Evening journal., 1915-11-20
STORY OF HOW
DU POINT CO.
MET CRISIS
Modified Force to Provide
Capacity That Meets All De-
mands of Warfare.


dustry can do 10 meet a crisis. Briefly
this is the story
without any warning Europe found
herself enKulfed in war. Four great
nations were fighting for their national
existence. After the tragedy was staged
md the performance under way, three
OF these nations realized that their
magazines were short of powder. These
nations appealed 20 their former sources
of supply and found a condition Of in
dustrial paralysis. The hoped-for re-
sponse did not come. The initiative was
not there The machinery could not be
accelerated. Nothing seemed 70 "func-
ton"
England, France and Russia then set
about combing the air with electricity.
on the hunt for ordnance powder. They
could locate but one concern IN all the
world that knew how 10 make It and
was at the same time in a position to
sell 1.-THE du Pont Company at VIII
mington. Delaware. u. S. a. Accord
ingly. England, France and Russia
despatched officers Of their armies and
navies to Wilmington, and the first in
quiry they made was concerning the
dn Pont capacity. They were told that
capacity would be provided 20 meet any
demand. Immediately contracts were
made, tests were agreed upon, forfeits
dates Of delivery specified.
Great Industrial Mobilization.
Then occurred the greatest industrial
mobilization i'm the life OF the Western
Hemisphere. From the du Pont head
quarters In Wilmington the IS. o. s."
call was sent out. and experts in the
twenty-five States in which plants are
located responded. Hopewell with the
LARGEST r11nnf g.. he 81
suddenly sprang into existence. The
population at Pennsgrove multiplied
many times. Gibbstown. Parlin and
Dover spread out. And WilmingtOn-.t
would require volume to tell her story
during this period. involving as it would
activity in the various departments OF
the du Pont Company along the line Of
construction, manufacture, and trans
pOrtatiOn. From this city there radiated
prosperity that quickened the blood
in the veins Of thousands of Industries
whose existence suddenly found them
selves tributary 10 the demand that
came from across the sea and the per-
fornance that was directed from VIII
mington.
There was response and cooperation
from every source. for this activity
meant business. real business, every
where. And to-day. after year Of
activity in the filling of these orders
from abroad, the du Pont Company
finds itself millions Of pounds ahead OF
deliveries specified I'm its many con-
tracts. II is probably the only concern
in the United States that can make
tnis boast The immensely Of il all and
what II must have meant IN effert and
money, can M n measure be appreciated
when Il IS known that the blueprints
planning the expansion I'm various diroc-
tions. II spread out, would cover eight
cen acres.
And if the du Pont- Company couic
work such an industrial triumph on n
can from Europe. what might she be
expected 10 do II the call came from
America? This uneEampled demonstra.
ton OF organized efficiency and ability
abroad should not be lost on those nt
home.
Z. I. du Pont De Nemours & Co.
Since the establishment OF the arsi
ou Pont powder mill on the banks Of
the hrandywine by Eleuthere Iren,
du Pont de Nemours in 1902 Whining
ton has prospered, until to-day, absorb
ing the overflow from the enormous in
come derived from the company's world
wide activities. statisticians reckon tn,
city the richest, per capita, in th,
United states.
BE that ~ II may Wilmington 20
day, with 5000 Inhabitants. represent
iDg more wealth and fewer pauperi
than any other city Of equal size in tn
world, is the metropolis Of a State with
out debt and with geographical an,
physical advantages emitting il 10 be
come the Birmingham Of America.
II must be admitted with regret tha
Wilmington has not always appreciate
those advantages which wise old Pierr
Samuel du Pont de Nemours, founder q
the family, and his brilliant son, Eieu
there Irenee. founder Of the company
and OF the joint fortunes Of the du Pon
family and the city Of his adoption. $
shrewdiy recognized and so wonderful
developed.
However. this IS not chronicle c
sentiment but a statement OF histories
and economic facts. II is necessary fc
the contemplated settler in Wilningto
70 understand the reason for the city
prosperity, and the likelihood OF pei
manency of that prosperity. Herein liz
Wilmington'a strength. The prosperii
OF the du Points has endured through
out the years, in spite Of more tha
one disaster, and the broad and publ
spirited policy OF the company. and n
dividuals OF the company has kept pa,
with the success OF the business.
Family's Public Spirit.
These are but the high spots iilumii
ating the family's public spirit and civ
helpfulness. All along the years eif
10 hospitals, schools, public institution
and private charities have marked q
muniicence of the du Points. Nor has
these acts been confined 10 Wilmingto
for the history OF the company is 4
separately bound up in the history Of q
country. and each Of the wars In whit
"a TrrffaI Ef1faa h1o hna aprarrd n
seen the company cooperating with Z
Government unselhshly and patriot
ally.
Prosperity came 20 the du Points
once. Arriving IN this country as poll
cal refugees, with shattered fortun'
the first years operations of the powd
mill on the Brandywine yielded I
large profit, for those days. OF $500
That mill still exists. and Is still pi
ducing daily. The old mill, pictr
esquely located on the historic strea
is regarded with something like rev'
ence by the members OF the family, a
by the citizens at large, for all kn'
that the mill put Wilmington on {
map.
During the FIRST ten years Of its {
istence the plant spread out until il n
covered seventy acres Of ground. IN
came the war Of 1872 Without a n
IntllA = nNoAANhNi'n AaANAlllNit
Pont de Nemours placed every resoul
OF his plant and his fortune at the sci
ice Of the country OF his adoptl'
Compensation was left largely to
outcome, and il was perfectly clear
the great powder manufactures u
he would be a bankrupt and a fusit
n the country lost. But he ne'
flnched, and throughout that tryl
period as in every subsequent crisis
the Government, the company ansW
ed every call upon Il made by the col
try. The first president OF the compa
wrote to one high in authority; ~
items ton courage. Les du Points