The copper era and Morenci leader., 1915-07-23
WILL CUT GASOLINE
United States to Reduce Price
 With New Device.
Secretary Lane Says Rittman Process Will Be on a Commercial Working Plane Very Soon-BenzoI
 Price to Be Less.


 department of the interior is trying to preserve for the people of the United States the processes devised by Dr. Walter F. Rittman, chemical engineer of the bureau of mines, to procure gasoline and benzol at much lower cost than that they are now obtained.
 Excellent progress is being made in the development of the Rittman process" said Secretary Lane, "and there is every reason to believe that both the gasoline and the benzol proc esses will be on commercial work ing plane within a reasonably short time. I am informed that the gaso- line process is now ready for large scale industrial applications and the hope is expressed that the benzol proc ess will be ready soon.
 ''The benzol process is being devel- oped in cooperation with the Aetna Chemical company of New York, which company has entered into an agreement whereby all patentable equipment, processes and ideas avail able as result of the cooperative work will be turned over to the depart ment to be dedicated to the public.
 ''The department stands ready and is anxious to enter into similar agree ments with any other companies in the country that will agree to the same terms-that all processes and ideas patentable in the development of either process shall be turned over to the department for the use of the public.
 The department is willing for all who are desirous of making use of the processes to do so to the fullest possible extent consistent with the proper protection of the processes in order that the public may derive the greatest measure of benefit there from. It looks as if it would be only short time before the complete me chanical equipment necessary for the practice of the processes has been worked out and the inventions GOV cred by patent applications.
 "The department considers that all those desirouS of employing the proc esses should agree to contribute to the public in the same manner that Doctor Rittman has done with his basic patents, all patentable ideas that may be conceived as a result of the employment of these processes.
 This is the only condition that the department imposes, and its req condolences will become apparent when it is considered that Doctor Ritt- man has given to the public, through the department, processes which con servatively might be worth millions of dollars were they controlled by a private industrial concern exclusively for it's selfish purposes.
 "As soon as the department is as- sured that the public's interests are properly safeguarded, full and com plete scientific paper describing the processes will be issued. In the meantime, the processes will be open to anyone who wishes to develop them under the conditions imposed.
 At the first public demonstration of the Rittman benzol and gasoline processes, held March 8, before the | representatives of the army and navy, | the General Chemical company, the Aetna Chemical company, the Stand | ard Oil company of Indiana, the Du Pont de Nemours Powder company | and some twenty or more representa- | tives of the National Petroleum as- sociation and ether prominent refin- | ing interests throughout the eastern part of the United States, announce | ment was made that both processes might be used by all interested per 1 sons upon application to the depart ment. At the same time, however, | because of the desire to give the pub lie the fullest possible benefit Of the 1 Rittman processes, it was stated that the use of the processes would be coupled with the condition that the ! person using tbe same would give to | the public the benefits of such ideas along mechanical lines as they might ! conceive during the employment of the processes"