The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-14
WAR DISCOVERY AT K.U.
DIR. H. p. Cady Has Long Sought
Non-Inflammable Balloon Gas.
FORECAST.

Lawrence, Kan. Dec. 1.-THE dis
covery' of a long-sought non-inHam-
mabIe balloon gas. which the navy de-
partment made public in news dis
patches December 10. is owing en-
tirely to work done for the war and
navy departments in chemis-ry labor
atories of the University of Kansas.
where the gas was discovered as a
part of natural gas and where a pro-
cess for obtaining it in sufficient
quantities was worked out.
In May, 1917, the war and navy
departments called DR.. II. P. Cady.
professor of chemistry at the Uni
versity of Kansas, to Washington and
asked him if he could find a substi-
tute for the dangerous inflammable
hydrogen gas which has been used in
balloons many years. The scientists
in America and England had in mind
at that time an element that the navy
calls "argon," but knew of no source
from which it could be obtained in
other than very minute quantities and
at a tremendous expense. unless 1t
was feasible to obtain 'argon" from
gas. Doctor Cady had found "argon"
in the natural gas of Kansas in 1906
and as a war measure he was asked
by the government to develop
method of obtaining "argon" from
natural gas.
If the government could obtain
of the danger of balloon work of the
army would be eliminated, rcany lives
of observers and ether soldiers and
much valuable property would be
saved for the Germans might shoot an
"argon'' filled balloon a. full of holes
as a sieve and the balloon wouldn't
catch fire, no matter how many in
cendiary bullets the Huns fired into
1t. Instead of burning up. as would
a hydrogen-filled balloon. the bag
filled with 'argon" would sink to the
ground gradually, If punctured by
shells or bullets. The observers, or
the crew Of a dirigible would not be
injured and the bag could be repaired
easily and quickly
The government retained Doctor
Cady at salary of 81 a year and
he returned to the University of Kan
sas in May. 1911 and at once began
work to discover a method of obtain
ing "argon" All summer and for
months afterward Doctor Cady's lab
oratory in the chemistry building was
the busiest place on the university
campus. altho only a few faculty
members knew of the work that was
going on there. For a while that
little laboratory in one room would
have been the most valuable place in
America for a competent German spy
to have found. Within its discolored
walls was developed a manufacturing
method that would have made the
huge German eppelins many times
more effective as war machines than
they were, a method that would have
made their destruction by gunfire al
most impossible.
Agents of the government sent to
the university samples of natural gas
from many wells in Kansas, Okla
homa. Texas, California. Ohio and
Pennsylvania and only after prolonged
experiments was Petrolia. Tex. Sc
lected as the place for the reducing
of 'argon." Doctor Cady recon-
mended Petrolia after his system of
manufacture had been developed. At
the Petrolia plant "argon" was COM
pressed and shipped in cylinders to
the army and navy. A large plant for
this purpose is being erected at Fort
Worth. Tex. and is to be connected
with the Petrolia field by a ten-inch
main>eosting s1.050.o00 the navy's an
nouncement said.
Associa ted with Doctor Cady in this
war service were c. W. Seibel, an in
structor in chemistry at the Uni
versity; DR.. P. V. FaragLer associate
miller. assistant professor Of chem
istry; Miss Emily Berger, an in
structor in chemistry.
When Doctor Cady was called to
Washington to be assigned this war
work a British comm iss.on was there
seeking to find way OF obtaining
''argon-" Britain had sen. several
such "argon" missions to America
without success and one of the men,
!: bers Of the ''arson" mission at that
time told Doctor Cady that England
would give almost any sum for a
method Of producing "argon" in suf-
ficient quantities. Doctor Cady and
Doctor Faragher undertook the job at
81 a year each
s"And up to date Uncle Sam hasn't
paid me that dollar, or whatever part
of it he may consider due me-" Doctor
Cady said with a laugh.