André Dumont
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André Dumont or Léon André Dumont (born October 9, 1847 in Liège , † November 2, 1920 in Brussels ) was a Belgian geologist and mining entrepreneur .
He was the son of André Hubert Dumont , professor of geology and mining at the Catholic University of Leuven , and Amélie Hyacinthe De Jaer.
Since 1877, André Dumont had been concerned with the idea of finding hard coal in the Belgian heathland De Kempen .
Dumont made unsuccessful attempts at drilling in Elen, west of As , around 1900 . In 1901 he founded a new company with financial support from the international drilling company from Erkelenz , a company owned by Anton Raky . This convinced Dumont to drill into Ace. On June 1, 1901, drilling began on the way to Opglabbeek. In 1901, on the night of August 1 to 2, the drill bit first encountered coal at a depth of 541 meters. This drilling was carried out by the drill master Koton, who immediately went to Maastricht to send a telegram to Dumont, who was on vacation with his family in Spa . The famous message was sent on August 2nd at 11 a.m. It consisted of the brief words
Coal drilled - operation stopped - am noon Erkelenz - luck on - Koton
The Limburg coal mining area was created with its seven mines. The Waterschei colliery between As and Genk was called André Dumont-sous-Asch and was owned by the company of the same name.
Honors
- In the Belgian and Dutch Limburg streets and schools bear his name.
- In As, a wooden, 32-meter-high derrick was erected at the historic station and the Kolenspoor museum railway . It can be walked up to a height of 24 meters and serves as a lookout tower over the Hoge Kempen National Park .
Sculptures
- In Leuven on the Hogeschoolplein in front of the PausKolleg there is a bronze statue of André Dumont. It was donated in 1922 by the Association of Mining Engineers of the Catholic University of Leuven. The memorial bears the inscription on three sides of the base: "ANDRÉ DUMONT / 1874-1920 /… IL DÉCOUVRIT LE BASSIN BROUILLER / DU NORD DE LA BELGIQUE", "ASCH, 2 VIII, 1901" and "ANDRÉ DUMONT / 1874-1920 / ... HIJ ONTDEKTE DE STEENKOOL IN DE DIEPTE VAN DE KEMPENGROND ".
- The André Dumont Monument , a large sculpture, was erected in Genk . It is on the square in front of the Sankt Martinuskirche in the Stationsstraat .
- In As, a stone derrick on the provincial road N 730 , confluence with Vlasroot, reminds of the geologist and his drilling. The N 730 is partly called André Dumontlaan .
Web links
- Monument in Genk on Google Earth / Panoramio
- Geographical location of the drilling site and the monument in As
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stlösungen-willems-hoogeloon-best/I40262.php
- ↑ Verzameling der Wetten en besluiten, Volume 46, Brussels 1859
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Dumont, André |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Dumont, Leon André |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Belgian geologist and mining entrepreneur |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 9, 1847 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Liege |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 2, 1920 |
| Place of death | Brussels |