The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-02-23

A NEW INDUSTRY.
pNyoming Soda Deposits Which VIII
supply the Demand in This
Country.

BY the opening up of the vast nat
fral soda deposits of Wyoming an
bther industry is to be added to the
Rapidly growing list in which the
United States can outstrip the world
Natures laboratory, which is working
underground, and without a pay roll,
Is turning out an ineXhaustible sup
ply of pure sulphate of soda which is
fhe base of large number of by-prod-
pets that are used in one form or an
bther in almost every sort of manufac-
lure and in every household in civiliza-
Zion. Natures product is one stage
bearer the point of consumption than
IS the manufactured article. Over 10
! per cent. of the latter consumed in this
| country is imported and practically all
| ri the remaining 30 per cent. is made
fn factories that are branches of the
lforeign establishments. The quantity
'thus far taken from the deposits is not
fsutiicient to supply small fraction of
the glass makers of the Indiana gas
belt alone, though the latter can use
1t at an immense saving over the man
ufactured and can turn cut a better
quality of glass. The elimination of
the, srnepsive processes of manufac-
e native soda in position
1bt only to command the American
markets, but ultimately to pay for ex-
porting it to the very countries from
which the American supply is now COM
ing. Despite the fact that only be-
ginning has been made on the home
traie there is every indication that its
rise from an infant industry to point
whtre it can command the world will
be Tery rapid. To accomplish this re-
cult the native soda must supplant the
100000 tons of soda ash used by the
wintow and plate glass makers of this
country each year, and then take care
of tie immensely greater demands of
the baking powder, soap, saleratus,
washing crystal, sal soda, concentrated
! I've, pulp. glucose, smoke!ess gunpow.
der and match manufacturers, and also
the anners, bleachers, wooden mill
men, dyers, packers, printers, pho
| tographers, starch makers and a host
of other users outside of the medicinal.
/
quantities more can be supplied from the
three lakes or beds lying 1 miles south,
west of Laramie, and which comprise
the bulk of the deposits in workable
! quantities, of the state. These depos.
! its are known as Red lake Track lake
and Big lake, and are fed by countless
springs which constantly replenish the
supply as fast as it is drawn upon.
These deposits contain Al per cent. OF
! pure sulphate of soda, tritie less than
81 per cent. of water and about two
| per cent of other matter, chiefly car
Donate of soda and chloride of sodium,
| or common salt. All that is necessary,
it is said. to put the product on the
market is to eliminate the moisture. 1t
can be sold throughout America at an
immense profit, even at the lowest fig
ures ever quoted here, though the
Inches of the foreign factories
| have frequently sold their output be-
low the cost of production to freeze
out the small American establishments
that have been started in opposition tc
them within the last so years.
The soda properties have always
proven immensely profitable. and great
efforts have been made by the English
| and German makers to keep compel
itors out of the field. The largest OF
the English concerns, which also con
| trcls the largest concern in this coun-
try, has paid dividends of 35 to so per
cent. to its shareholders ever since it
was organized. The American branch
pays even larger profits, but its shares
are closely held, and no Information
concerning the profits ever reaches the
public The base product of the arti-
fetal article is salt or salt water, which
after reduction to the form of sulphate
of soda, must be clarified by expensive
processes before it can be used for
many of the purposes for which it is
intended. Before it can be used for
making plate glass the iron, which all
salt contains, and which the ammonia
or leading artificial process does not
eliminate, must be removed by the in
PRODUCTION of one part of arsenic to nine
of sulphate. The arsenic alone costs
at the rate of $75 per ton. The native
soda, having no impurities, makes a
much clearer as well as stronger and
tougher glass, and it is even claimed
that it is better than the French plate
The Laramie deposits, which are the
purest as well as the most accessible
In the state, passed into the control OF
one of the largest firms of importers
of heavy chemicals west of New York
several years ago, and this firm recent
ly transferred its holdings to Chicago
Incorporation, which is preparing tc
vastly increase the output by the cree
ton of plant capable of turning out
1900 tons of product per day. The ex
treme limit of the plant now on the
ground is $50 tons per day.
|