Evening journal., 1916-09-28
NAJ. ". C. RAMSAY,
DUPONT OFFICIAL,
TAKEN BY death
Continued from Flrst Page.

not been completed.
sketch of His Life.
Major Ramsay was one OF the chlei
factors in the physical development OF
The dupont plants 10 meet the de-
mands upon them caused by the
rnronean War. He entered the eX-
nlosive industry in 1892. when ne
was employed by the Repauno Chemi-
cal Company. His engineering Work
in connection with explosives began
in 1902. when he became chief engi-
neer of the Eastern Dynamite Com
many. which soon became a part OF
the dupont organization. 49,,
In 1903 he was appointed cmet engi-
neer of the dupont Powder Company. lie
ha,ilt explosive factories at Sterling.
near birmingham, Ala; Barksdale,
Wisconsin; Louviers, Colorado; DUPONT,
Washington; Senter, Michigan; Atlas,
Missouri; Racchus, Utah; the pulp mn
at Newhan. Maine, and supervised
smaller DUPONT constructions.
His period Of greatest activity was
during 1915 and the early part of tins
wear This was the expansion period
for the dupont Company when every
effort was bent toward putting the
nlants in such shape that they might
fulfil the contracts with the European
powers.
being conducted at Hopewell, the great
cuncotton plant in Virginia; Carney
Point. which turned this gincotton into
s,uokeless powder; Parlin, Hasldll, re
pauno and Deep Water Point, In New
Jersey. and Barksdale. Wisconsin. All
Of these operations were under way AZ
the same time, but the greatest pressure
was put ON the work at Hopewell. There
was no DELAY in the other operations,
however, for IL was necessary that all
should be completed at the earliest mo-
ment.
During these operations the major
had more than GOO men on his stan
with more than 10000 actual con-
struction workers directly under his
charge. The measure OF Major Ram
saws ability was shown by the clock
work regularity with which the con
struction work went on and the
speed with which II was completed.
The major had at present under
construction a plant In Montana
which the company has named Ram
saw in honor OF It's chief engineer.
Last March Major Ramsay was
made a director OF the DUPONT Com
pany and at the annual meeting on
March % he was elected vice-presi-
dent.
Major Ramsay was born at the
Preside, San Francisco Cal, August
28. 1866 His early education was at
tanned in private schools. but at the
age of II he entered the service OF
the B. & o. railroad as a rodman
and was soon appointed second assis-
tant engineer on construction. After
a year of this work he went to the
University OF Virginia and took up a
summer course In engineering At
the beginning OF the regular univer-
-siiv term In 1884 he took the junior
course in both civil and mining engi-
neering and during the next three
years completed this and the civil
engineering courses.
His first year out OF the university
was spent in the United States engi-
neering Office in New Orleans, where
he acted as United States inspector.
He was Identified with photographic
work on the Mississippi river and To-
Gated and built the Deer Park Levee
In Concordia Parish, La.
The majors first connection with
work IN Wilmington began in July,
1883, when as young engineer who
had already made an enviable reputa-
ton he came TO Wilmington TO con-
duct the park surveys. A short time
after this he joined the p. w. & h.
Railroad. entering the maintenance OF
way department. Thus began a con-
nection with railroad work. which was
marked by successful progress. which
carried him into the Philadelphia di-
vision OF the B. e. o. Railroad as as
sistant engineer; later as resident en-
gineer OF the Sparrows Point connec-
tion. AT the same time he was in
charge OF preliminary and location
work for the fourteen miles OF rail-
road from Oxford. Pa, to Singerly.
Md. In November. 1889. he became
connected with the West Virginia
Railroad and helped with a large
amount OF location work. The next
year he returned 20 the p. & o. and
was In charge of construction OF yard
At Clarksburg. w. Va. He rebuilt the
Grafton Bridge with its pier and two
103-foot spans. Later he Joined the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal manage
ment and was put I'm charge OF repair
work on the Western Division. He
rebuilt the Potomac river dam. the
Monocacy aqueduct and the Siding
Hill aqueduct with its 90-foot arch.
His connection with the b. G. o. was
then resumed and continued until ht
ioined the Repauno Chemical Com
pany in 1892. This connection contin-
ned until the outbreak OF the Spanish
American War. in 1898.
The major then joined the United
States Army. He was made captain
and then major of the First u. S. Vol
unteer Engineers. serving in the Porto
Rico campaign and receiving the SER
vice medal for his work. During this
campaign he rebuilt bridges and mill
tary roads destroyed by the Spanish
and cleaned out reservoirs and sewers
In several OF the towns in Porto Rico
and did great amount OF other mill
tary and civil engineering work in the
Island.
Major Ramsay has been closely
Identified with most OF the civic move.
ments for the betterment" of condi
tions in Wilmington. He has been I
contributor to and an active worker il
behalf OF many Of the city's charities
and his pleasing personality made hin
a much sought associate OF the earnes
workers in these causes. Recently tn,