Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08
MADE GREAT STRIDES
Growth of the Aluminium Indus
try in TWenty-Three Years.
VALUED NOW AT MILLIONS
First Practical Use Was for Cap to
the Monument.
DEVELOPED BY ELECTRICITY
Output Now Over $4,000, 900 Pounds,
Worth Over $4,000, ooo-Employed
on Telegraph and Telephone Lines.
DEVELOPED BY ELECTRICITY
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The first practical use ever made OF
aluminium was in fitting a cap on the peak
of the Washington monument In 1854 Al
though aluminium was discovered in 1927 by
Prof Wohler of Gottingen University. Ger
many, at that time it was practically an
unknown metal. the cost and difficulty OF
It's production having prevented its devel-
opment until the general use Of electricity
made it easy and economical.
The cap on the top Of the monument Is
a square pyramid in shape, weighing 100
ounces, and is SO inches in height and SO
in width at the base. Gen. George w.
Davis, now on the retired list and residing
in Washington. was in immediate charge
Of the completion of the monument under
Gen. Casey, and has the distinction of be-
Ing the first man to handle aluminium In
practical way. Until that time 1t had been
used only for toys, for freak purposes,
and small samples had been utilized in
making models for the patent Office Last
year. however the production of aluminium
was II .347 900 pounds. valued at $3.24630O;
in 1904 the production was 100000 pounds,
valued at 81, 600. The total for 1906 will
be very much larger. The development of
the General Electric Company told me the
other day that they were now engaged in
filling orders for 5000 horsepower ma
chinery for the manufacture of aluminium.
1t is now monopoly. controlled by the
Mellins of Pittsburg, who are operating
pipe lines for oil to New York and Phila-
delphia.
The Aluminium Tip.
Gen. Davis says that when the monument
was finished in December. 1884, and the up
per extremlties of the four hollow wrought
iron columns which form the we'll In the
shaft, support the elevator machinery and
guide the car were covered in by the mar.
BILE apex or pyramidlon, four copper rods
three-quarters Of an inch in diameter, were
run, one from each column, to the top
stone. and there united in copper rod one
and one-half inches in diameter which
passes vertically through the stone. 1t then
became necessary to find metallic cap for
the apex which would be a perfect con-
ductor Of electricity, which would be the
same color the marble, which would not
rust or stain or drip. They talked Of nickel
silver, copper. zinc and various plated met
ais. but there seemed to be objections to
all Of them until Gen. Casey heard Of a
new metal called aluminium" Since that
time the second 'i' has been dropped out
Ordnance officers at the navy yard were
experimenting with 1t for gun sights. 1t
was believed to be specially adapted for
such a purpose because 1t was SO light that
the sight on gun would not be dislocated
by the recoil after 1t had been fired. The
navy people got their material from Ger
man chemist named Freschmuth, who had
little laboratory at frankfort, one Of the
suburbs of Philadelphia He had learned
how to make 1t in Germany and was fur
nishing little for experimental purposes
to scientific men and model makers in Phil
adelphia
Gen. Davis says that Gen. Casey sent him
over to Frankford to make inquiries about
the new metal and find out If it would
answer their purpose. He had great diff
Guilty in finding Freschmuth, who was Iiv-
Ing In very humble way and in great pow
erty. Gen. Davis found it necessary to ad-
vance him the money to pay for getting
aluminium out of the clay, and 1t was a
long time before he got enough to answer
the purpose. Finally cast was made and
the little aluminium pyramid, about nine
inches high and five and a half inches
square at the base, was placed on the tip
of the monument, where 1t still remains
1t has answered the purpose perfectly 1t
Is the exact color of the marble; 1t will not
tarnish or oxidize or rust and water drip
ping from 1t leaves no stain.
Gen. Davis says he does not know what
became of the old German chemist. but
he probably died long ago. He was un-
doubtedly the first man to manufacture
aluminium In this country, although he did
it in very small way and never made
any money out of 1t. He probably died as
he lived. In pOVerty.