Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-17

An. war the importations of pot
F,iofe Germany to the United states
<th fso5 ttsOoo 900 yearly. The potash
triaeeo nyincipally for fertilizers and
fN nseu nseu.nrfacture of glass. dyes and
&t We since the beginning of the
ttmleais. hsve h .en no potash importa-
Hsr t.els, cermany Prices for potash
[f'ani IT, - IN steadily from the norr j
Z5Sese hypV sss ton to 10 times that
&5hee p The whole civilized world de-
znepssr an Germany ior potash supplies
},nosa had virtually monopoly OF the
tsims@s she could mine and market II
erlce far below an:' ther country.
~ a. the war sent potash prices
q ~ .srs the world was comoeo Tor new
s,nplv. For some years small
r'afe's, v bad bee produced from kelp
4aanu.3s. 49,, the seaweed ON the Pacific
r'sfs ,.s,v companies were formed with
ro,sL n nroducing potash from the field
II uer - which is found In almost un-
*Tn a,antIties In almost every state
Im.eo ,rlnjon. Potash salt deposits are
F J tne .erked in Nebraska and Utah, but
tiins nrice of potash gets higher.
lun w well founded report that. as
E Ias's stepo was paid by big chemical
sv hlsn y Tor ton of high-grade potash
Nv days ago - j.
's-,..tsts assert that the potash de-
" cermany are unique and are not
h lcsss lcs.s',sS in any other part OF the world
espn eertend that these DEPOSITS are the
., n A freak Of nature which pro-
,...S Al some time in the far distant
~, an earthquake and avalanche stimuli
.sneously. 80, ,, ....t ao
+ Ths earthquake forced the potash de-
". m from the earth's centre, and an
/ |QFit' gIaV mud then NJ
+ a,,..,sd them. making them impervious to
.sl,,,re for moisture Is the enemy OF
..sh making 1t volatile on first con-
ss I, Is said that there are potash de-
...,t.. in Death Valley, but even the
.~sst rainfall there volatilizes them as
I ~ az they are exposed by nature.
NV W. Winchester, secretary OF the
I,..,,,an Potash and Chemical Company,
= IN. Wjdener Building, asserts that his
I.s,rnany owns extensive potash mines In
.sa,ssrn Peru, In rainless belt where
.,rsr a drop of moisture has fallen In
|..s,ur,es. He says that the mining of
INA notash is a surface or steam
/ navel proposition. whereas In Germany
Ess potash mines are more than 5000 feet
E,low the surface. The company has not
[som,nenced operations as yet. They are
|rsrotiating for the manufacture OF
|n,nisttlre- proof DaBS with u SColtn iiIIn,
|ss in ordinary bags the moisture encoun-
|,red in the process of shipment would
volatIIze a percentage of the potash and
|Afng II below the standard. The German
po,ash, he says, Is subject to the same
tsndltions
'The Importance of potash as fell
| |dllser Is not fully appreciated by those
moi IN close touch with the situation"
|tIa Mr., Winchester. There are certain
rolls in this country that will cease to
y.id and become absolutely barren If the
|pe,ash taken out by certain crops is not
Returned In the form of some inexpensive
|ssrtxer containing potash, and at pres
|entlpfices that is impossible. The stu-
|aton Is more serious for farming inter-
|sss than the dye situation Is for the
|dyers,"
THE POOR MANS FUEL.
With the outlook on every hand indi-
eating higher prices for coal the domestic
consumer will be interested in anything
which promises a cheaper fuel.
officers Of the Belgium Coal and Fuel
Company, on the fifth floor of the Wide