The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-03-06
Ky w. NJ. BKAUClIEll

Especial Corresponding
High above the heads of the in
curing senators and representatives
in Washington towers 4 shaft in
memory Of the first president Of the
United States. At it's top is rust-
defying metal cap that has brightcncd
with the years, Il huge peak Of alumni
mum.
When that hood was placed there.
IN 1894, IL was a Jewel. 1T was as II
some senator should say:
eve shall put ruby or a sapphire
on top Of the Washington monument.
become skillet. An ornament has
come down from the man,el and
been found efficient in IA thousand
ways.
And it all came about because
Charles Martin Hall. an Oberlin Col
lcge boy. got hold Of chemistry
book one day and read: Every clay
bank is mine Of aluminium"
The Question Sticks
The paradox stirred Halls genius
aluminium as common as clay, but
as costly as jewelry. At that time
the only way of obtaining the metal
from the earth was by an expensive
chemical process like the method
Wohler. its discoverer, used. hut con
sidcrably improved.
Hall wa curious. Wasn't there
some way to make aluminium more
cheaply? To convert the beautiful
white metal to nnumerable uses
wherever copper, iron and steel were
used then?
The young man was a chemist
with a drcamer's ideals. So. at 81
upon graduating from Obcrlin Col
lege. he began busying himself with
the 'tomfoolery" Of chemists cru
cible. He was determined to aanswcl
his own question.
Hall defiled the culinary sanetit!
of his home kitchen at Oberlin
which he made into a Uttered labora
tory. He first worked with common
clay. following the story he had reat
in the chemistry book, hut this wa.
The road of failure Aluminium woul,
not come from the common clay. Hun
dreds .f chemists since Hall have
tried the same thing and it seems ;
fools errand. Still
Hall toiled on, If he could no
cook his dish from the cay of TIL
earth he would change his recipe
There must be some way chcapc
than the expensive chemical method
How about electricity"
4 Chemists Chance
He would try that. 1t was a chem
lists chance he took. with the odd.
10000 to | against him, hut the chance
was there.
Aluminium comes out Of the carti
in powdered form, called alumina
the oxide of the metal. Halls objcc
was to make metal of the powder b,
means of electricity.
He met with many discourage
ments, many failures. and he worke.
for hours and weeks when the scarcl
of the silver fleece seemed will
goose chase. His chemistry teachc
At Oberlin, Prof. Frank +. Jewett
was his consultant and one Of the few
who believed in him. Prof. Jewct
was often his source Of supplies a
well.
In his experiments Hall tried min
cral after mineral as an agent t.
work with the electricity and harder
aluminium. Finally he struck upo
cryolitc.
Into cleaning bath of cryolitt
a beautiful mineral from Grccnlan,
he plunged his powder Of aluminium
The climax in the drama of the pc
and pan had been reached. Cryolit
was the key Halls cropping finger
had sought.
The alumina dissolved in the cryt
lite. Then Hall passed current 0
electricity through the solution. Fo
two hours the .puny power Of tn
crude little battery wrestled with tn
might Of the earth.
Fishes With Spoon
Hall went fishing with an iro
spoon. Scraping the bottom Of hi
homemade crucible he brought up
spoonful of molten metal. The met;
hardened.
Excitedly he called in his thre
sisters.
Look" he cried.
With two little cleaning discs O