Emile Cheysson

  A career in the service of the State

The professional and social course of his life is called up at his funeral (Februar 10, 1910):

- As student, during a placement in Le Havre, he replaces a sick engineer. He puts forward successfully significant modifications on the foundations of the oceans liners' big lock.

- As an engineer in Reims in 1859, he achieves the building of the railway from Reims to the military camp of Chalons (30 kilometres) by employing unemployed workers and without using ground expropriations.

- In 1867 he is entrust with equiping the machine-gallery of World'Fairs of 1867. He meets Frédéric Le Play, organizer of this world-show.

- In 1868 he is appointed as administrative literature professor to "Ponts et Chaussées" School.

- During Paris' blockade in 1870, he becomes in charge of the mills' service organisation. He has to find new grinding means and he succeeds beyond any hopes in feeding Paris' people with flour. In a book entitled "Le Pain du Siège" ("The blockade's bread"), he calls up difficulties of his position.
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- From 1871 to 1876, he is called by Eugène Schneider and manages the Creusots Mills, a huge community of 15 000 workers.

Then he is employed in the public works to improve the navigation on the Seine river.

- In 1877, he is appointed as leader of the maps, plans and graphical statistics Department of the Ministry of Public Works. He develops particularly the statistics field.

From this time, his studies deal with economics ans socials matters : "insurance, mutuality, occupational hazards, low coast habitations, weekly rest".

Since 1878, he keeps up or supervises works of the French general levelling Commission.

Starting from 1882 he teaches economics then social economy at the “Ecole libre des Sciences Politiques”. From 1884 he teaches industrial economy at the "Ecole des Mines".

- He retires in 1906.

He died on 7 February 1910 in Leysin (Switzerland), having been violently hit by a sledge. He was 73 years old.