The Washington herald., 1918-09-04
CARBORUNDUM
DEVELOPMENT
History of Transfer from
Pittsburgh to Niagara,
by Holland.

newly-dIscovered artificial mineral
carborundum was transferred 10
Niagara Falls. 1t was essential IN
the manufacture OF this artificial min
eral that a high degree of heat be
procured. Il cost good deal or
money, however. to transform the
energy Of coal into that Of electricity.
The hydro-electric plant at Niagara
Falls had been completed, and It was
demonstrated that by utilizing water
power an efficient amount of cleo
tricity could be obtained at greatly
reduced cost.
The creator OF this industry. there
fore. negotiated with the Niagara
Falls Hydro-Electric Corporation, as
tonishing the managers Of that cor
poration by asking that a steady daily
supply Of electric energy equivalent to
one thoustnd horsepower in a single
unit be furnished.
No order Of that kind had ever been
given for electric energy. although
another Pittsburgh corporation had
negotiated for electric energy in the
aggregate Of a greater amount, al
though not in a single unit as was the
case with the Carborundum Company.
Having obtained from the Niagara
Falls people q promise TO sell the
equivalent Of one thousand horse
power in a single unit OF electric
energy. Il was necessary to enter into
negotiation with the manufacturers
of electrical apparatus in order to
secure adequate machinery with which
TO handle this electric unit.
Electrical Apparatus.
%
turers Of electric apparatus in the
United States after giving careful
consideration to the request report
ID that IL was unable to manufac-
ture the necessary apparatus for
handling so great an amount or
electric energy furnished as single
unit.
The other leading American man
ufacturer of electric apparatus
somewhat reluctantly undertook to
supply this needed machinery. 1t
was successful in that undertaking,
but the apparatus then manufac-
tured was in comparison with like
apparatus now employed in the
handling OF electric energy like
small keE as compared with a great
hogshead, SO rapidly did electrical
development in our industrial life
advance.
The late Charles Hall invented
a process by means of which alum
inum could be to commercial ad
vantage recovered from the clay or
bauxite. Before Mr.. Halls discov-
cry aluminium was manufactured,
but the market price for it was so
high that it was of no commercial
utility. Halls process involved the
WvaF. NJ all ~
heat carried to a high degree. By
one Of the many interesting CO.
ineidenees which are associated
with the establishment of new
American industries, the Niagara
Falls power plant was completed at
approximately the same time that
Mr.. Hall perfected his invention.
Aluminium.
Pittsburgh capital was secured for
the exploiting of the manufacture Of
aluminium by the Hall process. But
It was soon learned that in order to
bring pure aluminium thus manufac-
tured within such market quotations
as would speedily result in a very
large sale IL was vital that electric
energy so potential as to make pos
sible a very high degree OF heat be
secured at low cost. That was some
thing which the development of the
Niagara power plant did make pos
slble Therefore these Pittsburgh in
terests decided to establish a large
plant for the manufacture OF alumni
nun at Niagara Falls.
This was in fact the first important
industry to be established at Niagara
Falls after the great electrical devel-
opment had been moved to Niagara
Falls.
These two were the first important
demonstration Of the value Of cleo
triCity obtained by the transformation
Of water power into electric energy.
for American industries. The products
of both OF these industries have been
of almost vital Importance in Amer
lean Industrial life. To say nothing of
the low cost Of aluminium which per-
mits 1t to be used for many domestic
purposes, manufacturing and house
hold. il has been vital for airplane
construction. Carborundum, the arti-
fetal mineral. now finds a market all
over the world
Power Development.
A few days ago information
came from Washington intimatIng
that under government auspices or
AAA C%AAOA NhEAb De
ed at some convenient point on the
banks Of the Allegheny River a
large dam or reservoir sufficient to
utilize the excellent water powers
OF the Allegheny for the creation
Of electric energy. The estimate
was that a sufficient amount Of
electric energy could be thus de-
veloped to meet all the needs Of
the Pittsburgh industries and a
considerable part OF the needs OF
"a stern Ohio, western PENNSYLVANIA.
and southwestern New York.
Had the inexhaustible water
powers Of the AIlegany River been
captured and utilized in creative
electric energy. it would have been
unnecessary for two great indus
tries represented by Pittsburgh or
western Pennsylvania capital to
move to Niagara Falls.
The utilization of the water power
OF the Allegheny River was urged
some ten or twelve years ago by
one Of the most distinguished
American men OF science. who
claimed that that power, which is
inexhaustlble, would not only serve
the Pittsburgh district. so that vast
amounts Of coal would be con-
served, but also adjoining districts
Now information from washington
leads to the belief that under gov
srnment auspices this work may be