Description
This collection contains the papers of American mining engineer Louis Janin (1837-1914), chiefly consisting of correspondence,
primarily from the Concepcion
Mining & Milling Co. for the years 1887 through 1889, and 47 notebooks and pocket diaries kept by Janin between 1859 and 1889
containing financial
accounts and mining survey notes and experimental data.
Background
Mining engineer Louis Janin (Nov. 7, 1837-March 6, 1914), one of three sons in a New Orleans family who followed the profession
of mining engineer, figured prominently in Western mining for nearly sixty years.
Educated at Yale and then at the Freiberg Mining Academy, Janin began his career out West in 1861, shortly after his return
from Europe. He made his first mark on the profession in the early 1860s
on the Comstock Lode, where he applied his scientific training to improving the extraction of silver from formerly-discarded
tailings. In subsequent years, first in the employ of others and later in
his own practice, he obtained experience on mining fields all over the Far West. Having established a considerable reputation
as a consulting engineer for accuracy and discriminating judgment,
Janin acquired a growing list of clients including investors in Mexican properties and, in 1873, the Japanese government.
His many skills and the breadth of his experience particularly attracted
litigants in mining suits, who regularly employed Janin to ascertain the facts of the matter or provide corroborative testimony.
Although afflicted in later life with a variety of ailments, Janin
carried on with his work for some years and attained the profound respect of his peers. The three sons of his marriage to
Elizabeth Marshall, Louis, Jr., Eugene, and Charles, chose their father's
profession, carrying on the distinguished family name with their own careers.
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
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activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.