The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-03-29

tdllDIluSc, MISS, Mafcn 2g.-AleX-
ander AgassiZ, the eminent naturalist
and president Of the Calumet d Hecla
Mining company, died yesterday on
the steamer Adriatic, bound from
Southampton for New York. The
news came I'm by a wireless message
The news of Agassiz' death came
as a great surprise and shock. He
had been heard from frequently since
he went abroad about New Years time
and was supposed to be i'm the best of
health. Agassiz' trip took him TO
Egypt and the countries bordering on
the Mediterranean sea. Agassiz was
a director Of several copper companies
and a son to the famous naturalist,
Jean Paul Louis Rudolphe Agassiz
and was engaged in scientific re-
searches for over fifty years.
OF Swiss Parentage.
Alexander Agassiz was born in Neu-
chatel. Switzerland, December II, 1885,
His mother, Cecile Braun. as well as
his father, Professor Louis Agassiz, the
eminent Harvard naturalist were
Swiss. He came to the United States
when eleven years of age, and at six
teen entered the Harvard University.
He completed his education there ana
at the Lawrence Scientific school.
1t was undoubtedly in some measure
the memory of his early days-days
when his fathers scientific work was
interfered with by lack of wealth
that caused Alexander Agassiz to turn
his attention 10 financial as well Us
scientific matters. Early in his career
therefore he devoted his efforts toward
money making. not for the sake of
accumulating wealth, but because its
possession enabled him to carry on his
scientific work.
Upon his graduation from Lawrence,
he became a member of the California
Coast Survey filling that position for
two years and for five years after
that served as assistant i'm zoology at
Harvard under his father.
Supt. of C. & n. Mines.
It was in 1865. at the close of the
Civil war that his great chance came.
In that year he was appointed super
intendent of the Calumet & Hecla
mines. then i'm their infancy The
credit for developing the mines was 10
a large extent his. These mines We're
worked separately for few years
after they were opened and were com
bined but short time before Mr.
Agassiz took charge. When he took
hold of affairs i'm this district, the cas-
iIv reached copper had been almost
exhausted and few people thought that
the expense of further workings would
he euualed by the returns. III Is
claimed by many that Agassiz was Civ
on a large bulk of the stock of this
company free for making the mine
pay.
shortly after Agassiz took hold OF
the property he perceived the WONDER
full possibilities of 1t, and in company
with Quincy A. Shaw. made thor
ough inspection. They realized tha'
both energy and cash must be expend-
ed unstintedly to make 1t successful
Here for Five Years.
So strongly were Agassiz and SHAW
impressed with the mine, they began
at once. through agents in Boston TO
buv all the stock they could find at 70
n share. It soon advanced. but they
kent on buying as long as they could
straining every nerve to Increase ther
holdings. The phenomenal advance
made fortunes for both.
Agassiz was superintendent vi NV
C. & IT, mine for five years, living inc
life Of a practical mining man. an"