Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-20
A. P. VAN GELDER Of
HERCULES RETIRED
Has Had Long Experience and
is Head of High Explosives
Plants.


Colder, general superintendent OF high
explosives plants, Hercules Powder
CO., from the active ranks OF the or
ganization is made by the company.
Following Mr.. Van Gelders decision
to retire, several changes have been
made in the operating organization OF
the Hercules Powder Company, all OF
which will take effect the first Of the
year. l.. N. Bent will assume the du-
ties and title Of assistant general mana
ger In charge OF miscellaneous manu-
facture and G. A. Bigelow, formerly
general manager OF the Aetna Explo-
sives Co, Inc, will be assistant gen.
eral manager In charge OF high ex-
plosives manufacture. II. +. II. Sholly,
who came with the Hercules Com
pany through the purchase OF the
Aetna Co. has been transferred from
the operating to the purchasing de-
partment and will be an assistant
purchasing agent.
Mr.. Van Gelder was born at Cats
kill, n. Y. After finishing High School
he entered the School of Mines of CO.
lumbia University. Following his
graduation he became assistant in
chemistry at the College of Physi-
clans and Surgeons of Columbia Uni
versity at the same time working as
assistant chemist of the Hygeia
Water Co. of New York. A year later
ne was promoted to be tutor In gen.
eral chemistry at Columbia, where
he worked under Professor Charles
f. Chandler. Later Mr.. Van Gelder
accepted position In the chemical de-
partment of the Rcpauno Chemical
Co. at Gibbstown, n. j., where he OBJ
tained his practical operating exper-
isnce in the manufacture of dynamite.
He was subsequently transferred to
the Kenvn, y. j.. plant as chemist
and special Investigator of nitro-glyc-
erin yields. While at Kenvil he did
some work at what was then the For
cite plant of the du Pont Co., and was
later made assistant superintendent
there. Mr.. Van Gelder was next sent
to the Emporium, Pa, plant. ther
owned by the du Pont Co, as sup
erintendent, but was later transferred
back to Forcite TO take charge of tha'
J
of the Hercules Company Mr. Nar
Gelder was superintendent at Kenvil
where he was in charge OF all tn,
operations during the war. The fore,
under him increased from $50 TO 6.50i
and the plants output increased from
100000 pounds of dynamite monthly
to 1,250,000 pounds OF dynamite anC
100000 pounds of cprdite. The siz,
of the original equipment was mul.
tiplied by six OF eight and Kenvi
became one of the principal explosive,
plants in the country. In october
1917. Mr.. Van Gelder was transferre,
to the home Office as general super
intendent Of high explosives plants
the position he occupies at the time o
his retirement after "a years of ser
vice in the explosive industry.
Mr.. Van Gelder has always takei
an active part in nearly all phases O
community activity. He is a membe
Of the Wilmington Whist Club. tn
Wilmington Country Club, the Della
ware Anglers and Gunners Associa
ton, the American Chemical Societ,
the Society OF Chemical Industry. tn
Chemists Club, and the America
Game Protective and Propa CATION AS
sociation. He is also active in safet
work in the state and is chairman {
the Educational Committee of the De
l4aware Safety Council. During the tim
Mr.. Van Gelder was at Kenvil plan
he resided at Dover. n. j.. where h
entered heartily into civic life. He wa
for two years president OF the Dc
yer Board of Health and was sue
cessively a member OF the Commo
Council and the Board of Educatio
He was at one time a candidate K
the mayoralty of Dover. Mr.. Va
Gelder married Miss Louise HUI
Pool. daughter of the Rev. Charles J
. Pool, d. D.. of Somerville: n. J. TT
Van Gelders have two childre
Charles. who attends Tower II.
5 School. and Elizabeth, who is a fresl
man at Wellesley College.
/ MIR. and Mrs. Van Gelder will sper
the month of February visiting frien,
N Florida. and on their return w
spend q portion of their time at Il
farm near Chesapeake City whiC
J Mr.. Van Gelder recently purchased.
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