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Show ROBERT W. SPEER, I Mayor of Denver who is summoned by death after a short illness. 11SPEER DIES AFTER BRIEF ILLNESS Widely Known Denver Man Succumbs to Short Attack of Pneumonia. DENVER, May 14. Robert W. Speer, mayor of Denver, and widely known throughout the country as an authority on municipal government, died here this afternoon after a short illness of pneumonia. pneu-monia. , . Mayor Speer left his desk early in May to recuperate from a cola. This developed devel-oped into pneumonia, because of a weakened weak-ened condition due to overwork, his physicians said. Mr. Speer had been mayor three times, twice from 1904 to 1912 and then in 1916, being again elected under a charter which, it is said, gave him more power than any other American mayor so far as having a free hand is concerned. It was he who originated Denver's system of mountain parks and boulevards, building the city auditorium, public bath houses and other improvements. He aiso inaugurated the plan of the city selling coal to its people at a great reduction over the prices charged by independent companies. Mr. Speer was 64 years old. He came to Denver when he was L'2 years old in search of health. At 25 he was elected city clerk on the Democratic ticket and throughout succeeding years held many political positions. |