Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-16
WATT TELLS of
PROGRESS MADE
At PATTERSON


John Watt, who returned from the
mainland last week after a visit dur
Ing which he devoted much time and
attention To the affairs OF the Mineral
Products Company, this morning told
the Star-Dulletin Of what he learned
and observed up to April 8, the last
day he was at Patterson and the day
following the second run.
Il arrived in San Francisco March
20" said Watt, "and the following day
! called at, the office of the Mineral
Products Company. | found that
Manager Robert Anderson was at Pat
terson and 1t was, therefore, three or
four days before | saw him.
Much Pleased With Anderson
''On my first interview with Andef
son after his return from Patterson
was very fayorably impressed by the
quickness with which he has grasped
the details of the company work and
the modern business lines he has put
into operation. In fact. the whole at
mosphere is changed ] alter found in
conversation with other company or
ficials and employees that all is work
ing in perfect harmony.
Il learned that there had been diff.
culties with The furnaces but that
these were nov much improved. On
the second run on April it appeared
that there was still an uneven distri-
button of heat, insufficient at the far
end Of the retortss .a
Product Very High Grade
The stuff manufactured on this
second run was very high grade, as a
matter of fact. II was the highest grade
dioxide that has ever been turned out
by this or any other plant. There is
abse 1ltely no doubt Of the success Of
the process. ALI that remains to be
done is to maze mechanical changes
until all the machinery is balanced
and wording smoothly. No changes in
the process are in any way required.
Railroad VIII Chow Profits
"The Red Mountain Manganite
Company is to put in a calcining kiln
at a cost of $4,000. When was at
Patterson the bricxs and other ma
teF1al was there waiting delivery at
the site which Is rented from the Min
eral Products Company. This com.
pany mas an agreement by which 1t
will ship a minimum Of 10U tons a
week over the Mineral Products rail.
way. II viii begin so DAYS from May
1 and II expects to exceed the esti-
mate and ship so tons daily. Tho
freight rate fixed by the California
corporation corllnission on nlanganite
is So 4 ton and on chrome 81. In the
two weeks ending March % the rail-
road ilauled 2zS tors Of outside
freight. The outside freight will more
than pay the operating expenses OF
the railroad which viii become =
source OF profit to the company.
eest to Go Slow
Returning to the s,ibject.of the plant
Watt continued: The chemist Is
very conservative man and is going
along and carefully feeling his way |
What the capacity now is, it is I'm
possible to say definitely but it Is in
advance or the ietorts and THESE can
be increased at comparatively in
expense. II is far better
10 be conservative until the construc-
ton Is fully approved but, as ! have
said, there is 70 longer any doubt
about the process.
While Watt was there Manager An
derson wrote letter to Honolulu IN
which he said in part: Things look
more promising now than at any time
since my arrival here. Another ques-
tion still to be settled is the balanc-
Ing of the various units. AS it looks /
we may be able to increase the output |
by increasing only the digestor and
retort capacity and perhaps the evapo-
rators.s