The diamond drill., 1918-06-29
CAPT. RICHARDS
HAS RETIRED
MANAGEMENT OF MCKINNEY STEEL
OPERATIONS SURRENDERED
WILL CONTINUE AS ADVISER
Emerson D. Mcneil Will Succeed
Him in Charge of Mining Opera
tons On All Iron Ranges

Capt William ]. Richards, who for
eighteen years has been general su-
perintendent of the iron ore mines Of
the Mckinney Steel company, on the
Menominee and Gogebic ranges, has
retired from the active management
OF these properties. The announce
ment Of his retirement came at din
ner which he gave to his staff Of as
sistants, at his SUMMER home on Mon
day evening. Captain Richards will
continue in the employ OF the McKin-
ney Steel company in an advisory ca
pacity in relation TO the operation OF
its mining properties in all districts.
He will be succeeded as general su-
perintendent on the Menominee and
Gogebic ranges by Mr.. Emerson ID
Mcneil, who is already in charge as
general superintendent OF the proper
ties of the company on the Mesaba
range in Minnesota.
Captain Richards came TO Crystal
Falls to enter the employ OF the old
firm OF Corrigan, Mckinney G. Com
pany, to whom the Mckinney Steel
company succeeded in interest, about
eighteen years ago. His first work
was the management OF the properties
OF that company in the Crystal Falls
district Under his skillful control
several OF those properties were rap
idly changed from "scrams" OF indif-
ferent value to profitable mining prop
critics, and the captain has been in
the employ OF the company but short
time when he was placed in general
charge OF all OF the iron ore proper
ties OF the company in the states OF
Michigan and Minnesota Within
few years, however, the Minnesota
properties having been stripped and
placed In the open pit category, to re-
lieve the captain from a great amount
OF travel, the company permitted him
to confine his work 10 their under
ground mines on the Michigan ranges,
at that time including the Menominee
Marquette and Gogebic. His success
as a miner has become proverbial
throughout the entire Lake Superior
district, and he has long been consid
cred pre-eminent authority on prac-
tical underground mining PROPOSE
tions by the mining industry.
This change in Captains work In
connection with The Mckinney Steel
Company is we'll merited recognition
OF his splendid achievements.
Captain Richards will continue his
home in Crystal Falls for the pres
ent, but will devote a considerable
portion OF his time 10 travel and will
spend the winters in the South. For
several years his health has been
such that his physicians forbade him
TO endure the rigors OF upper penin-
sula winters.
During his residence in Michigan,
Captain Richards has become one OF
the best known public men in the
state. He has been chairman OF the
board OF supervisors for many years,
and has been the recipient OF much
political honor, unsought by him. He
has been identified with every public
movement in Iron county that made
for progress. and to him is due much
of the credit for the splendid county.
He has labored increasingly for the
public school system OF Crystal Falls,
and to him is due great deal OF the
credit for our magnificent school
plant. He has long been secretary OF
the board OF education. at great ex-
pense OF time to himself. Even his
political opponents freely admit that
HIS every public movement has spelled
progress and that when Captain Rich
ards leaves Iron county the county
will have lost an illustrious citizen.
The captain has had charge Of the Red
Cross work in Iron county since the
beginning OF the war. and 10 him, in
large measure, is due the credit for
the splendid showing which Iron
county has made in war work
Mr.. Mcneil Is we'll known in crys-
tai Falls. having been a protege OF
Mr.. Richards in the early days. lie