Dr. Robert J. Black, former mayor of McKeesport,
one of the best known and highly respected residents of the city,
and a man of prominence throughout the state, died this morning
at 1:45 o'clock at the McKeesport hospital, after a brief illness
from heart trouble.
His death was a severe shock to practically every
resident of the dity, and particularly to a large circle of very
intimate acquaintances, as it was quite unexpected. While it
was known that he was seriously ill, his condition was very favorable
late last night. Some time after midnight, however, he took
a turn for the worse and declined rapidly.
A man of sterling integrity, of pleasing personality,
Dr. Black was beloved by all who knew him, and his death will
be a severe loss to the entire community. Dr. Black had not
been well for some time and on Christmas day left for Florida
to spend the winter. He returned home in rather good condition
about six weeks ago since which time he made his home with his
uncle F. H. Coursin, of 502 Arlington avenue, Coursin Heights.
He ws taken ill with a heart attack about nine days ago, and
last Wednesday morning he was removed to the hospital.
Sr. Black was born in Tarentum, Pa., the son of
the late Maria Hare and Samuel Black, and was the last member
of his family. He received his early education in the public
schools at Tarentum, and then entered the Physicians and Surgeons
hospital at Baltimore, Md., from which he was graduated 38 years
ago. Upon graduation, he returned this city and began his medical
practice, having an office on Fifth avenue, on the site of The
Famous store. He continued in active practice, and was one of
the city's loeading physicians and surgeons, until he was elected
mayor, at which time he retired.
Prior to the incorporation of McKeesport as a city,
Dr. Black was a member of the old Borough of McKeesport council.
When the city was incorporated, he was elected as a member of
select council from the Fourth ward, in membership in the first
city council. That was in 1891. he was chosed as the first
chairman of the Select branch. He also served as a member of
the second, fifth, sixth and seventh coucils, in the Select branch.
In 1900, Dr. Black was elected as mayor of the
city, serving for a term of three years. He succeeded the late
R. T. Carothers, and was in turn succeeded by George J. F. Falkenstein,
the present city treasurer. It was during his term of mayor
that he gave up the practice of medicine.
While mayor, Dr. Black gained nation-wide recognition
and prominence for his activities in behalf of the workingmen
when the big strike developed at the tube company. While he
never held any public elective office outside the city, he was
widely known in politics all over the state.
Dr. Black was the postmaster at the Pan-American
Exposition held in San Francisco several years ago, and also
took the soldier vote on the Mexican border and in the south
within the past coule of years. All thses appointments were
made by Gov. Martin G. Brumbaugh. He also was a Roosevelt delegate
to the last Republican national convention, held in Chicago,
and was personally known, perhaps, to more voters in the state
than any other McKeesporter and could call thousands by name.
One of Dr. Black's famous sayings was "The
signature that make the $10,000,000 tube works a reality."
made after he had signed an ordinance, as mayor vacating garbage
furnace property in the old Third ward, just before the new mills
were built several years ago. He was a frequent caller at city
hall, and was generally able to predict the result of elections,
both local and sate, with uncanny accuracy. When the commission
form of government became effective in this city, Dr. Black was
a candidate for the first council, but was defeated. He also
was defeated some years ago for congress from his district.
Dr. Black was a familiar figure about city hall,
which he visited almost daily, and general regret ws expressed
there this morning over his death, Mayor Lysle said: "McKeesport
has lost a very good citizen in ex-Mayor Black and his fam (portion
cut off)
hundreds of newspapermen and during his term as
mayor was what is know to the profession as "good copy."
He had a great respect for the boys of the press and only recently
said that his confidence with reporters had been broken but once,
and that time by an out-of-town reporter.
He was a member of McKeesport council No. 109,
Jr. O.U.A.M. McKeesport Acric No. 285, Fraternal Order of Eagles,
McKeesport Tent No. 93, Macabees and the Woodmen of the World.
The body is to be removed to the home of his uncle, F. H. Coursin,
502 Arlington avenue, this afternoon, and the funeral services
will be held there on Monday evening at 8 o'clock, in charge
of the Rev. Edward Babcock, pastor of the First Baptist church.
Interment will be in Versailles cemetery on Tuesday. It is
likely that city officials will atend the services in a body.
Dr. Black is survived by his widow, Mrs. M. Blanche
Coursin-Black, whom he married in June, 1889, and two sons, Robert
J. Black Jr., who is in the national army at Camp Lee, Va., and
B. Coursin Black, at home.
===============
Mayoral history from same newspaper:
Next to be ushered into the office of Mayor was
Dr. Robert J. Black, whose term was probably the most turbulent
of all. Trouble began immediately when his opponent, A. B. O'Neil
charged fraud and his election was contested.
Dr. Black had been elected by a single vote in
more than 5000 ballots cast. Election returns were late in being
reported, especially from the first district of the Third Ward.
The polls were in the office of Alderman B. L. Coursin, brother-in-law
of Dr. Black.
Mr. O'Neil charged that returns there were "held
back" and that intentionally or otherwise, the count was
incorrect. It ws claimed that some figures of totals, after
the Third Ward district had been tabulated, showed Black a winner
by 101 votes, but when the Return board reported he was a single
vote ahead.
The contest dragged along. Toward the end of Mr.
Black's term it fizzled out. He finished the term and the contest
was forgotten.
Mayor Black was a great news source. During his
term, several strikes took place. I recall one incident in which
a worker raced into a Locust St. butcher shop, snatched a large
knife and, warning the crowd, walked several blocks to his home
with a mob giving him plenty of room.
At this time, the National Tube Co. announced the
intention to rebuild the mills at a cost of $10,000,000. Everybody
was interested. Real estate prices jumped and the company threatened
to leave the city unless old Bowery district land prices came
down.
Citizens subscribed to a fund and raised a large
sum and fimally the land was bought and new milld apparently
assured, but mayor Black still held a trump card.
The mayor, much in the limelight during strikes,
one of which brought reporters from New York and other cities
here, disliked some of the visiting newsmen after one sent out
a story naming a cocktail after the Mayor.
However, though he and mill managers were not good
friends, he had the last say about the new mills. The city councils
(dual system) noted to give acres of streets and aleys and city-owned
land in the Bowery district for the new plant. Mayor Black held
back his signature to the gift bills until the last moment, but
signed in the end.
News to the last, the Mayor said:
"Here goes with the signature that makes the
$10,000,000 Tube Works a reality."
Mayor Black ran for many offices, once for Congress,
and he served as a postmaster at a big exposition in San Francisco.
