Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-04
One Process Will Furnish Basis
of High Explosives Which
WAS Obtained Formerly in
Germany.
RESULT OF YEARS OF STUDY
DR.. Rittman's Other Achieve
ment Expected to Increase
Output Of Gasoline by 200 per
Ceut.--BOth of Vast Impor.
lance to Industry.

Washington. Feb. 2s.-Two discover.
les, both of vast Importance to Amer
lean industries and one regarded also
as a priceless military asset, were an
nounced to-day by Secretary Lane Of
the interior department. They are
chemical processes, developed after
years of research By DR.. Walter +.
Rittman, chemical, engineer Of the
bureau ~ nireS. one * e-tl ected 70
enable oil refiners 10 increase their out
put Of gasoline by 200 per cent; and
the Other makes possible the production
from crude petroleum of toluol and
benzol. bases Of dyes and h!gh ex-
plosives. for which in the past the Uni
ted states and the rest of the world
has depended almost exclusively upon
Germany.
Dr.. Rittman has applied for patents
upon his processes to prevent the pos
sibility Of any monopoly in their use
and will dedicate them to the Amer
lean people.
These processes" said Secretary Lane
to-day, are fraught with the utmost
importance. The standard Oil company
has had a big advantage over the indie
pendents in production of gasoline, hay
ing a patented process obtaining three
times the amount Of gasoline from a
given quantity of petroleum that the in
dependents now obtain. independent
producers as a whole nave never been
able to approach these results. Nov
the federal government, through the ef-
forts of DIR. Rittman. proposes TO make
free for the use OF all n process conf
IDENTITY expected to increase their Yields
Of gasoline fully 200 per cent. and per
b.,. n.
process is safer, simpler and more eco
nomical. These are economic factors Of
great Importance.
CAME JUST IN TIME.
with a steadily increasing demand
for gasoline for automobiles, motor boats
and engines, this fortunate discovery
comes at the proper time. 1t was hut
W. years ago that the m in
dustry, fearful the supply of gasoline
might not be adequate for it's rapidly
expanding business offered a Sl0o.opl
prize for a substitute that would cost
less than gasoline. This new process
adds to the hope that in spite Of the
wonderful growth in the use Of gasoline
there may not be any shortage in the
future. I am led to believe It will not
only be of inestimable value to refners
commanding but limited capital. as well
as those Of wealth. but also to the Nun
dreds of thousands Of users of gasoline.
When it is realized the gasoline industry
each year Yields 800. 0OO. 900 to $50. OD. O
the importance Of this discovery is seen.
THE second process discovered by
DR.. Rittman may prove OF much more
value than the first, In that It sug-
gests the adjustment Of an indus
try in which Germany heretofore has
been pre-eminent-the dye industry
and also promises Indirectly a
measure of national safety OF meal
culable import Among the necessary,
ingredients OF high explosives. toIuol
and benzol are In the first rank, Here
tofore these products " been main
ly obtained in England and Germany
from coal tar. Explosives manufac-
turers have had TO depend largely on
these sources. The federal govern
mont now proposes TO obtain toauol
and benzol from crude petroleum.
These products can be produced from
practically any American petroleum.
The supply can be made sufficient no,
only for the entire Am rican trade but
also for othe: purposes and az a rea-
sonable cost.
MAY ANDRT NATIONAL DISASTER
The real comforting thing. however. u
that in time Of great national stress II
the nation Is ever called upon to defend
Itself, we vii, be able to manufacture the
most efficient and most powerful exro
sives known In var Were il not for
this discovery II Is possible that in such
an emergency, we might be compelled to
, rely largely on greater inferior explosives
T and thts would spell ma tonal disaster.
Or. Rittman concludes from his ex-
periments that this process may become
e more economical than German methods
and it may result IN eventually giving the
United States a supremacy in the dye
stufs industry hat has for some time
, belonged to Germany. II would tend to
, prevent disturba nee of the great indus
tries engaged in the manufacture Of silks.
, cottons and woolens in such extraordi-
nary times as we are now experiencing