MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH AUSTIN HOLMES 23 



"About 1900 it became more and more evident that he (Doctor Holmes) was 

 a man of broad conceptions and fitted to undertake work of national scope, 

 and it was with great pleasure that I learned, in 1904, that he was willing to 

 give all of his time and energy to the development of the Section of Mines and 

 Mining in the Federal Survey. I told him that as soon as the work was suffi- 

 ciently well organized it would be made a Division of the Survey and undoubt- 

 edly lead to the creation of a Bureau of Mines and Mining. He entered into 

 the work with a zeal and intelligence that was not fully understood by his 

 immediate associates; but the work steadily grew and, in 1910, he was ap- 

 pointed Director of tbe Bureau of Mines." 



His appointment, however, was not attained without very severe opposi- 

 tion from a Secretary who was hostile to Doctor Holmes, and it is rumored 

 that this important position was offered to several other men; but, to the 

 credit of the men of science of this country, it can he said that they all 

 refused to accept what all knew rightfully belonged to another. Those 

 who knew Doctor Holmes, having confidence in his ability and believing 

 that he was the logical head for the new Bureau, were persistent in their 

 demand that he should receive the appointment. It is not generally 

 known how near the Bureau came to losing Doctor Holmes as its Director 

 and how near the University of West Virginia came to securing him as 

 its president; and, as an incident bearing on this is illustrative of the 

 loyalty of Doctor Holmes 1 friends, I wish to quote in part a few lines 

 from a letter I recently received from Dr. I. C. White, State Geologist of 

 West Virginia : 



"It was during this discouraging period of his life, just before the appoint- 

 ment of a Director of the Bureau of Mines, when he had given up all hope of 

 receiving the appointment, that he came up from Pittsburgh to spend the week 

 end at the writer's home in Morgantown, West Virginia. He was weary and 

 care-worn from the long and disappointing vigil, but gentle and loving as ever. 

 No word of reproach or bitterness escaped his lips. If he could not serve his 

 country in an edifice his own hands had so largely constructed, he was ready 

 to give his services to a State that had stood by him in his long battle, and 

 where he knew he would be among appreciative friends. The State Univer- 

 sity of West Virginia was seeking a president, and one of the purposes of 

 Doctor Holmes' visit to my home was to acquaint the writer, who had ever 

 been his trusted friend, with the fact that he had despaired of being appointed 

 Director of the United States Bureau of Mines, and would accept tbe presi- 

 dency of the University of West Virginia if the regents of the same would 

 make the tender." 



Fortunately for the industry, Doctor White and others, realizing that 

 for the success of the Bureau of Mines it was necessary that Doctor 

 Holmes should be its head, decided, out of genuine loyalty to him and 

 appreciation of his work, that they Avould not place his name for action 

 before the regents of the University until President Taft had actually 



