The Railroad Man Who Gave Seattle Its First Real Baseball Team — Then Lost Everything

William H. Thornell, formerly general manager of the Seattle & Lake Shore railroad, general freight and passenger agent of the Columbia & Puget Sound and Puget Sound Shore railroads, and the organizer of the Pacific Northwest league of professional ball players, died of Bright's disease yesterday at Paddock Memorial hospital in Tacoma. Although Mr. Thornell has not lived in Seattle since the beginning of 1894, he was here frequently, and his long connection with the social, business and athletic life of the city kept his name from being forgotten.

Some time in 1892 he suffered a serious illness at Tacoma, which left him emaciated and with a hacking cough. He thought he had contracted consumption, but it appears from a letter he wrote on March 10 last that the idea had been dispelled by the discovery that he was a victim of kidney trouble. This disease compelled him to go to the hospital last month, and, although he was at first hopeful of getting well, his condition became so serious by the 25th that his friends realized his case was hopeless. The remains will be brought to this city for interment.

W. H. Thornell was born in New York in 1859; his father was a wealthy banker. Young Thornell was raised in the lap of luxury and received a genteel education. As a young man he was not given specially to work; he was rather of that class of young men who prefer pleasure, but in a measure he was very industrious. He was a tall, handsome, bright, intelligent fellow, full of life, and at one time went before the mast. That life was not to his taste. He tried his hand at work in an office in New York, then went to Colorado, where he clerked in one of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad offices and took great interest in sports, gaining quite a reputation as a ball player. In 1885 he came west with the survey party of the Columbia & Puget Sound under S. J. McCarthy.

His ability was so evident and his aptitude for railroad affairs so marked that he was appointed cashier and accountant of the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad and the Puget Sound Shore railroad, to succeed E. J. McCarthy. At that time the Puget Sound Shore road, then owned by the Northern Pacific, was operated as an independent line from Seattle to Snohomish. More honors were heaped on Thornell in 1888, when he was made general freight and passenger agent of the Northern Pacific, still retaining his position of cashier and accountant. A year later he severed his connection with these roads and became general manager of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railway. At that time the northern end of the road was still under construction. Mr. Thornell held the office of general manager until June, 1890, when there was a general change in the officers of the corporation. This was just after the great fire, and in the midst of the hurry and push attendant on the rebuilding.

Then it was that the Union National bank organized, and when it opened its doors Mr. Thornell became its cashier. In the spring of 1891 Mr. Thornell became especially well known in the city through his active work in the organization of the Pacific Northwest league of professional ball players. He was always active in all athletic events in the city for years, and the duty of taking the lead in this new enterprise seemed to fall to him naturally. He worked with that enthusiasm which characterized everything he did, and as a result Tacoma, Spokane, Portland and Seattle made up a circuit of the ball league. Thornell was elected treasurer of the general organization and afterwards of the local club. Through his efforts D. E. Rockwell came here from Omaha and took charge of the club, subsequently becoming secretary of the league and later president. The present Madison street ball grounds were gotten in shape and a grand stand built. All this work was done before the Madison street cable road got its line through to the lake, and at every turn the indefatigable energy of Thornell could be seen.

There was no one in the city more popular at this time than Mr. Thornell. He was highly respected in business circles, a prominent member of the Rainier club, and the leader in athletic matters. The summer of 1893 saw him in the zenith of his popularity, but he was taken ill with typhoid fever. During his illness it was discovered that he had indorsed the name of his father-in-law, Capt. W. H. Taylor, to a note, to the latter's detriment. Taylor made good the amount to the bank and the matter was dropped, Mr. Thornell being removed from his position at the bank.

On his recovery from the attack of typhoid fever he was unemployed for several months, but finally secured the position of assistant general manager with the Washington Improvement Company, and later a general manager with King & Dickinson, afterwards Huson, V. A. Barlow. His services there were of such value that he worked his way up along the line until he became the confidential man of the firm. He made Tacoma his home and took an active interest in its affairs.

Mr. Thornell's father had been dead many years, but at last accounts his mother was living. He has one brother, who is secretary of the United States Trust Company, New York city. The two did not affiliate.

Mr. Thornell was married in this city in 1890 to Miss Cora Taylor, daughter of Capt. W. H. Taylor, who died about two years later. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Thornell, but it died also.

The connection of Mr. Thornell with the athletic life of this city and the National Guard of Washington was such that it deserves more than passing notice. It might be said that from the time Thornell entered this city until he left it he was a household name to all lovers of outdoor sports. In the days before the big fire, though Seattle was different from what it is now, there was just as much rivalry from an athletic standpoint, and Tacoma, Portland, Port Townsend, etc., were vanquished.

The ball games between these places were always closely contested, and as a matter of fact the local feeling was very intense. A ball game with Tacoma would serve for a subject of general discussion for a long time, and if Tacoma won the boys had a hard time explaining how it was done. Every old timer in this city will recall the ball team called the 'Seattle Reds.' It was organized in 1889 by W. R. Thornell and I. A. Nadeau, who is now general agent of the Northern Pacific railroad. Of course there were other ball clubs previous to this, but according to general opinion this was the first real strong club.

Nadeau was manager; Thornell played left field; Capt. Joseph T. Reddish, now dead, first base; O. W. Roll, shortstop; Fletcher Coulter, right field; Fairbairne, pitcher; Harry Jacobs, pitcher; Bill J. Kenney, catcher; George Sterritt, catcher; Edward Burnell, catcher and right field; W. R. Blackmar, second base; and Wyckoff, third base and center field. There were changes in the make-up, but the organization held together until, before playing its home games at the 'race track,' four or five miles south of the city, it disbanded. The most notable of the games played, perhaps, were three with Portland, where the scores were something like 3-2, 2-0, 2-1. The Reds won two out of the three and there was rejoicing in Seattle. Thornell was a very good ball player, being cool, quick to see a vantage point and ready to make use of it. He was a reliable batsman, a fair base-runner, and could be depended upon to cover a fair amount of ground in the field. After he left this city he took an active interest in the Tacoma athletic club. Soon after coming to this city Thornell joined the National Guard of Washington and worked his way up to be captain of Company E.

In his social life Thornell was well liked. He was a devoted friend and possessed great energy and ability. He always dressed nicely and in good taste.

The funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at Tacoma, Rev. Preston Barr of St. Luke's church officiating. The funeral party will take the 1:10 o'clock train for this city, where the interment will be made.