The sun., 1918-07-10
SULPHUR INDUSTRY
TAKEN OYER BY US.
War Demands Cause Action to
Avert Shortage in Ma
tons Supply.

WASHINGTON, July s.--The sulphur
Industry Of the country to-day passed
Into Government control. Production
and distribution OF the mineral will,
with the approval OF the President, be
administered by the War Industries
Board. The action was necessitated by
the Increased war demands for sulphur
as an ingredient in explosives and by
the increasing burdens Of the rail and
water systems in transportation OF war
materials. w. G. voolfolk chief of the
section OF the war Industries Board in
charge Of sulphur and pyrites, will act
for tho Government.
During several weeks there have been
rumors OF the impending decision of
the Government to take over the sulphur
mines and to make official distribution
OF that mineral. The action has been
Forced by the shortage and by the in.
creasing demands OF the Administra-
TONS war programme. 1t is generally
understood that the interests controlling
the great sulphur mines have strenu
ously opposed such step, and II Ia
known that for purposes of presumably
obviatinB just such control efforts have
been continuously made during the last
six weeks to create the impression that
there 10 an ample supply Of sulphur.
As recently as June the Chemical
Alliance, an incorporated body Of chemi-
cal manufacturers formed at the recon-
mendation OF the War Industries Board,
met at the Hotel Bltmore in this city
for the purpose Of considering the need
for ALLEGATION. Horace Bowker, secre-
tary OF the American Agricultural Chem
| ical Company, acted as chairman, and
| stated in his opening remarks that I'M
less this distribution of sulphur could
be satisfactorily done by the Chemical
, Alliance there could be no doubt but
that the Government would take the
sulphur over and distribute 1t officially.
Since that meeting some members of the
Alliance have been dissatisfied with the
results. and have claimed that such dis
| tribution as Yves being carried on was
in the interests Of the great consumers
OF sulphur and sulphurc acid.
The facts as reported indicate there
is a serious shortage OF sulphur. and the
| mines are being dangerously over
worked. May % the experts of the bu-
| reau of mines stated at a Senate hear
ing. held In Washington. that the coun-
try was facing dangerous shortage. II
| was shown that the natural resources
countrys needs, and that the most prac-
teal hope lay in the utilization OF waste
from the great smelters.
A. +. Wells, consulting engineer for
the War Department, stated that II woud
be possible to develop a practically swift
| source of supply by the thiogen process
of reclaiming sulphur from the smelter
fumes and that It would be possible to
| erect two plants with capacity Of 500
o., .ln,- sa,1.N tf,tn rnf ~
| Wit in a few months.
Present sources of sulphur supply are
from two mines. one at Calcasieu Par
| ish, Louisiana, owned by the Union Sui
pAur Company of this city. producing
more than $500 tons n day. and another
at Bryan Heights. Texas. owned by the
Freeport Sulphur Company of this city
| producing more than 1000 tons day
Minor properties In Wyoming. Nevada
and Utah, producing together little less
than sixty tons Of sulphur a day. also
exist. Present consumption in the United
States exceeds $4,000 tons per month
| and Mr. Wells has stated that this will
| Increase TO more than 10000 tons per
month before the end OF the year. due
to increased Government use.
Profs. Mckee and Hall OF Columbia
| University concur in the statements OF
Mr.. Wells and his confreres that there IL
| little hope OF the development Of natura
sulphur resources, and that artificial
means. such as the thogen process men,
| toned by Mr.. Wells. and which has beer
described by the Government in Bulletin
| 1913 Of the Interior Department, viii
| have to be resorted to.
The Trade News Service has stated
| that while there Is a nominal price on
! sulphur OF s35 a ton, not pound car
be obtained at any price, and that II
7 49, - n