The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-16
KEEPING WATCH ON
WOOD TURPENTINE
INVESTIGATI0NSaBEiNG MADE,
HAS RECEIVED MUCH ATTENTION,
SAYS MIR. j. A. &. CARSON.

chemical Tests and Practical Test'
~ tn Value Of wood spirits Have
Roe, 0Iudc-Pr,Oduct secured by
OrstructtNe PROCESS Is of No Val
ne. MIR. Carson SaIys-The Steam
Process Gives Promise of BETTER
RcsuIts-Ieactors WAL Not Take
Hold of the Product Until They
Are satisfied as 10 Its Value as
II substitute for Pure SpArits.
The manufacture of wood spirits OF
turpentine is engrossing the attention
az people in the pine belt. Plants
for the manufacture of wood spirits
are being erected throughout the tur'
pentine territory and there is wide
interest in the future Of the industry
Mr.. J. A. q. Carson, vice president
Of the j. p. Williams Company when
asked about it yesterday said.
The savannah factors have not
been idle, nor have they been asleep
as to the possibilities of a demand and
use for wood spirits OF turpentine.
They have. or at least some Of them
have. been in almost daily commun-
cation and touch with the producers OF
this article. Some of them have ex-
pended money for testing purposes
and with view Of determining the
ultimate commercial value OF WOOD
spirits of turpentine. Again indiVid-
uas, in order to practically demon
strate the utility of wood spirits, have
used that article in painting out oull1-
ings at a place adjacent 10 the city OF
Savannah.
Destructive Process no Good.
THE first wood spirits brought TO
the attention of the Savannah FAC
tors was that produced by what is
known as the destructive process.
Along during the latter months OF last
summer quite a number of lots of this
article was handled by Savannah fac
tors, and sold at prices ranging with
in 10 cents per gallon of the market
then prevailing for the pure spirits OF
turpentine.
duplicate orders were not received,
hence the inference that wood spirits,
produced by this destructive process.
proved unsatisfactory. Articles APP
bearing in numerous trade journals
confirmed this, thus the opinion pre-
vailed in Savannah that it was better
TO drop the idea of handling wood spir-
its produced by the destructive pro-
cess, and as a matter of fact,
would not give 10 cents on the dollar
for the money invested in the plants
producing that article to-day.
steam Process Better.
"A little later on samples appeared
in the city of wood spirits of turpen-
tine produced by what is known as
the steam process. These samples were
clear in appearance, Of specific grav-
ity almost equivalent to the pure spir-
its of turpentine and with an entire
lacking of the Objectionable odor which
that made by the destructive process
had and an apparent lack of pyro-
ligneous acid, which was an objec-
tionable ingredient in the former arti-
Gle.
This wood spirits produced by the
steam process seemed worthy of a
thorough investigation and samples
were procured and sent TO a chemist
connected with one of the large var
nish factories, requesting an analysis
and a full report upon that article
His first report is very favorable, CIV
ing the specific gravity at 60 degrees
temperature Fahrenheit .S77 against
1855 for the pure spirits of turpen-
tine.
Where Difference Comes In.
After distilling until 80 per cent. wa:
evaporated the specific gravity of tbs
1878 for the pure article. Neither sam
pie when dried on paper left a residue
or stain. The pure spirits exposed OF
glass in the open air dried to a light
clear film in about 80 hours, the wooC
spirits exposed in the same manner
left an oily residue, even after 81
hours standing. Neither sample show.
ed the presence of any tarry or pyrolig.
neous ingredient when treated with al
akah and with acid nor did the resi-.
dues from the distillation test show
any signs of creosote or tar; both sam
pies seemed equally miscible with lin
seed and other paint oils as compared
with the pure spirits of turpentine; tn,
steam process sample seemed to b(
slightly heavier and less volatile, hence
il dried slower, burt otherwise, in the
opinion of this particular chemist, i
would be found an acceptable subSti
tute for pure spirits, In his opinion, a!
an ingredient OF the higher grades o
varnish it might not prove altogether
desirable.
About ten days later l received
further report from this chemist il
which he said: In addition to my pre-
vious report to you, l now beg to sa!
that the sample of the steam process
turpentine, even after standing tel
days in the air did not become thor
oughly dry but left a residue. oily o
per cent of the original terpene."
Might Do for Paints.
in the opinion of this chemist this
quality would probably restrict its us'
in varnish making, and perhaps pro
hibit it altogether. Now this test wal
made about four months ago; up L
that time the sample sent to tina
chemist was undoubtedly the bes
article that had been produced by tn,
distillation of wood, either by thu
steam or destructive process. and t
sum up his report it simply mean
that while the steam process turpen
tine might do for paints, it was abso
lutely unsuitable for varnisb.
1T had advantages over the destruc
tive distilled article by reason of il
being entirely free from creosote o
pyroligneous acid it's odor is that o
the pine knot or sawdust as agains
u creOsote odor of the destructive dis
titled article If smell were the onl,
thing lacking, that objection could b
overcome and the article made use o
as perfect substitute for pure spirit
of turpentine, but its lack of dryin;
qualities would seem to prohibit that
Later Product Better.