The Washington herald., 1907-07-21
DIR. DAY IS RELIEVED
Realizes Desire to Compile
Petroleum Record.
HAS BEEN HIS LIFE WORK
New Task for Geological Survey
VIII Take Him to All Pass of the
Country where OH AbOunds-Ed-
ward Wheeler Parker, Coal Ex-
pert, Succeeds Him as Chief.

Interested in the question Of petroleum
since boyhood, and making it a part Of a
study Of a lifetime. DR.. David T. Day,
chief Of the division of mining and min
erai resources Of the Geological Survey.
and one OF the best-known mining ex-
peFts In the world. has at last had his
wish realized and has been relieved Of
duty at his own request. so that he will
be able to devote his time 70 the prepara-
tion Of the report on the petroleum re-
sources OF this country for the United
States government.
Edward Wheeler Parker. the coal ex-
pert on the Anthracite Coal Strike Com
mission, who has been in the service un-
der DR.. Day for sixteen years. was ap-
pointed yesterday to succeed him as chief
Of the division.
Graduates from Johns Hopkins.
DR.. Day graduated from the Johns Hop
kins University in 1851 His graduation
thesis was on the question Of petroleum.
Five years later tie became the chief OF
the Mining and Mineral Resources Diyi-
sion, and lie has remained in this de-
paTtment continuously for twenty-one
years The study OF petroleum and It's
resources has formed an important part
In the history Of DR.. Day. as much OF his
energy has been spent in this direction.
DR.. Days most important work. per-
haps. siICe he entered the service Of the
government has been as compiler OF the
mineral resources Of the United States.
This work he began Ia 1855, and he has
been at the task ever since. On differ
ent occasions De has contributed chapters
10 these statistics until the work has he
come one Of the most interesting and most
valuable ever issued BY this branch OF
the government service. His works on
the mining industry and tire question OF
minerals are Known an over America, and
abroad as well.
In Charge at ExPositiOns.
During the Worlds Fair. az Chicago. in
1880. Dr. Day was in charge Of the Pc
troieum exhibits. At the Paris Exposition
Or. Day also had charge Of the petroleum
exhibit At nearly all Of the expositions
.in this country and abroad during the last
fifteen years. DR. Day has been sent as
representative Of the United states gov
ernment and he Geological Survey.
Dr.. Day was honorary commissioner Of
mining al the Lewis and Clark Exposition
al Portland, Greg. during the summer OF
1850. Last summer be attracted "a great
deal of attention by the announcement
that from the experiments he had been
conducting at Portland he believed that
the common black sands found along the
Columbia River could be transformed By
chemicals into steel
New Chief l. from Texas.
Or. Day is a member Of the American
Institute Of Mining Engineers. the Ma
uonal Geographic Society. the Geological
Society Of America. the American Chem
ical Society, the National Statistical So
ciety, and the Geographic Society Of
Switzerland His home Is in Washing,
ton, but It Is expected that during the
course Of his new undertaking. which
Will require years of arduous work. he
Will be away from this city a great deal
DIT. Days experiments and trips IN gath
eTing statistics viii take him % all parts
Of the country which are In any way
connected with the petroleum industry
=. ". Parker, the new chief Of the
division, was formerly newspaper man.
and came here from Texas. He began his
services under DIT. Day, and during the
last few years while his chief has been
away on his various expeditions Mr.
Parker has practically been in charge OF
the mining and mineral branch OF the
Geological Survey.