outlook club of the Universalist church will meet in the vestry next Thursday at 7:30 P. M. The important business will be the election of officers. Subject for treatment will be "What is Literature?" All are invited.

   —The Cortland Wagon Co. has procured through The STANDARD fifty very handsome crimson satin badges to be worn by its representatives at the Carriage Builders' convention in New York this week. The badge bears the name and location of the company in gilt letters, and a cut of a horse and carriage.

   —The Woman's Christian Temperance union will hold their regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 2:45. The devotionals will be conducted by Mrs. F. M. Snyder, reports from delegates and committees will be in order and an executive meeting is called immediately after the close of this meeting. The sheeting will be at the rooms ready for those who have ordered the same.