Frederic Anton Eilers
Note: Frederic Anton Eilers used his middle name, Anton, as his given name. See A. Eilers in the advertisement for the Colorado Smelting Company, below.
(1839-1917)
President of the Colorado Scientific Society – 1893 (?)
Note: Anton Eilers was a founding member of the Colorado Scientific Society. He declined the Presidency of the Colorado Scientific Society for 1893. In the Proceedings of the Colorado Scientific Society, Volume 4, page xvii, Abstract of Minutes for the Annual Meeting on December 19th, 1892, there is the statement:
“The nomination of officers for the ensuing year were read, and the following persons elected:
President, Mr. A. Eilers elected, but subsequently declined office.”
See the entry for CSS President Oscar J. Frost for more details. The CSS meetings in 1893 were chaired by other members.
Wikipedia has the best biography of Anton Eilers.
The Colorado Smelting Company was one of the companies Anton Eilers founded.
There are also testimonials to Anton Eilers’ developments in the smelting of lead and silver ores:
“Eilers, Frederic Anton, metallurgist, born in Laufenselten, Nassau, Germany, 14January 1839. He was educated at the mining school in Clausthal and in the University of Gottingen. Soon after the completion of his studies he cam to the United States, and from 1869 till 1876 held the office of deputy U. S. commissioner of mining statistics. Subsequently he was occupied in building and managing smelting works for lead and silver in Utah and Colorado. He is at present (1887) general manager of the Colorado smelting company’s works at South Pueblo, Colonel Mr. Eilers is considered one of the foremost experts in the United States in his branch of metallurgy, and while he has never patented any of his own inventions, he has done more than any other person to improve American methods in the treatment of lead and silver. This he has accomplished by making possible the long, continuous running of large shaft furnaces in the smelting of argentiferous leadores. The most important elements of this improvement are the use of water jackets and the scientific precise adjustment of charges with reference to their chemical composition and the fusion point of slags. The “chills” or “salamanders,” formerly so frequent in furnaces of this type, and not only necessitating stoppages but also compelling the use of small furnaces, have thus been obviated. Some of his improvements are adopted in Europe. He is the author of various professional papers.”
From Edited Appleton’s Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 VirtualogyTM
http://famousamericans.net/fredericantoneilers/
“By general agreement, the Germania Smelter in Murray was the most efficient and carefully run of the early operations. The smelter offered excellent service partly because of its personnel. The Germania’s employees included German emigrants Gustave Billing, accountant and smelter manager, and metallurgist Anton Eilers. Billing had arrived in Utah in 1870 to manage the smelter and take over the financial side of the operation. Eilers had studied at the University of Geottingen and the mining academy at Clausthal. After joining the staff of the Germania Smelter in 1876, Eilers gave two years of careful supervision before he and Billing moved on to Leadville, Colorado.”
Excerpt from Utah History to Go – Mining and Roads by Thomas G. Alexander
