Evening journal., 1913-03-01
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Man Who First
Turned Petroleum Into
Illuminating Oil
By Holland.

II have been taught that the poet
is born not made. and while that is
undoubtedly true. ! believe that it is
equally true of those who are great
masters OF organic chemistry and to
some extent Of applied chemistry"
was chatting with the late Charles
Dudley, who was a college mate OF
mine at New Haven. and with whom
the intimacy then begun was contin.
ued as long as he lived DR.. Dudley
gained international reputation as
one Of the ablest of American chem
lists. He was for years in charge Of
the great laboratories of the Penn
sylvania railroad at Altoona In that
service he made discoveries which
were of inestimable value TO the rail-
way companies of the world.
II often think OF the truth of what
I have just said to you. namely that
the great organic chemists are born
and not made when ! reflect upon the
career Of Charles NJ Warren" he
continued II think monument
should be erected to this man. His
achievements were of incalculable
importance to the modern world OF
industry. Yet he was always princi-
pally and at heart a man of pure
science, devoted TO original research,
caring more for his discoveries than
he did for the commercial value OF
them. DO you know the world really
owes more TO Warren than It does to
that great group of capitalists who
developed commercially the products
Of the oilfield of the midwest? They,
however, are extolled as great bene-
factors, although some of them are
pretty severely criticised as finan-
ciers. while Or. Warren is practically
forgotten.
"He WAS a poor boy who worked
In a little plow mandatory near
Manchester, Vermont, in the daytim
and studied at night. He studied to
good effect, for something which he
had taught himself in the manufac-
tory led him to the development OF a
certain industry which he undertook
to establish at Cincinnati He want
ed money enough to enable him to
study. His Cincinnati venture was
successful. and he was able, when a
little under thiry years Of age, to en-
ter the scientific department OF Har-
ward University. relying upon the In
come from the Cincinnati business
for his support
Nov just at this time occurred an
incident which explains my meaning
in saying that the great organic chem
ist is born. DR.. Warren manufacture
cd commodity which made use Of
coal tar. then an absolute refuse or
waste of gas works He could hove
made a great fortune had he devoted
himself entirely to the manufacture
of the article in which coal tar was
used. He observed, however, certain
peculiar properties unsupported by
any other person in coal tar and he
determined to make Investigations
along the lines OF original research.
"He discovered by organic chem
istry the wonderful latent possibili-
ties that were in coal tar. and this
discovery led him also to Investigate
petroleum oil. which was known 70
exist IN Pennsylvania and Ohio, but
which was regarded almost as a nui-
sance In a pure spirit of investiga-
ton and research, Warren expert
mented with petroleum. and at last
by a method of distilation which his
researches taught him to perfect. he
converted crude oil into illuminating
oil. I think he was only a little past
thirty years OF age when he made TINS
discovery. SO far as ! know. il never
netted him cent. His process was
utilized. I think, about 1868. and Il
demonstrated that the oil fields of the
United States and of the world pos
sessed an element which under treat
ment discovered by a student OF re
search would yield a perfect illumi-
mating oil
after that capital. of course. step
ped in. But it was the creative I'M
pulse characteristic of Or. Warren
which led him to make the investiga
tion along the lines, of pure science
/ and not with any commercial pur
pose in mind. which has resulted il
giving the world one OF its creates
manufactures"
Copyright, 1913. by f. ]. Edwards
All rights reserved)