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William Blake Letter about Working a Copper Mine in Arizona

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Mining Start Price:125.00 USD Estimated At:250.00 - 500.00 USD
William Blake Letter about Working a Copper Mine in Arizona
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This item SOLD at 2016 May 13 @ 09:21UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Marvelous history here. William Blake (see below) was an important economic geologist. In this letter of July 16, 1882, he is writing that he is ready to tackle a copper mine near Clifton and/or Copper Queen. "...I will be willing to undertake the work, erect the smelter and put it into successful operation and make the survey and report on the mine." "...have the advice and cooperation of Wm Miller, and I would require supervision of the construction of the water jacket furnace and the needed fitting, stack , blower, kettles, etc., etc.""I suppose that the patent coke would be the best fuel..." Six 9 x 6" pages.



Blake was born in New York City on June 21, 1826 and attended private schools in New York. In 1852 he received an advanced degree in the Chemical Course with the first graduating class of Yale University’s Sheffield School. Blake had a long and distinguished career in both U.S. and international mineralogy. His important jobs included mineralogist and geologist of the U. S Pacific Railroad Survey in the 1850s, mining engineer to the Japanese Government in 1861-63, reports in 1863 of Alaskan geology that reportedly influenced the U.S. purchase of Alaska, Commissioner for California to the Paris Exposition in 1867, Chief of Scientific Corps of the U.S. expedition to San Domingo in 1871, and collection and installation support of mineral resources exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution in the 1870s. From 1878 to 1895 Blake worked as an economic geologist, exploring districts and examining mines in the Western U.S. In 1895, at the age of 69, he was appointed Professor of Geology and Mining, and Director of the School of Mines, at the University of Arizona. Blake retired in 1905 and became Professor Emeritus. In 1898, both in recognition of his past achievements and recognizing his continuing studies, Arizona’s governor appointed Blake to the position of Arizona Territorial mineralogist and geologist. Blake served in this capacity for the rest of his life. Six times he was elected vice president of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, of the American philosophical Society, and the Geological Societies of America, London, and Edinburgh. He was also named Chevalier of France’s Legion of Honor. City: Copper Queen State: Arizona Date: 1882 ID# 38024