Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-24
\ DIRTY BLACK MASS.
That Has in it the Most Brilliant Dyes
and the Most Beautiful Perfumes.
Boston Herdld.

About year ago Prof. Siemens made
a statement that the time was not far dis
tant when the gas companies of the United
Kingdom could afford to dispense with
the charge which they now make for il
Eliminating gas, in consequence of the
profits they would derive from the pro-
ducts resulting from their manipulation
of coal.
1t may be briefly stated that in 1885,
Runge, a German chemist, succeeded in
distilling from coal tar a substance which
produced beautiful blue color on treat
ment by chloride of lime. Later on. Prof
Hoffman, was able to distIlI at different
degrees of heat a number of different sub
stances which, by a variety Of treatment,
yielded different beautiful shades of color,
and in 1858 Mr.. w. II. Perkin, of England,
devised a method by which this distilla-
ton, which had previously been an affair
of the laboratory, could be carried on so
as to be commercially profitable. The first
products of this work were seized upon
with avidity, as they were found admira-
bly, adapted to take the place of animal
and vegetable dyes. The work, once
started, was rapidly followed by success
sion of able and prac teal chemists. The
effect of their discoveries was speedily
shown in the enormous reduction that
took place in the price of the manufac-
tured coloring matter. Thus, at the out
set this aniline was sold at the rate of
about So per pound, but by degrees that
price has been reduced to so or 20 cents in
Europe, while the price of the coal tar
has been increased from so cents to $15
per ton. But it is not alone in the utili-
cation of coal that the effect of this dis
cOvery has been probably displayed. 1t
has in a very few years brought about a
revolution in agricultural industry. 1t
is only few years ago that the cultiva-
ton OF madden formed one of the impor
tant industries IN France. 1t was of this
substance that most of those dyes were
made of which red forms the basis. But
the discovery and the cheapening of the
price of aniline cOlors has brought about
the enforced abandonment of this indus
try. The hundreds of thousands of acres
that were formerly used in growing mad
der have now been turned to other pur-
poses. The merchants who made the sale
of this article their chief occupation have
been forced to seek other branches of en-
plOyment. In a less degree the same
holds good of indigo and cOchineal, and
even quercitron and saffiOwer. Indeed it
is predicted that the time is not far dis
tant when the importation of indigo from
India will be completely checked by the
chemical production of similar article
derived from coal tar. But il is not only
in the coloring branch of industry that
scientific development has taken place.
The chemist has been able to distill from
the same substance some OF the most deli
cate essences and perfumes. Vanilla, bit
ter almond, strawberry, raspberry and
other extracts can now be obtained from
this source quite as readily as from the
fresh fruits themselves, while present re-
searches would seem to indicate that the
day is not far distant~when almost every
class Of Ennuyn VarfnOaoru will ha oh
tanned from the same source, and perhaps
many others of which no one now living
upon the world has any conception. 1t
may be asked how it is possible to obtain
so many different substances from this
one article-coal tar. This is question
much more easy to ask than to answer. The
best scientific workers seem to be almost
at loss to furnish an explanation, and
their experiments have been almost al
ways directed, not in some well defined
manner, but by chance discoveries, TEST
| ing the product Of distillati0n at various