The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-01
ROMANCE IN LIFE
 OF DIR. JAS. DOUGLAS
By HOLLAND

James Douglas, who died at his home I in New York, on Tuesday of last week came to the United States where he
 achieved wonderful things and back ] to Quebec his body was taken for in- terment, because for years the family plot in the cemetery has there been maintained
 Dr. Douglas was of world wide repu- tation, although possibly his name was not as familiar as his achievements would have justified. He came to the United States qualified as d mining engineer. but he had already received his degree as doctor of medicine and after brief practice of that profession, he turned to theology and was licensed to preach. although never going so far as to be actually ordained ns cler- gyman.
 His career had many elements of TO- nance in it. Physician, clergyman. min- ing engineer. the discoverer of re- markedly successful process for ex- tracting copper ores, the true promoter of vast copper development in Ari- zona and the far southwest, q builder of railroads, writer of books that were esteemed highly, the wonder was how he achieved so much along differ enr lines. although he lived 10 years beyond the scriptural limit of age.
 About the time when there came the dawn of what proved to be the mar vicious industrial era for tho United States, Dr. Douglas in a comparative- ly limited copper refining or smelt- ing plant in Pennsylvania, taught the world how to utilize the somewhat mys- tic and today not fully understood law Of electrolysis, so that in that way he vas able to secure from copper ore not only such precious metals as were embedded in it, for often gold and sill yer are found in association with cop per. but also how to obtain hy this process substantially pure coprnr from the ere. This was, in fact. one of the earliest of the developments of elec- trochenstry in running oplrltipns a se'en.e which in a lev years later Mas to be so wonderfully advanced by rev materials, unk klo.vn go years earlier. could be ma 1rrlGtlired, as Acheson discovered by thermoche mis- try low 10 produce ca.ncrundum, and Baekeiand how to produce hakeiitc, and Hall how to secure aluminium at low ccst.
 MORE THAN MAN OF SCIENCE
 The copper plant in Pennsylvania Was given up principally because the supply of copper was not sufficient. Already Boston caital and Boston abili- ty had begun to exploit witl, gratlfy- ing results the coppar deposits oe nofthcrn Michigan, out not vet had Thomson and lacking, paly, Clark and others found tn eir selves on the high road to the stupendoas copper lrn- duo tion which. when this at last was accomplished, made the United States the greatest copper producing country in tho world .
 IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST
 The late William Earl Dodge in asso- ciat,cn with the late D Wnlis James and others, maintained in New York for ircry years and iinpo. t;nt ,n.rcan- tile l oLse. principally occupied with, importing copper and other metals and marketing them. Nr. Dodge and his rar.ntls, until they were brought ir t" association with pr. Douglas. had no thought of enfering the field O. copper production. Their attention sAas brought to this opportunity ny a man wko came frora Arizona to New York and who un.lsrioaa to interest thsm in coper props s's,-s in Arizona, wh.Sh he said were inexhaustiblc and Very rich. It is lon.- s..ry which tells fully of the name. in which this me, .antlle house bscasre interested in cs'rpcr production. F, :s eilough to say that pr. Douglas. who visited Arizona a.. T Ire copper reg 'ohs. i-p":;tG siv- orably and Phelps, Dodge O Co, were pers yaced to invest some capital iii the venture The results were ;.max ing te them. The house hecaInc one .of the greatest copper producing or- gs ni7a.ions of the world frilcwing, in that respect. in point of time the ..rest cclrtr development n northern Alichi- gan v
 If. Douglas juigmcn.s We're un>r- ri'tr His business sc nAe, was spokcr Of as unusual Wirrl one s's the rs,il-s roa'is hich was Ind s:,snxtr.let;ur fir Jal' the Pacific to the Aiixsissis,pi g.tf