Lester Wallack Strauss was killed in an accident at Medellin, Colombia, on June 24th, 1935, at the age of 57. He was a passenger in an aeroplane which was waiting to start a flight to Bogota, when another plane was driven into it by a sudden gust of wind. Both machines immediately caught fire, and the occupants were burned to death.
Mr. Strauss was educated at the College of the City of New York, where he was born, and entered the School of Mines, Columbia University, in 1896. In 1900 he received the degree of Engineer of Mines, and after visiting mines in North and South Carolina and Virginia, was appointed assayer to the Dahlonega Consolidated Gold Mining Co. in Georgia. In 1901 he was employed at mines in Mexico and Arizona, and from 1902 to 1904 was with the Federal Lead Co., Missouri, as engineer and chemist, and later as mill superintendent.
During the following two years he examined mines in the Southern States, and in 1906 was appointed examining engineer to the Peruvian Mining, Smelting and Refining Co. From 1907 onwards he practised as a consulting mining engineer with headquarters first at Lima, Peru, then from 1914 to 1927 at Valparaiso, Chile, and from 1927 onwards at New York City. He was the author of many articles in the English and American technical press.
Mr. Strauss was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1909 and was transferred to Membership in 1911.
Vol. 46, Trans I.M.M., 1936-37, pp.831-2
