Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-13
STATE UTILIZING
COAL PRODUCTS
Chief Roderick Discusses Situa-
ton in Regard TO Dyes and
Foreign Trade

Pennsylvania's efforts to utilize the
byproducts of coke making in the
making of dyes and other stuffs affect
ed by the war have not been very en-
couraging, but there is a fine field il
the manufacturers will only have the
patience to perfect the processes de-
clared James Il. Roderick State chief
of mines, in report to the Governor
coveriny the coal industry of the State.
This report, which is supplemental to
his summary of production and gen.
eral conditions, refers at length to the
efforts to make up for the shortage of
German dyes in this country and also
discusses the foreign coal trade, on
which he expresses some decided opin-
ions
In his comments Chief Roderick
says:
About one-third of the coke ton
mage of the United States is produced
by the byproduct ovens; the other
two-thirdS, or perhaps 30,0OO,O0O tons
are produced by the old beehive ovens
that not only produce less coke but
waste entirely the byproducts-benzol
gas, tar, ammonia, etc.
The benzol products are particu-
larly valuable at this time as they are
largely used in making dyes. and as
the supply of dyes from Germany has
been cut off by reason of the war, these
products have acquired almost Hcu-
tious values. In response to the ur-
gent demand for them, there has
come into existence number of ineft-
cient plants, which in spite of their in
efficiency, are making a great deal of
money in producing benZol; and at
some of the byproduct plants the coke
is being stocked, the byproducts only
being utilized
THE conditions that existed shortly
after the war began gave rise to the
belief that the United States was about
to launch largely into the manufac-
ture of dyestuffs, owing TO the tremen-
dous field opened up for such articles.
1t seems like an easy thing for the
wide-awake American to grasp this
unexpected opportunity. 1t means
much money and at first blush seemed
very plausible. The results thus far,
however, have not been very encour-
aging, and while the ability to produce
Dyproducts, including the numerous
and very desirable dyes now made in
Germany, would help to relieve the
coal and coke situation, success in this
direction cannot be expected for many
years 1t is practically II new field of
endeaVor for the American and one
that requires patience. ability and
long years of effort to bring satisfac-
tory results
AT the beginning of the year lively
hopes were entertained for an increase
in the export trade of coal, but the
year closed with less volume of export
business than the preceding year. An
encouraging phase. however, was the
beginning Of certain trade with the
competitive markets of the world that
may develop in future to large dimen-
sions. In some respects the progress
towards the conquest of foreign trade
was remarkable. Several of the great
coal companies have established for
eign sales offices and agents, and are
acquiring ships to carry their coal
Some OF them already have docks
practically all of the companies have
been obtaining credit information and
in other ways preparing to enter upon
foreign trade.
Many of those who hope for mar
<et for Pennsylvania Goals other than
the home market, realize that there
are two ways of disposing OF their
product. one is to ship the coal as
raw material. The other is to use it in
manufacturing articles that can be
sold abroad. OF the two ways, the
latter is deemed by some authorities
son that having united with the cost
of labor the cost of coal in the produc-
tion of certain articles, there will be
greater effort to sell them. More
than this, the matter of transportation
is a very serious one, as the ship space
is extremely valuable, ard the same
amount of space allotted to the fin
ished product would bring much
greater returns than if allotted to the
low priced raw material Every
thought on this question leads to the
conclusion that it is to the interest of
Pennsylvania to export coal in the
form of manufactured products rather
than as a raw material. Owing to our
tremendous production, however, the
necessity constantly exists for dispos-
ing of the coal in the quickest possible
way and for that reason the operators
are inclined to resort to coal ship
ments rather than wait for a profit to
come from the sale of manufactured
articles