New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-02
Mellon Institute to Delve Into
Chemical Secrets to Avert waste

sbavings, clippings and other stuff now thrown
,wav and convert them into useful oy-proo-
nets Briefly, the intention Is to refine all the
processes of manufacture, to get the most OUT
of everything; to continue the development OF
Oh. countrv's natural resources through per-
.,,.nt and hghly-trained application OF science
where this has not been done before or has
been essayed only in limited way.
The Chicago packers are said to utilize
everything about hog except its squeai mat
Ia an ant illustration of the object OF the Mel
lon Institute-to utilize to the utmost, to de-
velop indefinitely the opportunities OF industry
and manufacture.
Heretofore the small manufacturer has NOT
been on an equal footing with the great cor
poration. He has had problems that he could
have solved il he could have afforded an ex-
pensive laboratory, and by thus applying his
added knowledge to the manufacture OF ms
goods could have successfully competed with
the bigger rival-transportation rates ana
other considerations being equal
put the EXPENSE Of research laboratories Is
great Small concerns cannot afford them many
big ones cannot either. Often one problem OF
trade would require an outlay OF slOo,OoO or more
TO a single firm, in buildings, apparatus and the
services Of expert researchers or industrial cnem
lists Not infrequently, too, all this expense would
be utterly wasted by the failure OF experiments
that it was confidently expected would prove to
be just what was wanted
The Mellon Institute is to be as accessible 70
one firm or individual as TO another The FelioW-
.hire that arc endowed for 81, 900 will get the
same careful thought and attention as those upon
which 100000 is spent. The hope is to make II
the industrial research laboratory OF America, 70
give the specialized assistance to the diversiheo
industries of the country, with the ultimate pur-
pose Of expanding the trade and commerce OF the
nation.
The man with problem in his business and not
sufficient capital TO erect and maintain his own
laboratory has difficult task and more often tails
than succeeds in his efforts at building up an
establishment Heretofore he has had no place
to turn for help. It is this class OF manufactur-
ers to whom the immediate benefits OF the mellon
Institute are most attractive.
Already a small maker Of soap, for instance,
has sought the aid of the Fellows at Mellon In
stitute and has seen the development OF mis-
secret process brought to degree Of perfection
that promises the realization of his dreams. On
the other hand the Standard Oil Company is hav-
ing some of its petroleum problems worked out
This is mentioned merely to illustrate the wide
scope of the work to which the institute is de-
voted.
The idea Of cooperation between the unlversi-
ties and the industries of America was conceived
by Robert Kennedy Duncan and was started in the
University of Pittsburgh in 1911. 1t was through
him that the Mellon brothers became interested
and contributed the endowment. Death took Pro-
lessor Duncan only few months before the
completion of the great laboratory building that
stands as a monument to his genius and to his
ambition to serve mankind in a large way.
In writing of conditions that existed at the
time. six years ago, when he first projected the
idea DR.. Duncan found that: