Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953)(about) |
Previous issue
Wednesday 19 December 1888
Next issue
Send to:
|
No corrections yet
The Late Mr. James Trangmar. In our last islse we promised some particulars in referouence to the death of Mr. James ' rangmnar, as a gentleman who has taken a leading part in the public affairs of the town and district. We regret that the infonrmation obtain able is not as complete as we woutld wish, and must confine our remarks to a brief notice of the deceased's public career. Mr. Trangmnar arrived in this town, about l8tt. from Tasmnania, where he had been engaged in mltanaging the grocery busintess of Messrs. Perkins and Bennett, Launceston, in which doubtless he receired the mercantile training which eminently lualifiel him to carnry on suc cessfully tihe lbusiness in the saum line here with which lie was so long con nected. lIe joined Mr. Crouch oil arrival here in the business now carried on by Mlessers. W. P'. Anderson and Co. With this he was directly connected for a number of years, until his brother, Mr. C. 1. Trangmatn, took it over. Since his severance from mercantile pursuits Mr. Traugmar has devoted his attention to slhecepfartning, and sosucceseful by that at the tiume of his death he iras the owner of the valuable station properties, " Morgiana" and a Bocharn," besides being a large property holder in this town and vicinity. As a public man Mr. Trangmar has taken a leading part ita the affairs of this town. Hle was connected in the "sixties " with the Shire Council, and several tites filleld the Presidential chair. When ihe first became connected with the Blorouglh Cotuncil we cannot exactly find out, but nwaselected Mayor in the year 1S75 and filledthesame position forfouryearsin suo cession. As a Mayor he was probably one of the best informed, in the constitu tion and powers of municipal bodies. of the many who have occupied the position since the Borough was proclanimed such to which wa-s joined naturally keen business perceptions. The last occasion on which the deceased filled the Mayoral chair was in 1S12, at the end of which term if our memory serves he finally severed his connection with the Council. During his municipal career many measures of public import were carried to fruttion, and it is but jest to suppose that a gentleman of such ability hadjlhis share in promoting these. Cer tainly it is equally just to say that during the same period there was a great deal done that did not prove an unmixed blessing, but human foresight is but human,. and doubtless everything has been done with the best intentions rwhatever thle result. In past years the deceased iwas also connected with mosat of our publlic irnsti. tutions, Hospital. Board of Advice, Free Library, &c., and for many years has filled the position of a J.P. for the Western Bailiwick. In connection with the old volunteer force Lieut.lolonel Trangnar will be always remembered in Portland. We are not quite sure whether his connection dates back to the inception of the movement, but for a period of nearly 20 years back his title of Captain and sub. sequectly Major have been household words in Portland. Under his command tlhe local corps was always of respectable if not full strength (although no pay was attached to it) and numbered in its ranks those who had grown giey in the ser. vice. Most of these fell out, some from necessity others from choice, when the new order of things came into existeuce. When lie sorered connection awith the local military Liett-Colonel (then Major) Traugmar was placed on the unettachel list and only a short time since, rather late in the day considering the many previous years of volunteer service, he received his protmotion to tihe rank of Lieit.-Colonel. T'e deceased gentleman up to a shlort tius prior to his illness appeared hale and hearty, walking with as erect a bear ingns many a young man not a third of his years. His illness was long and trying and characterised by intense pain at times but it was borne with that fortitunde which lenot so much debsrmtination to his charactr, and his mental faculties he preserved unclouded to the last. The funeral ywhich takes place this afternoon will be, we understand, according to the expressed wish of the deceased strictly private. The remains are to be interred in the North Cemetery. The deceased leaves a wife, one married daughter and four sons all grown up.