Alexis Henry French, a member of the class of '73, M. I. T., died at his home in Brookline, Mass., Monday, May 3, 1915.  The following account of his life is taken from the Brookline Chronicle of May 8, 1915:

"Mr. French's death, while not altogether unexpected, was very sudden and is a shock to all his many friends. He was a victim of that insidious disease, arteriosclerosis, bringing him pre-mature old age in a few months and ending with a painless sleep which had no waking."  

"Last autumn, he was obliged to give up his full participation in public affairs and attend to only such matters as were brought to him from time to time. During the fall and winter he hoped and planned to resume his usual duties, but later, at his request, he was given a leave of absence from the first of this March without pay."

"Mr. French had been town engineer since the establishment of the engineering department by the town in 1894. Prior to that time he did the larger part of the public engineering work since he came to Brookline in 1871, thus making an enviable and nearly unbroken record of service for forty-four years. Such a life and service deserves the attention and appreciation of all good citizens, particularly when it is given at a personal sacrifice as in later years and with the single minded view of the public good."

"Mr. French was born May 2, 1851, at North Weymouth Mass., and had quietly celebrated his sixty-fourth birthday a few hours before his death. His parents were Henry J. and Lucy H. (White) French, and be leaves a brother, D. Willis French, a prominent water works engineer of New York, and a widowed sister, Mrs. John Libbey, of Weymouth."

"The education of the Weymouth High School was supplemented by the purchase of an apprenticeship in the office of Shedd & Sawyer, of Boston, one of the best known engineering firms of the country. Not fully satisfied with the amount of definite instruction received in this way, he took a position in 1871 as assistant to Mr. George Tyler, then acting for the town as engineer and Superintendent of streets. He later entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a special student, associated with the class of '78, successfully spending there two detached years, which were all the time be felt he could afford."

"On the retirement of Mr. Tyler in 1875, Mr. French was given an office in the town hall, which be shared for some time with the present superintendent of streets, Mr. Michael Driscoll. In consideration of the use of this office, special reduced rates were fixed for services furnished the town and both public and private business was conducted there. This arrangement continued until 1894, when the salaried office of town engineer was created and Mr. French was appointed. On January 14, 1880, he married Miss Alice Blanchard Loud of Weymouth and not long after built their present home on the corner of Cypress street and Cypress place. There are no children."

"Mr. French has been identified with the greater part of the material development of Brookline. He has seen the town grow from a population of 8,000 to one of 30,000. Except for the initial work on the main outlet sewers, the entire sewer and drainage system of the town has been constructed under his direction. This is underground and forgotten in a measure by us all. It, nevertheless, represents a tremendous expenditure and involved many difficulties which have been successfully overcome."

"The park and playground system, with but few minor exceptions, has been installed and maintained under the direction of Mr. French. This is a visible and constantly appreciated monu-ment to the skill with which his own and the designs of others have been carried out at reasonable expense and in permanent form."

"The stone bridges across Muddy River and its branches from Carlton to Chestnut streets were originally designed and were built under the direction of Mr. French. They are examples of the best of taste. The Longwood Avenue arch, when built, was one of the longest spans in this country and is now a favorite subject for artists and photographers."

"The layout of new bridges, new streets, and the widening of main thoroughfares has also been a large part of the work of Mr. French in both his private and public capacity. The almost for-gotten grade crossing eliminations at Washington and Cypress streets, the several widenings of Boylston and Hammond streets, were among the important items."

"Alongside of the matters mentioned, there has been the great mass of minor matters which really make up the major part of the professional work of a municipal engineer. This incidental work which has been steadily increasing for many years is due to the modern tendency to make of the municipal engineer the technical executive of all public affairs. Mr. French's ripe experience and wide observation made his judgment valuable and in constant demand."

"Mr. French was a member of numerous social, technical, and quasi-public bodies, viz: the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, the Engineers Club, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Massachusetts Highway Association, the National Geographic Society, Harvard Church and Brotherhood, the Boston Congregational Club, the Brookline Historical Society, and the Technology Alumni Association."

"That he was active in the affairs of these bodies may be inferred from the fact that he was a past president of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, the oldest and one of the largest engineering societies in America. He was also past president of the Appalachian Mountain Club and of late, one of its trustees of real estate."

"He joined the Harvard Congregational Church in 1874 and since has been a constant worker in its activities. As member of the prudential committee, the care of the buildings and grounds has been his special care and he at one time served as president of the 'Brotherhood.'"

"In 1894, when appointed town engineer, he formed a partnership with one of his assistants under the name of French & Bryant, under which name all private professional business was conducted until he withdrew his name in 1908. From his appointment on, Mr. French devoted all his time to public affairs and none whatever to private business."

The following editorial tribute is taken from the same paper:

"What has made Brookline well governed has been not only the high character of the officials it has elected to office, but the excellence of the under-officials that it has had the good sense to keep continuously in charge of the departments committed to their care. In none of these men has it been more fortunate than in Mr. French, whose ability was such, and was appreciated so heartily, that it contributed in no small degree to the success of the town in maintaining the standard of conducting municipal government as a profession and not as a game of politics. The town may feel a proper pride in Mr. French's long and efficient service as town engineer. It must regret the termination of this service prematurely, at an age not sufficiently advanced to imply declining usefulness, and must for some time feel in doubt whether Mr. French's place can be filled by a permanent official who will measure up to the unusual standard set by his predecessor. Those to whom Mr. French's sterling character, unassuming but warm-hearted nature, and attractive personality had endeared him will also experience a profound sense of loss. The qualities of integrity, cultivation, and gentlemanly courtesy which lend dignity to the government of any community are exemplified in many of our public servants at the Town Hail, but in none more strikingly than in Mr. French's case. His life made up an integral and important part of that Brookline in which we all take pride, and which we wish to transmit in an unbroken tradition to the Brookline of the future."