The Washington herald., 1918-04-20
CHEMISTS WILL
INSPECT SOUTH
Tour Has Sections Re
Sources IN View, Says
Holland.

Secretary McAdoo must have been
much impressed with the Importance
Of the excursion OF the foremost cleo
tro-chemists Of the country through
the South for the purpose Of making
Investigation into the resources and
the inexhaustible natural energies or
the South, such as water-power. 80
that there may be good understand
ing OF their present and future rela-
ton to the already wonderful electro
chemical industries of the United
States. For Secretary McAdoo as d.
rector General Of the Federalized rail-
road system has authorized the en-
ployment of a special train In which
the members Of the society will jour
ney from Washington into the central
South. Presumably the Director Gen.
eral realizes the Importance Ct this
industry and the vital necessity Of
speeding 1t up so that our prepara-
tions for carrying on the war in Eu-
rope may be made as thorough and
far reaching as possible.
Secretary McAdoo himself has, In
behalf OF the Third Liberty Loan.
been journeying through some parts
OF the South where electro-chemical
lished. He must have had visible evi-
dehce Of the remarkable advance Of
this new industry. Men Of science are
now saying that the United States
has Just entered upon a new era In
which electricity combined with
chemistry will greatly facilitate the
creation OF new products and the
making available of hitherto unused
material so that IL can be employed
to advantage to the eountry's indus
tries.
Predicts Waste Utilization
DR.. Z. G. Aeheson, who is one OF
the pioneers in the development OF
electro-chemical industry and whose
great Industrial plants at Niagara
Falls are now occupied to their capa-
city in producing commodities which
were unknown until he by means OF
the electric furnace developed them
recently said that he was certain that
the advance OF the electro-chemical
industry would make possible the utili-
Zation to great commercial advantage
Of waste material hitherto regarded
as of no value and in many cases as
a positive nuisance.
The public has little idea of the mag
nitude OF the electro-chemical indus
tries Of the South. There has been
knowledge of the great development
OF these industries at Niagara Falls
which was made possible by the utili-
zation of some part Of the stupendous
energy that is in the Niagara River
and the conversion of that energy into
electricity.
Within a few years, there has been
shifted to the central South a con-
n = Il
which is based upon utilization OF
electricity in combination with cnemis-
try. For instance. at Kingsport. Tenn,
the members OF the American Electro
chemical Society will have good op-
portunity to inspect the electrolytic
chlorine plant which Is used by a dye
stun and chemical company. So also
there will be opportunity to see the
actual operation by which sewer pipe
and acid brick are made. One OF the
most inteTe. ting OF the electro-chemi-
cal plants IN the South utiliZes the
Cottrell electrical precipitation plant
for the recovery OF potash from the
smoke which arises in the manufac-
ture Of cement.
Not Artificial Products
The new industry has shown the
way by means OF which new products
can be obtained. such. for instance,
as artificial leather, so-called, but
really an absolutely new product
which resembles leather. but Is some
thing else. This process makes pos
sible the utilization Of considerable
amounts OF what heretofore were
waste products.
In the Knoxville district II will be
possible to observe the manner in
which a zinc sulphide-bearing iron
ore is crushed. sized and separated
into zinc concentrates and iron ore,
a process which chemistry and sci
ence have recently perfected. So also
the members OF the society will have
opportunity to witJIess the manufac-
ture of ferro-silicon and other ferro
alloys, a process which Is new and
which in some of its features revo-
lutionizes the production OF zinc.
On May the society will visit
the Muscles Shoals District, where
the Federal government Is now caus-
ing to be established stupendous
plants whereby nitrogen can be cap
tured from the atmosphere in such
amounts as ultimately to make the
United States practically independent
Of Chile There Is to be secured
when dam and water power devel-
opment Is perfected the equivalent
Of $4,000 horse power. which is to
be converted into electric current.
The members of the society will
visit the Birmingham District and
will be especially interested in in
spection Of the ferro-manganese