| Show THE DEATH OF FRANCIS COPE PROBABLY BABLY the heart of every man woman or child who had the pleasure of an acquaintance with francis cope will vibrate with emotion on learning that that most estimable man expired at his residence in the eighteenth ward this city at 11 last night dec 1889 the cause of death was heart trouble although his lungs were also affected it is not too much to say however that his denaise was probably hastened many years by overwork for he be was simply indefatigable he bad been ailing and suffering terribly for over seven weeks but his bis unconquerable will caused him to struggle on until the vital energies gave out and he was waa compelled at last to remain at home during the last few days brother cope was born in ila birmingham england on march 3rd ard 1847 and was consequently not quite forty three years yean of age his father was the proprietor of a brass foundry fou jd r y and he was employed in keeping the accounts of the establishment and working occasionally casio caslo nally at t the business he was baptized into the church of jesus christ of latter day saints in 1865 and shortly after his confirma confirmation tilon he received a personal testimony of the divi ne mission of joseph amith he with his family came to utah in 1869 arriving in august of that year in the early spring of 1879 be was called to take a mission to england he left home in march and ud arrived in liverpool in the beginning on of april he was placed la inn charge of the business department at the emigration and publishing office of the european mission besides attending faithfully to these them duties he was assiduous in preach inythe ing the gospel in various parts of his native country he was absent nearly two years returning home at the close of 1880 he was for some time a member mer fiber of the bishopric of the sixteenth ward this city being counselor to bishop pred fred kesler keeler and was released from that position when he removed his residence to the eighteenth ward in the summer of 1888 mr cope was elected alderman from the third municipal precinct of this city in the spring of 1886 and served in that capacity with marked ability till 1888 he was at the time of his death a member of the board of directors of the lat ter day saints college in this city shortly after his arrival in utah in 1869 brother cope accepted of an engagement offered by hon john WY ayoung oung to work on a construction contract on the utah central railway ballway acting as time keeper commissariat and general agent at one time the company was in a straitened financial situation and consequently was behind in the payment of employed emp loyes A large number of them at work between here and ogden threatened to leave in a body and feeling ran rather high in the heat of the difficulty brother cope appeared on the scene and by his pacific and gentle demeanor combined with lucid explanations pla nations at giving which he was remarkably adroit the men agreed to remain and a strike was by his influence averted his ability in railroad matters was so marked his fidelity to the interests of his employers so unfailing and his manners so engaging that he kept on climbing from one position to another from time ioime keeper and commissariat to t the chief clerkship station rt agent and train dispatcher general freight and passenger agent and finally the important appointment which be held at the time of his demise 7 w general freight and passenger agent of the utah division of the union pacific railway this appointment was a well merited recognition of his big eminent capacity and unimpeachable character many have held that in the matter of working ability as a railroad man he had no superior in Am america erm be that as it may he was any way an expert in that line of business his mind was waa remarkably adapted for it in the innumerable differences that arise between departments and different divisions and lines he was well nigh invincible rarely ever falling alling short of gaining the point he desired to establish the reason for this was that in the first place he invariably aimed to be fair and aid therefore always reached a conclusion regarding the justice of a controversy tro versy the next part of the process was to consider all the plausible points that could be raised by the other side he then set to work to reason them out of existence concluding by setting up in a strong light his own points the general result was that the other party surrendered mr cope was as gifted socially as in business to know him was to love him to say that his manner was winning scarcely expresses it sufficiently strong he had the rare faculty of being able to decline an unreasonable request made of him in such a way as to completely draw out the sting of refusal As an incident in cointa gentleman who asked a railroad favor which could not consistently be accorded remarked when it was declined why it is a pleasure even to be refused a request by you mrs cope who is stricken with grief at the demise of her husband has been his bis faithful and sole attendant during his illness never leaving his side to the last yesterday he said he wished to leave the sick room and go into the dining apartment he did so and approached pro ached the mantel shelf placed his hands upon u pon it and gazed at the reflection of 0 himself in the mirror he then remarked my dear I 1 am going to die he seemed to have had bad a premonition of the approach of the end for some time post past he had never manifested during his life any ally special desire to make money but of late his mind seemed to take a sudden bent in that direction because he wished as he expressed it to p place lace his family in a better position financially he also informed his wife that he would prefer to die rather than live and be sickly as I 1 in that condition there seemed to be no special object in living because it involved a cessation of usefulness he expired peacefully without even a tremor merely ceasing to breathe as the noble spirit left its tenement of clay his is the third death that has occurred in the family in the last four weeks two of his sisters having passed away during that time his death created a profound sensation in railroad circles here he re especially among his immediate associates by whom he was held in the highest esteem he leaves besides his wife eight children and one grandchild grand child the family are in the greatest distress at the departure of one om of the gentlest of husbands and kindest of fathers there will be much sympathy in the community for them in their bereavement francis cope was a gem of a man capable in his operations strong in his religious faith just in his big dealings broad in his big sympathies gentle in his deportment and strong in his convictions to which he be was unfalteringly true the funeral service will be held in the eighteenth ward chapel at one on wednesday january let 1890 |
