Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-09-19
DEATH TOOK SECRET
Frank Wise Met Death While Making
Important Experiment.


Record published a short account OF
the death of Frank Wise lhe mea-
ger report received here gave moth
ING more than that the young man
was killed at ST. Louis by an eXplo-
sion in his chemical laboratory. AS
Mr. Wise spent several years of his
life in this city and is well-known
here, the following account taken from
here. the following account taken from
terest:
I'm the death of Frank Wise, the
Denver chemist, in laboratory eX-
plosion at St. Louis, July 20, the Sc
cret which was to have revolution
lied the entire crude oil business has
been lost To- the world. The formu-
las which meant millions to the
Standard Oil company perished with
the young expert.
THE financial interests backing the
research work which he had carried
on continuously for two years, both
in St Louis and in Denver, have
given I'D hope of finding a single
scrap of paper that might contain
even an inkling of the great secret.
Wise feared to trust the labor OF
years to papers. He kept his formu-
las entirely in his head. Time and
again he was implored to write them
down. He always refused 1 know
how to do it. he would say. That's
all that's necessary
"Now that knowledge is lost, lost
for wears TO come probably, possibly
for ever.
Five Minutes Delay Fatal.
The death of Frank Wise as a
tragedy which shocked his many
friends here. He was only 2S years
old. He had expected to return to
Denver upon the fifteenth OF the
month. \ telegram from Greenstreet
the Boston millionaire, who with the
Anheuser- Bush interests was backing
the experiments, delayed him. Wise
intended to bring his laboratory back
to Denver. He wanted to live here
where most of his friends lived.
"On the afternoon of the twentieth
the young chemist was in his labor
atory. In the adjoining room plumb
ers were repairing some OF his tanks
and pipes. Wise had an engagement
at five o'clock, but was delayed five
minutes beyond the hour These fve
heard an explosion, rushing in, they
found the young man ablaze. The
fire was put out, but Wise was terri
bly, burned about the face, shoulders
hands and arms. His eyes alone es
capped.
He was hurried to a hospital, bu
by this time he had lapsed into un
consciousness He remained uncon
scious until his death the following
day. Not once did he respond t.
words that were whispered into hi
ear. The burns themselves were no
fatal. He might have survived then
horribly dishgured but the shoe
wrecked the constitution, which ha
been undermined by the gruellin
work he had undergone for so man
months.
Wise Had Solved Problem.
after his death every corner c
the laboratory was Searched for som
evidence that might assist the me
who had backed him in the enter
prise. Among none of his person;
effects could a single figure or lin
be found that might furnish clev
The research work upon which h
was engaged was for the purpose {
discovering some method to cut OF
the enormous yearly waste in ii
product tion of gasoline. The oil bus
ness has been revolutionized sinC
gasoline has been so extensively use
for automobiles and gas engine
Each year millions of barrels of kerr
sene are stored away by the Standal
Oil company. The demand for co
oil is almost nil in comparison Wi
the great amount of gasoline that
used The trust could actually affoI
to give it away, but prefers to sto
it, hoping that some time the bafflir
secret may be revealed. Those clos
ly associated with Wise declare
had solved the mystery; that he h;
found a way whereby the kerosei
waste in gasoline production could
eliminated. He had again and aga
taken the crude OIL converted it in
gasoline and demonstrated to the e
tire satisfaction of his hackers that
had solved the problem. There we
only few tag ends OF his work /
naming to be done when he died.
Accident a Mystery.
About two years ago, after w
had severed his connection with t
government in Denver, he opened
laboratory at 1920 Blake street The
he began his original research wo
The men interested were so pleas
with what he did here that after
months they fitted up more co
plete laboratory for him in St. Lo
and he left for that city to compl
his processes. 1t was rather agar
his will that he did so because
regarded Denver as his home. T
summer he resolved to return.
Gle wrote TO Henry Buchanan