The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-30
CHEMISTS ARE ALERT
TO OPPORTUNITIES
European War Has Opened
New Markets and Chemical
Industries Grow.

..rhe chemical Industries in America
to-day reflect the transient character OF
chemical reactions says +. +. Roeber.
ph. II, editor of M~cidiiurgicdi and
chemical Engineering. and then goes on
to say that it would he just as ridicu-
lous 10 try and say what the American
chemical Industries are at this time as
to take a single instantaneous picture
out Of a moving picture show and make
believe that It tells the story. And all
the charm would he lost which comes
from the realization OF the fact that we
are witnesses II chemical history In the
making-nay. more. strong willed en-
thusiastic actors and creators.
Creators. Just as Luther Burbank Is a
creator when he grows a spineless cactus
and works other marvels In plants. fruits
and lowers. For Industries grow as liv-
ing srganisms. like plants and trees. To
a greater degrce than plants or trees
can they be shaped by the will Of man.
yet they always remain cnildren OF the
soil Without the natural resources.
without tne mdTketS, Witnout tfaiiepOi'a-
ton facilities. without labor OF sucn
psychological makeup as TO adapt Itself
to the task In hand. the most powerful
will of mar is powerless. Such funda-
mental considerations have directed the
evolution Of the American chemica. In
dustries. so that this country has become
the largest producer OF s%ulphuric acid.
that manufacture Of cellulose and wood
distillation have made great advances
and that It's splendid electro-chemical
industries have been created OF unique
scope and Individuality.
When the European war cut OF I'M
ports ard opened T. American ~inanufac-
turers new and clamorous markets the
WHO'S Industrial system was upset. as
though a very h.Eh tariff had been
enacted over night. and a fever Of activ-
ny started. And here the free creative
Will % the American chemist anne in
powerfully. The American chemist saw
his duty and did 1t there and then. lie
did what was humanly possible and al
most m rc. II H. generally known now
. the dye problem was attacked. and like
wise the potash problem. how new chem
zeal Industries were started and how the
old established ones readjusted them
selves TO changed conditions and are
s|training every nerve IN incesSant work
day and night.
Dr. Roeber also mentions some inter-
esting things regarding Notation. 4 Pc
culiar situation has developed in the
wood d.stilling industry as a result Of
the expansion 81 location during
the year. For years past pine
oil has been more or less a bur-
den on the hands Of the wood dis
iillers. IA there was little market for IL.
Further. due 20 the democrat zation Of
this industry from other causes. turpen-
tine has been selling for several years
at Il cost considerably below 30 cents
per gallon. And since most of the wood
distilliug plants in the South had been
constructed on the expectation of selling
turpentinc for at least so cents. many
Of them have been Obliged to close. As
, ~onseauenc most Of the Immediately
available supply OF pine oil. which has
accumulated for years, as well as most
Of the other wood distillAtion products.
has been consumed. Rosin. rosin oil,
pine tar. pine TAR oil. wood creosote, and