The Washington times., 1915-07-13
dr. JOSEPH A. HOLMES,
MINES DIRECTOR, DIES
Succumbs to tuberculosis In
Denver, a Victim Of Over
Work-NeWs Shocks City.

DR.. Joseph A. Holmes. director OF
the Bureau of Mines. died in Denver
today. He was a victim OF tubercu-
| losis. brought on by overwork.
News of the death of DR.. Holmes
| reached official circles here today. DIR.
Holmes went to Colol ado nearly a:year
ago because of his health.
DIR. Holmes was made director OF the
Bureau of Mines upon it's organization
| and was the promoter of the idea for
| a Government bureau to bring about
! more safety for underground workers.
| Prior to his appointment DIR. Holmes
was chief of the Psychological Bureau
OF the Geological Survey.
Dr. Holmes was called the father of
the Bureau Of Mines" His safety
hrst' slogan, originally applied to min
ing, has spread to other industries,
while there has been an appreciable
decrease in the number of mine casual
ties since the organization of his
bureau.
| DR.. Holmes was graduated from Cor
nell University in 1880. He was profess
sor of geology for ten years in the
University of North Carolina, and was
later State geologist of the Tarheel
State.
He organized and directed the Gov
| ernment Investigations of mine explo-
sions and the use of electricity In min
Ing. He took personal supervision Of
many of the mine disasters in this
| country, and his Investigations carried
| him to number of foreign countries.
lhe prevention of the loss of life and
| the reduction of waste in mining were
the two chief endeavors of DR.. Holmes.
In 1903 and 1904 he organized and had
| charge Of the Department Of Mines and
Metallurgy Of the Worlds. Fair at St.
| | ln fKaa ha tta % ghN
| mining and metallurgical operations.
In 1894, when the Government fuel
| Investigations were authorized by Con-
| gress, DIR. Holmes, having planned the
work, was offered its supervision, but
being unable then to give 1t the neces-
sary time, at his request, the super
vision was placed under a committee
consisting of Messrs. Parker and Camp
bell, of the Geological Survey, and Dir.
Holmes. Under this committee the in
vestigations were carried on to the end
| of 1894.
| Early in 1905. DR.. Holmes was ap-
pointed by the director of the Geo
logical survey to take individual charge
of the fuel Investigations as enlarged
and continued. and of Investigations
of mine explosions, etc. These, de-
veloped during 1905 to 1910 under the
Geological Survey. are, after July !.
transferred to and constitute the main
work Of the newly created Bureau OF
Mines.
DR.. Holmes was a member of the
American Institute of Mining Engi-
neers. and other mining societies. and
the mining investigation commission
of the State of Illinois. and represented
the United States on an international
mining commission.
Information concerning the death of
throughout the Interior Department and
other Government departments. The
Il Denver adrices do not give details as to
the funeral arrangements, which prob
A. T. t.,
asy hsse hst ne Dr. yst Ho%ss bodS @dSe will
brought East Immediately.
| Van H, Manning, acting director or
the Bureau of Mines, expressed the re-
gret of his associates today in the fol-
Lowing tribute to DR.. Holmes:
In the death of DIR. Holmes. the peo-
pie of the United States lose one of
their most remarkable and efficient
OF it all is that DR.. Holmes is a victim
of overwork, a too great devotion to
the duties which had been assigned to
' him in behalf of the safety of the mil
lion miners in the United States. He
was one of the most enthusiastic. In
, defatigable workers l ever had the
pleasure of associating with. His mind
was continually upon the yearly death
roll OF the miners. and, although taken
} away in the prime of his life. he has
already accomplished much in reduc-
ing the terrible death rate. In the last
five years of his life he saw slowly
but steadily decreasing death rate and
! while II gave him much joy II only
e added to his almost superhuman efforts
in behalf of the men.
, 1T is thought that DR.. Holmes fire.
: | ouent visits TO mines in which there
were disasters and his continual In,
! lSistence of going only where his trained
l | rescue crews should go, sharing, tht
: dangers that should nave gone only tc
= | more robust men, seriously affected nj:
. health. His trip to Alaska two years
. ago TO learn concerning the great Goa
; fields there met with many hardship!
: and severe exposure and 1t is belieNe1
: that this hastened the end.
: "Dr. Holmes is indeed a martyr L
the cause of safety among the miners
/ and his name is added to the honor rol
q of three bureau rescuers who in th'
q past gave up their lives to this cause
/ The mining industry suffers a keel
loss in his death