John B. Tscharner was born in Okawville, Illinois, April 15th,
1866. His boyhood days were spent there. In 1885 he entered the
preparatory department of the University of Illinois, from which
institution he was graduated in the civil engineering course in 1890.
In the summer vacation of 1889 he was employed by the Union
Pacific R. R., with headquarters at Cheyenne. After his graduation
he returned to the same work, but soon left on account of the climate
and went to Waco, Texas, where he was general superintendent of
the Waco Light and Water Co. He was rapidly rising in his profes¬
sion when without warning he had several severe hemorrhages of the
lungs in May, 1892. He was taken to Colorado Springs at once, and
for some time seemed to gain strength; in March, however^ he began
to fail, and died of hemorrhage April 22, 1893.

Mr. Tscharner was a very bright, active, business like man. His
business ability was recognized while in college by his election as
business manager of the first Technograph, and his rapid promotion
after leaving the University shows the esteem in which he was held
by his employers. He was an honorable, upright, promising man,
with the best of habits and inclinations; a man of many warm
friends, and one who was yearly becoming more and more an honor
to his profession and to the University of Illinois.