The Colorado statesman., 1916-10-21
United States Makes Remarka-
BILE Strides in Manufacture
of Chemicals.
FREED FROM Foreign yoke
Production Of Nearly Enough Coal Tar
Dyes to Meet Domestic Demand
Big Feature of Develop
ment.


says DR.. Thomas II. Norton, one of
Uncle Sans special commercial agents,
who has been devoting a large part
of his time to the study of this new
development of American industry. In
cluded in this industry is the manu-
facture of coal-tar dyes, for which the
United States depended almost entire
ly upon European manufacturers until
the war cut off the supply.
"The national exposition Of chemical
industries, held recently in New York."
says Doctor Norton, Showed the won
derful strides that had been made in
this field during the past two years.
"The degree to which this nation
was dependent upon foreign sources
for the greater part of its chemicals,
drugs and dyes was revealed to us in
brusque, uncomfortable manner as
the rapid succession of embargoes con-
sequent upon the great European con-
| fiict suddenly threatened a multitude
of manufacturing activities, dependent
upon regular supplies of certain chem
icals, with dislocation or paralysis"
says Doctor Norton.
Wonderful Progress Shown.
"The exposition recently held was
| barometer, as it were, showing in
vivid, picturesque way the wonderful
progress and adaptation characteristic
of these past few months, how Ameri-
can enterprise, skill, science and cap
ital have united to lay broad and deep
| the foundations of a comprehensive
and self-contained national chemical in
dustry. While the genius and energy of
European chemists have been concen-
trated upon means and methods of de-
stroying life and annihilating armed
| power, American chemists have been
| equally active in synthetic, construc-
tive fields, swiftly evolving. one after
another, various branches of industrial
effort destined to emancipate us from
foreign commercial yoke.
| "Among the many interesting fea-
lures illustrative of this evolution
were such exhibits as the following:
The barium industry, now utilizing to
the fullest extent the boundless do
mestic deposits of barytes; the con-
tact sulphuric acid process, now un-
surpassed in volume and perfection
of method; chemical glassware and
porcelain, equal to the finest products
OF Germany; bleaching powder of the
highest grade, of which, two years
ago. but one-quarter of the country's
needs was of domestic origin; the
numerous sodium compounds, such as
the ferrocyanide and the chlorate, now
effectively and satisfactorily replac-
ing the corresponding potassium salts,
formerly imported in such quantities;
& large group of medicinal chemicals
hitherto secured exclusively from
across the Atlantic, etc.
''There were instructive exhibits
showing how American ingenuity is
seeking to solve the nitrogen problem,
and free us from further dependence
upon Chile's swiftly vanishing stock of
nitrate.
'The most striking feature of the
exposition was found in its revelation
of the astonishing rapidity with which
an American coal-tar chemical indus
try is being created. Formerly most
of the coal-tar, benZol and ammonia,
liberated by our by-product coke ov-
ems, was allowed to go to waste. Now
it is all recovered.
Growth Almost Mushroomlike.
"There has been an almost mush-
roomlike growth of the industries pro-
ducing dyestuffs, explosives, photo
graphic chemicals, and synthetic me-
dicinals, flavors and perfumes from
prosaic coal-tar. And yet there is little
of the mushroom about the spacious
factories and jungles of machinery
which have so swiftly appeared upon
the scene.
"Two years ago a single firm made
aniline on a small scale, while six com
panies produced artificial dyestuffs
from intermediates imported from Eu
rope.
To-day 18 companies are manufac-
turing synthetic carbolic acid, and over
40 are producing aniline and other in
termediates. Over 80 companies are
making coal-tar dyes. The total num-
ber of operatives in this branch two
years ago was 400; now single estab-
lishments employ 1000 workmen. In
1914 we made one-tenth of the syn
thetic colors consumed in the United
States by assembling" foreign semi
manufactured material. Today we pro-
duce three-quarters of the amount of
artificial colors normally required by
our textile, paper, and other industries,
and every pound is made from Ameri-
can coal tar! The production is large
ly concentrated upon a few staple col
ors, used in great amounts. The va
riety of shades available is, however,
being rapidly increased. A few years
will see the American industry able
to supply the great bulk of the domes-
tic demand both in quantity and in va
viety."