Julius Kruttschnitt II

Julius Kruttschnitt II (1885–1974) was an American-born mining manager, who helped to establish the mining industry in Queensland, Australia.

Julius Kruttschnitt, Chairman of Mount Isa Mines, 1946

Early life and career

Kruttschnitt was born 7 May 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the son of Julius Kruttschnitt and his wife Wilhelmina.[1] The elder Kruttschnitt was a railway engineer who would go on to become the Chairman of the Southern Pacific railroad company, which also laid tracks for their line in Mexico.[2] After an early education in Belmont, California, Julius Kruttschnitt II went to Yale University, graduating with a B.Phil. in 1906. After a year of postgraduate work, he took a position as a mine surveyor with the Arizona Copper Company. Kruttschnitt married Marie Rose Pickering in San Francisco, California in 1907.[1] He would join the mining department of the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) at their Reforma lead mine in Mexico in 1909.[3] He then moved to Asientos, Mexico to oversee their silver mine.[1] Kruttschnitt was recalled back to Tucson, Arizona in 1912[4] to oversee the company's mining department and remained there until 1930.

Management of Mount Isa Mines

Marie, first wife of Julius Kruttschnitt, 1940

In July 1930, Kruttschnitt took a position for ASARCO in Australia as general manager of Mount Isa Mines Ltd, Queensland.[5] It is probable that it was described as a short term position.[2] However the company was close to bankruptcy. After an agreement by ASARCO to make a million dollar loan to Mount Isa Mines Ltd,[2] the mine and smelters began producing their first lead bullion in mid 1931. Under Kruttschnitt's management, it would take six years until the mine cleared a profit in 1937 largely due to worldwide ore prices and the need for better extraction and milling methods,[2] and another ten before dividends were paid to investors. Kruttschnitt was well liked by the mine's employees, as he took an interest in providing better housing for employees and their families and improving community relations,[2] while General Manager. Kruttschnitt was appointed a director of Mount Isa Mines Ltd in 1931. He was later appointed chairman of the board in 1937, remaining in the role until 1953 when he retired as chairman. He continued on the board until 1967.

His wife Marie (née Pickering), also had a popular role in the Mt Isa community. She was active in the Country Women's Association, the Australian Inland Mission and, during the start of World War II, in the Australian Comforts Fund. She died on 4 September 1940 from pneumonia; her body was returned to the USA for burial.[6][7][8] In March 1941, a women's club which she had a major role in establishing was named the Marie Kruttschnitt Club in her memory.[9] In 1944, he married his secretary Mrs Edna May Roger (née Maxted) in a private ceremony with Presbyterian rites at his home in Mount Isa.[10][11] They moved to Twigg St, Indooroopilly in Brisbane after his retirement in 1953. This home was inundated by floodwater during the Brisbane floods of 1974.[2]

Edna May Roger (née Maxted), second wife of Julius Kruttschnitt, 1944

Memberships and awards

Kruttschnitt was also director of Big Bell Mines Ltd, Anglo-Westralian Mining Pty Ltd, the Mining Trust Ltd, New Guinea Goldfields Ltd and several other companies. He was president of the Queensland Chamber of Mines, established in 1948,[2] for fourteen years. He was president of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in 1939[12] and 1952. He was awarded a gold medal from the English Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in 1962. He was also awarded the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy's medal in recognition of his outstanding services to the mining industry of Australia in 1946.[13] He was a member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. Kruttschnitt was a member of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission's advisory committee on uranium mining from 1953-60.[14] He sat on the board of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Queensland from 1954-62. He was granted an honorary Doctorate of Engineering in 1971 from the University of Queensland.[1]

Later life

Kruttschnitt became an Australian citizen in 1965.[2] Kruttschnitt's second wife Edna predeceased him in 1967. He died at the St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane on 23 September 1974.[15] Kruttschnitt was survived by two sons-Julius III and Ernest and two daughters Marie and Barbara from his first marriage and his step-son, Bruce from his second marriage. Kruttschnitt and wife Edna were both cremated and their ashes are interred at the Albany Creek Crematorium.[16][17]

Legacy

The University of Queensland Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre at Finney's Hill, Indooroopilly was named for him in 1971.[18]

His home, Casa Grande, in Mount Isa is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.[19]

References

1. Hopper, J. R.; Lynch, A. J. Kruttschnitt, Julius (1885–1974). Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. Chaput, Donald and Kennedy, Kett (1992). The man from ASARCO. Australasian Mineral Heritage Trust. ISBN 0949106542.
3. "Julius Kruttschnitt, Jr". US GenWeb Archives-Arizona. 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
4. Thompson, Boyce (July 2014). "The Man from Asarco Once Visited St. Louis". Thompson family history. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
5. "Mount Isa - Visit of Directors TOWNSVILLE, December 30. - The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) - 30 Dec 1930". Trove. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
6. "ENTHUSIASTIC WORKER FOR WAR EFFORTS - Death of Mrs Kruttschnitt MT ISA, September 4. - Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954) - 5 Sep 1940". Trove. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
7. "War Workers Lose Helper". The Courier-mail (2187). Queensland, Australia. 5 September 1940. p. 9. Retrieved 10 July 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "OBITUARY - MRS. JULIUS KRUTTSCHNITT. - Cloncurry Advocate (Qld. : 1931 - 1953) - 6 Sep 1940". Trove. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
9. "OF INTEREST TO WOMEN". Townsville Daily Bulletin. LXIII (68). Queensland, Australia. 19 March 1941. p. 10. Retrieved 10 July 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "MR. KRUTTSCHNITT TO WED JUNE 3 - The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) - 4 Apr 1944". Trove. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
11. "WOMEN NOW INCLUDED IN RED CROSS SOCIAL SERVICE". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 3 June 1944. p. 4 (LATE WEEK END FINAL ALL THE NEWS). Retrieved 10 July 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Business News In Brief - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - 6 Jan 1939". Advertiser (Adelaide, Sa : 1931 - 1954). 6 January 1939. p. 20. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
13. "A.I.M.M. Medal Awarded to Mr. J. Kruttschnitt - VALUE OF SERVICES TO MINING RECOGNISED - Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1950) - 6 Mar 1947". Kalgoorlie Miner (Wa : 1895 - 1954). 6 March 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
14. "URANIUM MINING - NEW MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE MR. KRUTTSCHNITT INCLUDED - Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954) - 29 May 1953". Cairns Post (QLD. : 1909 - 1954). 29 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
15. "Mine expert - The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) - 24 Sep 1974". Trove. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
16. "EDNA MAY KRUTTSCHNITT ( - 1967)". Heaven Address. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
17. "JULIUS KRUTTSCHNITT ( - 1974)". Heaven Address. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
18. "About - JKMRC - The University of Queensland, Australia". www.jkmrc.uq.edu.au. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
19. "Casa Grande (entry 601094)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.

Further reading

• Chaput, Donald; Kennedy, K. H. (Kett Howard), 1948-; Australasian Mineral Heritage Trust (1992), The man from ASARCO : a life and times of Julius Kruttschnitt, Australasian Mineral Heritage Trust of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, ISBN 978-0-949106-54-4CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

Media related to Julius Kruttschnitt II at Wikimedia Commons