The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-10-17

IN the past rev years 10
~o~ delve deeper into the mys-
teries Of electrochemistry,
are rapidly Transforming many lines Of
business and trade manufacturing. The
supply Of electric power In large units
has primarily been responsible for this
marvellous growth, but purely expert
mental companies are now carrying on
exhaustive tests and experiments to
develop new industries for the benefit
Of mankind, and their work is receiv-
ing critical attention from all parts OF
the world.
Industrial electrochemistry and cleo
trometallurgy have already accom-
plished wonders in the field Of manu-
facture. Carborundum has become
staple product of the electric furnace,
displacing in many trades nearly all
other abrasive materials. In the past
year 1t has become an important factor
In the steel trade. and some seventy
five tons per month are demanded for
this industry alone. More recently tung.
stem and ferrotungsten have been salts.
factOrily produced in the electric fur.
mace. and the use of these in the steel
trade for manufacturing self harden
ing and high speed tools has steadily
increased.
The manufacture Of aluminium, zinc
and manganese in the electric furnace
has also achieved considerable impor-
lance, and promises for the near future
far reaching developments. There are
several factories now engaged in man.
ufacturing aluminium at Niagara Falls
and Massena, and their total output is
considerable. Commercial phosphorus
Is satisfactorily made by mixing the
Hnely powdered phosphate material
with carbon and sand in the electric
furnace, and then, when heated, dis
filling the phosphorus from the mass
and collecting 1t under water.
The development of the carborundum
industry led to the manufacture Of ar
tificial graphite, which is now pro-
duced by passing the amorphous car
bon through the electric furnace and
obtaining pure graphite with merely
fraction of one per cent. of ash. Even
the direct capitalization of anthracite
Goals has been successfully accom-
plished. a granular graphite being OBJ
tanned which can be extensively used
for lubricating purposes. This gra-
phite is easily manipulated with ma.
chine tools, and is of great service in
many trades. In 1901 over two million
pounds of this graphite were made in
this country, and much more in the
year Just closed.
The electrolytic production Of caustic
alkalies and chlorine has proved of the
greatest importance to the world Of
trade. The chlorine produced Is used
for making bleaching powders. which
in turn has revolutionized the bleach
ing trade here and abroad. The pro-
duction Of sodium by electrolyzing
fused caustic soda has developed rap
idly at Niagara and other places where
large electric units re supplied ut low
rates. The production Of sodium Is
now conducted on large scale.
The application Of the electric fur
mace TO steel manufacturing has also
received good deal of attention in
France and by the Niagara people. Ex-
periments have been conducted to man.
ufacture steel from pig iron in the cleo
trio furnace. and also to smelt the ores
directly and manufacture and refine
the material in two connected furnaces.
At st. Etienne. France, iron ore has
been treated most successfully in spe-
cially prepared electric furnaces. and
new factories are being projected for
carrying the work forward on a COM
merclal scale.
The manufacture of carbon bisul-
phide by directly treating in the cleo
trio furnace charcoal and sulphur is
where daily output of 10000 pounds
is an average. The electric furnaces
employed for this work at the Penn
Yam factory represent the largest yet
made In any of the electrOchemical in
dustries in this country. They are six
teen feet in diameter and about forty
feet high, having capacity sufficient
to make a larger daily output than any
similar factory in the world.
The production of nitric acid by cleo
trochemical methods is a new process
that promises extensive changes In our
agriculture The manufacture of nitric
acid from the nitrogen and oxygen Of
the air in sufficient quantities for COM
mercial uses has been the dream and
hope Of scientists for years. At Mia
CARA experiments have been conducted
successfully in producing commercial
nitric acid by using high tension cur
rent in an air chamber. by which
yield Of one pound of nitric acid is OBJ
tanned for every seven horse power
hours. Steps are now being taken to
establish the production OF nitric acid
on large commercial scale, aud while
further experiments in this field will be
conducted they will be simultaneous
with the practical work Of making the
product.
So remarkable have these and similar
industries become that purely expert
mental companies have been formed
within the past year TO investigate fur
thpr I'm aloctrochnmistry Mt Mia cal IN for