New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05
Bv THEODORE M. KNAPPEN

OS ANGELES, Aug. 2-And now the harveserS put 10
sea- Mccormick doubtless had prophetic VISIONS "nen ne
invented the harvesting machine. But it is safe 10 say
that he never work the ocean The toers OF
the sea now become reapers Of the Saran turns farm
hand or farm hand aowchever you want 10 put
it, Either way Neptune finds himself at work Tor Mars
and the sea harvester is the connecting link
It's big machine this harvester that floats ana no"s INC
ocean crop six feet below urfacefor be made power
full enough with tide and storm and wind and Dig
enough to stow away large cargo 1t costs perhaps so
And harvests plant that is worthy OF It's slzee giant N
For untold ages this seaserpenn plant clngng tenaclous
to the rocky bottom has extracted potassium from sea water
and diving has returned whence Shelter OF hsh pest
II small boats and delight requeners with its floats
that explode with loud report when crushed 1t has hourSned
and died seemingly useless Now, like many other peace
beings it is summoned sacrifice for warkc ends Wnen inc
war shut of the supply potash from Germany scientists manu-
ctuers and promoters theoretically turned to the search "
sources Of potash in America They found in the alkaline lakes
Of Nebraska the desert lake beds OF Nevada and
in the mountains of Utah the kelp Of the Pachc
Coast At the latter proved the most promising soufc
because il is a source that forever rencws itself
Eventually the promise may be realized AT present
an ooant source of potash but the industry contends with
numerous obstacles Fishermen object beach cities don Ike
the smoke of the rendering process the available supply ~
so great thought the state steps in with regulations 100 many
entered the field and the restless ocean ever tights to
hold its , -
Nevertheless the product OF the giant kep to-day hurting
shells into Lens making matches and elzlng the lean nes
NJ he
Powder Company the Diamond Match Company and mum
her of other companies are actually engaged IN harvesting
the kelp drying it and converting by burning INTO an d
contains about 80 per of potassium chloride he INDUSTRY
has been experimental with all the from the Bay OF Mon
erev 10 San Diego The Federal government IS now sPds
$4,000 on an experimental plant at Santa Barbara ana te "
vestents of the private enterprises must run INTO ne
Probably there enough keP in the great BEDS tha eX
IN and down the whole length Of the PACING coast 10 supply M
Il the potash that agriculture and industry require
but it is still question OF how much OF TINS IS ool
asabe There is the cost OF production even al war
time prices indispensable the industry has been
+ present product is be denied that 1t money
making disappointment doesn't take OF these big oang
harvesfer long moving the rate OF four or ve mics an n
80 c,ean IN kelp bed Then it must wait SIX months LOT INC
next crop. T., I .rrtsd with
some of the adventurous pioneers who have struggled WI"
the nrobens of new industry fought with the sea and seen W
bathing beach preferred indispensable INDUSTRY VIII hav
nothing but heroic "reminiscences for their pans pu ey
d he fort thew have produced nationally essential article
While endorsements being raised and ORGANIZED anu ~
doubedv have laid the foundations OF an important
The Kaiser one best promoters Even the encet
ne Angeles Chamber Of Commerce has to yield precedence
him when comes stimulating American industrial oeVeoP