The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-09
LARGE BENzoL PRODUCTION
Greatly Increased Output of By-Products
from American Coke Plants in 1915.


The recovery of the valuable by-prod-
ucts from American coke manufacture
made big advances in 1915 and has now
attained the proportions OF an important
industry. The value OF these by-prod-
ucts last year was nearly S30000000, a
| large increase over the previous high
water mark of $l7,500,000 in 1914 Al
| though there were material increases in
the output and value of gas, tar, and am
monia, which was to be expected with
greater output of byproduct coke, the
increase in benzol products was remark
able and presented the most interesting
feature OF the year in the coke industry.
The value of these products rose from
less than 81 100000 in 1914 to more than
81 100000 in 1915, according to G. +,
Lesher of the United States Geological
Survey, department of the interior, Ben
zol has been recovered in this country
from cokeoven gas for a number OF
years, but prior to 1915 the market was
small and the prices low.
The awakening of the American people
TO the need for a dye industry and to a
realization that such an industry cannot
spring full grown from nothing but must
be fostered and developed is now we'll
known story. Few are aware, however,
of the progress that has been made with
in year in laying the foundations for
future progress in that industry. Under |
the spur of almost fabulous prices for |
benzol products, retort coke-oyen plants |
throughout the country quickly installed |
elaborate benzol recovery systems and |
Il -. L II. -. -
long ago were being buried or wasted, or,
ii saved, were begging for market,
In 1914 there We're Ia benzol plants in
the United States, but they We're all con
trolled by one company, and therefore it
is not feasible to publish the statistics of
their production for that or previous
years. Last year Is additional coke
plants were equipped with benzol APP
paratus, and the output was very greatly
The incentive for putting in
this equipment was, of course, the oppor-
unity to contract at war prices for ben
,ol and other similar materials for use
N making explosives for the European
When the demand from that
source shall have ceased, the United
states will be in possession of large
upply of the raw materials from which
ives and chemicals are made and will be
Ible, If trade conditions are right. to !
inter- into the manufacture of these es
entail materials on an ever increasing '
Gale. The prompt and successful man {
Ter in which, in 1915, under favorable
the producers increased the
,enzol supply and entered the field OF dye +
on a larger scale than
yer before demonstrates the fact that in
his country technical ability and bus
ness courage are not lacking and prom
,es well for the future progress OF the
1dustry. z
The benzo products obtained in 1915
mounted to l6,600,657 gallons. More
han 100000 gallons of the total out
ut was reported as crude light oil and
ad an average value of SO cents. Some
f the plants have their own stills and
and the pure benzol reported
-om those sources amounted TO 2,5l6,4S3
allons, with an average value of nearly
7 cents, al least three times the value OF
-ude benzol before the war, and 1928 500
allons of toluol with an average value
S2.45 a gallon Crude benzol, which in
IA was used to some extent for motor
lei, contained tne IOlNpl' which - NOW II
parated out and sold at fancy prices.
More than l3S.000,000 gallons Of tar
as obtained from coke ovens and sold
r SO ,56s,3s4 in 1915.
The ammonia. of which nearly 100000
ms was reported as sulphate and the
mainder as liquor lO,626,6l2 gallons)
Id anhydrous ammonia t30002.l9
,undsl, brought a total Of S9,s67,475
the producers. Surplus gas to the ex-
MT of s4.356, 100000 cubic feet valued
S. 625 900, was sold or used. OF that
Iantitv l7.I96.O00,000 feet was used as
uminating gas, 1851 10000 feet as
,mestic fuel and 3o,56a0.O0O feet as
el for steam raising. open hearth fur
ces. gas engines, and other industrial
rposes. These by products, which had
total value of S29, 1924. $40. were obtained
the carbonizstion Of l9.5ooO00 tons
coal from which was also obtained
100000 tons OF coke, valued at S4s.-
0 900 The total value Of the coke and
products was more than S7s30O,000.