Evening journal., 1915-07-22
COS. MAY
MANUFACTURE dyes
dupont and Other Concerns
Expected to Enter Aniline
Color Business
WOULD MAKE THE
U. S. INDEPENDENT

It is not at all unlikely that the
DUPONT and other powder lnanufac-
turing concerns may direct their ef-
forts toward the production Of ami
line dyes after the war. says the Wall
Street Journal. Dye trade observers
point out that they will have a num-
Der OF buildings. specially erected to
turn out war orcors for explosives, on
their hands at the conclusion of peace'
and that they also may have contracts
for the purchase Of benzol, toluol,
and other chemicals employed in both
the explosive and dye industries,
which would render it easy and pro-
fitable for them to enter the dye trade.
Should this occur, II would have
an important result on the American
aniline dye industry. and would go a
long way toward making this country
independent of German supplies.
The aniline dye situation is steadily
growing in acutcness. Stocks in the
hands of consuming manufacturers
will last only a short time-from two
TO four months. according TO various
estimates-and there seems to be no
promise of immediate relief.
] Henry B. Thompson, of Wilmington
president of the United States Finish
/ ing Co., says no shipments of aniline
/ dyes have been received from Ger
many since April, and that dealers
supplies were all sold out by June, so
that the trade is now entirely depen-
dent on stocks in manufacturing es-
tablishments, and has been for sew
eral weeks.
Certain colors are practically all
used up. This is particularly the case
in the indanthrene dyes, the process
of making which Is covered by Ger
man patents. These colors are used
/ largely in printing shirtings Indi-
goes. reds, and khaki are others col
ors in which a great shortage exists.
Khaki is very extensively used col
or, and dyers have been forced to re-
sort to the old methods of producing
this dye.
II is intimated that the position Of
the large woolen concerns is partic-
ularly difficult, as the stocks of blues
used in the coloring Of serges are al
most at a vanishing point
Reports from Chicago that Thomas
A. Edison has succeeded in produc-
ing a variety Of dyes are viewed with
some doubt here. Il is known that
Mr. Edison has conducted successful
lly experiments to this end, one Of the
dyes produced being a very good red
hut 1t is seriously questioned whether
facilities can be obtained for making
these colors on a scale which would
have any real effect on the situation
or at reasonable prices.
A number of Other chemists havl
been experimenting on aniline dy,
processes. and some of them hav,
made extravagant claims. but so fai
there has been no real sign of thu
discovery of any new dyes that car
be produced extensively.
A movement has been put on foo
by certain interests for an agreemen
J under which Switzerland. which hal
facilities for manufacturing various
dyes, but is lacking in the inter
mediates,' aniline oil, benzol. toluol
and other coke by-products, will bi
supplied with these. chemicals from
the United States. which will short
~ nave ldist supply OF lne inter
mediates, but is deficient in hnishinl
capacity. the Swiss dye makers L
supply this country with the finished
product. II such an arrangement coult
J be made, it is said it would material
ly lessen the stringency of the situa
ton.
Black is the only aniline color man
J ufactured In large quantities in thi
country and the situation in regarl
to black dye is far less acute thai
{ is the case with other colors. Dyer
are able to get some colors by tn
b methods employed before the anilin
process was used, logwood and othe
> dye woods, having come more or les
| into favor again as stop-gaps.
| Prices of aniline dyes are hardl
, quotable as dealers have ceased sell
! ing. Some trades are made betweel
, dyers, and a lot of one color usuall
> quoted at about 30 cents was recent
ly offered at s4 a pound.