LINK SUCCUMBS TO BRIEF ATTACK AT BATON ROUGE

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Funeral of Distinguished Architect Will Be Held at St. Louis

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BATON ROUGE, La, Nov. 12 — Death of Theodore Link, architect for the new Louisiana State University and Greater Agricultural College, occurred at his home here this morning at 6 o’clock after an illness of about ten days. The body will be taken this afternoon to St. Louis, his old home, for burial.

News Brings Regrets Here

Governor Russell and other members of the official family of Mississippi were profoundly shocked when a message was received Monday forenoon announcing the death at Baton Rouge of Theodore C. Link, official architect for the Mississippi State bond improvement commission and designer of the new state capitol, as well as the supervising architect and designer of the remodeled and rejuvenated old capitol building. It appears from information received later that Mr. Link had been ill for several days, though his illness was not considered serious, according to advices received prior to his death.

The death of Theo. C. Link removed from his sphere of activity a man who has inscribed his name on the physical construction records of Mississippi for almost a quarter of a century past, in characters that will endure as long as the physical prosperity of the state shall endure. He first came prominently into notice as the designer and supervising architect of the stately and beautiful new capitol building, which was during the administration of Governor A. H. Longino, 1900-1904, and the building which was developed according to his ideas has been frequently referred to by experts as the greatest monument to his memory, which his genius and artistic mind has brought into being.

After his completion of the new capitol, the end of 1903, Mr. Link spent a few years of inactivity, as far as public work in Mississippi was concerned. It was during the administration of Governor Bilbo, 1916-1920, that he returned to the Magnolia state field, as director of the plans which ultimatly resulted in the restoration of the old capitol, which was put into use during 1919.

When the legislature of 1920 passed the act creating the state bond improvement commission, and accompanied that by the bond issue for five million dollars to finance the permanent improvements for colleges, schools and elemosynary institutions throughout the state, Mr. Link was chosen by the bond commission to design and generally supervise all construction work. Thus Mr. Link is very closely identified in a practical way, with all the physical improvements of a public nature which have been provided for throughout the years with which he has been officially connected with the state of Mississippi, and this latest work has been practically wound up, or will be ere the next administration and the next legislature assumes the reins of government.

Lieut. Governor Homer Casteel and John Rowan, secretary to the state bond improvement commission, left Monday afternoon for St. Louis where they will represent the commission at the last rites to Mr. Link’s memory to be held Tuesday in the Missouri metropolis.

Daily Clarion-Ledger, Tuesday morning, November 13, 1923

Categories: Architectural Research

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