Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1916-07-14
Chance DISCLOSES
SOURCE OF POTASH
United States May Be Freed
From Dependence Upon For
eign Supply.
CEMENT MILLS DUST USED
Surprising Discovery is Made While
Efforts Are Being Made to Pre-
vent Fumes From Damaging
California Orange Groves.

Uncle Sans chemical experts be-
lieye that by the merest chance, In an
effort to abate a serious nuisance,
which was menaolng the orange
groves OF California, discovery has
| been made which may result In Civ
ing the United States an adequate sup
ply OF potash for fertilizing purposes
and thus free this country from Its
absolute dependence upon Germany
for this much-needed commodity.
While the government experts say 1t
is too early to make q sweeping pre-
dletion, they are optimistic and are
conducting their Investigations along
these lines.
In the past the United States has
paid tribute TO Germany to the ex-
tent of s20,000.000 year for potash,
so necessary for enriehing the soil,
especially In the cotton-growing dis
triets of the South. The European
war. however, stopped these impor-
tations, and. necessity being the stern
mother OF invention, the federal
chemists and others accelerated their
efforts toward finding potash sup
| ply in this country. The latest dis
coyeries, which promise TO free the
Germany In regard to this valuable
| product. came about accidentally. as
have many other important diseov-
cries. A great cement mill in the or
ange-growing regions OF California
was sending tons OF dust daily into
the air. the winds carrying the dust
and depositing II on the orange groves.
much to their detriment. When the
owners protested, the cement mill
men began buying in the nearest
groves at $1,000 an acre. but finally
had to give this up as being too ex-
pensiye. Suits were filed and In
functions asked
| About this time the attention OF the
cement-milI owners was attracted to
an invention OF Or. F. @. Cottress for
the precipitation OF dusts from
shelters fumes Doctor Cottrell.
who later became the chief metailur-
gist OF the United States bureau Of
mines, worked out this process while
a professor at the University OF Cali
fornia several years ago. The ce-
mentmill men decided 10 experiment
with the new invention. and the Cot
trell process was installed. The sur
| prising result was that the new proc
ess not only eliminated the dust
fumes, but gave the cement people
a product that contained q great
amount OF potash. Tho results are
said to have been 30 satisfactory that
II was thought for q while that the
potash might prove to be the main
product of some cement mills. with
the manufacture of cement only by
product. This has not exactly come
about, but tho cement company last
year, with potash at wartime prices.
sold 100000 worth. end IL is said
that the profit was $4,000
The result OF this has. been that
| the cement companies generally are
taking notice. Another company near
Hagerstown, Nd. which from it's To-
| cation did not have to bother about
the dust nuisance, Is voluntarily put
ting In the cottrell process In order
to save potash. which II estimates to
amount TO -four tons day. Some ce-
ment-mill men declare that the pres
ent mills in this country. properly
equipped, are capable to turning out
100000 tons OF potash yearly, which
Is about one-fourth of the amount I'M
ported from Germany in normal times.
4 L 10 f4arf hat xrrfff
be an incentive to establish new mills
located near deposits that are rich in
potash. and that In the future no ce-
ment mill will have a haphazard To-
cation did not have to bother about
mills may be erected In certain parts
of the country for the purpose of max
ing potash the main product and 'ce-
ment the by-product. The belief 10
prevalent among those who are inter
ested that. as by-product in the
manufacture OF cement, potash can be
made az such a price as to make It
profitable in normal times at normal
| prices.
The stopping OF the dust nuisance
in California by the use OF the Cot
trell process has suggested another
field OF .endeavor. Now chemists are
talking OF applying this process for
the obtaining of potash from the
gases Of the blast furnaces In the
manufacture Of pig iron. Charles Cat
lett of Stanton, Va. widely known
| chemist and metallurgical expert.
makes the statement that the by
v.r< II 4.
the blast-furnace gases are sufficient
In value. to affect profoundly the ques-
ton OF the manufacture of iron In GER
tain sections and from certain mate
rails.