Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1921-12-28
Was NOT ENOUGH
.hELIUM FOR zR-2I
wond's Supply Of nonexplosive
Balloon Gas Would Not
Have Filled Gas Bag.
PROFESSOR CAOY GIVES FACTS
TsiIs sf Governments Experiments
With AsIium and Cost sf Produc.
Ing Il In Experimental stases-
Found in Three etatea.

Lawrence, kAp.-All the helium OF
nonexpiosive balloon gas now avail.
able In the world would have been en-
tirely inadequate to Lift the ZK-x, the
oiHgible that was 10 have been the
nucleus OF Americas mir navy. accord
Ing to a statement by Prof n. r. Cady
OF the University Of Kansas depart.
ment Of chemistry. Doctor Cady dis
covered that heiiun WIS a constituent
Of the natural gas Of Kansas, Okla
hoina and Texas, and performed no.
table experiments In the early days Of
the World war In developing processes
for commercial production Of helium
Before the war, he said, probably
not more than hundred cubic feet
OF this gas had been obtained In q
fairly pure state, and that was secured
at a cost Of $l.,O0 10 5000 4 cubic
foot for experimental purposes. Total
production after extensive expert.
tncn,s by the United States govern
nlent probably does not cxcce: 800, COO
cnbic feet up Ia the present. but while
the cost Of production has been re-
duced greatly, sun this cost, compared
70 the cost of hydrogen, commonly
used for Initiating balloons. is trench
dously high.
Forced to Use hydrogen.
III is not strange, thea" said Doc
tor Cady, that England used the COM
paratively inexpensive hydrogen for
the IRA. During the experimental
stages the gas bag had 10 be emptied
AT times to allow changes in the struc-
lure. Practically the only place to get
the heiium is from the natural gas OF
Kansas. Oklahoma and Texas, and
thus far processes OF reduction have
no, been pcrtec,A. only per cent
or less of the natural gas is he4ium.
and this helium hss I" be refined TO
purity OF 10 per cent or better before
/, has the non!naammaile quality de-
manaed for safety in balloon eonstruc-
tiNai.
Il atn inclined to think helium never
will c"ae into general use for com
,asrcaAl sirahlvk II such vsaairlss he
~~-s~ s~-~ss.~A. Tee ss--ss~d .sss~ss4y
OF the material. its high cast and Its
value In war hallomis probably will
make /, imperative FOR the government
10 reserve all helinm for lis own use"
Doctor t'ady explained that even the
best balloon covers did not prevent
the escope oi lifting gases. and
10 Is necessary constantly to supply
fresh Hss. This Is more true Of hy-
drogen than of hciium. but the vast
age Is there. and the continued opera.
ton Of even small feet Of war bal
looms would demand constant supply
of fresh hel!um. Experiments ai tb.
OF Kansas showed that the
helium must be nearly ~ per cent
pure Ia order TO be safe, Similar ey.
rerinsn's IN Canada showed compara.
lively snail explosions when mixtures
only - per cent Of hcluu
were irnitei.
Find kelium In Y. 8.
The attempts 10 produce helinm In |
'0mmeec!ul quantities In the United |
States date from 1910 The year l.,- |
'or. The English government had |
sought samples az gas frum America
n It's search far heiutA for use In air
'hips. The tnite,i States Was not then |
II war aud proceeded cautiously, pr. |
Z. u, Mcurc ~ the tnitet. States hu- |
'sau OF miaes, who had received the
british communication. recalled that
poctor Cad. aud his assistant. u, =. |
Mcfarland, had discovered the gas In |
quantities In the inid.conii. |
lent natural gas. and later Doctor
lady and &. ". Seih.'. also pf the Uni.
crsliy II Kansas. were employed In
he plans for the construction later Of
hrec heltum plants in Texas.
Two small plants were completed in
Aarch and May. 1915, aud he4Rn ID.
reduction af heiiuIn. Their output
sas not great, hui, 2oDVo cubic f--t
( helIum had been produced and
auch Of II had bc~a compressed into
ylinders for shlWnen, TO France when
~ siKning Of the armis,icr made that
A third plan, at F-tro-
IA. Texas. near Fcr Worth. was com.
ieted few days h~fore the srmistice.
nd experimentation WAS continued
here after the war until hnits,d hv |