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An acquaintance lately requested me if I knew something about Charles F. Willis whose title she had encountered in a analysis mission. I needed to admit that I used to be not acquainted with him, however would do some sleuthing. The next is what I discovered.
Charles Francis Willis was a skilled mining engineer who first labored, after commencement from MIT in 1906, for mining operations in Colorado and New Mexico earlier than he ventured out to Arizona. However he modified course a bit turning into Professor of Mining and Metallurgy on the College of Arizona in 1912.
Willis, or Charley as most individuals got here to deal with him, will need to have made fairly an impression educating. And actually, he’s stated to have turned down some job gives to proceed educating. However then he was requested to be the top of the 2-year outdated Bureau of Mines affiliated with the UofA in 1915. This was earlier than the younger state of Arizona had an official Bureau of Mines — type of thoughts boggling take into account how necessary mining was and is to our financial system.
However Arizona did lastly set up a Bureau of Mines in early 1915 and Willis turned the director of this new state entity. Willis later resigned and labored for Phelps Dodge for a few years.
Then R.A. Watkins lured Willis to maneuver to Phoenix in 1920 and turn out to be the brand new editor of the Arizona Mining Journal. On this place, Willis anticipated that he would “be higher in a position to serve the mining business.” And serve he did for 26 years.
Phoenix Historical past: A small and short-lived summer season lake
The fame of the Mining Journal allowed Willis present data that helped small and enormous mining operations. Willis’ publishing work and talking engagements did assist him to comprehend the necessity for a company that centered strictly on small mining operations. A state-wide group shaped in August 1929 and Willis turned the secretary of the Small Mining Operators Affiliation in 1938. He instantly began a month-to-month publication focusing on the membership calling it Pay Grime.
Willis turned so concerned with helping small mining operations that he lobbied the legislature for the creation of the Division of Mineral Sources which Governor Jones authorized in March 1939. This was one other technique of strengthening the state’s mining business.
Willis offered the Arizona Mining Journal to Mining World in 1946 and devoted himself to Pay Grime till poor well being prompted him to promote the publication in 1968.
If you have a look at the Arizona State Seal, you see a miner prominently standing together with his decide and shovel. Will he strike gold, silver, or copper and be rolling within the cash? We’ll by no means know, however we will be sure that the miners and all these related to the business in Arizona labored exhausting for his or her riches. Charles F. Willis typifies the numerous influential “behind the scenes” individuals who contributed a lot to Arizona’s mining business for over 50 years, however stay little identified by the remainder of the state.
Donna Reiner is the co-author of three books on Phoenix historical past.
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