Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13
CHROMIUM ALLOY
BR|GHTENS TOWERS
Meteoric Rise of Metal Dis
covered in Maryland Due to
Numerous Uses.

''How do they keep that tower shiny?'
That is question often heard on tn,
streets of New York when visitors come
within eyesight of the cleaning chrom'
tum alley towers of the city's newest
skyscrapers.
Chromium was a curiosity to metal.
Iurgists a century ago; now single
American factory plates more thar
1000 articles with chromium" says g
bulletin from the National Geographic
Society.
For years after chromium was dis
covered, science failed to utilize it. The
metal needed society. When it was
found to mix with other metals it be-
gan its meteoric rise in the metal
world
Tough Alloy Produced.
"a small percentage of chromium
mixed with steel, iron, brass and other
metals, produces a hard, tough alloy
with high heat resistance. Chromium
thwarts rust and corrosion; it resists
the attack of all but two chemicals
Perhaps the most widely known feature
Of chromium is the mirror like polish OF
chromium plate.
"Without chromium a leading Ameri-
can automobile factory would require q
plant seven times its present size to
produce the same number of automo-
biieS, because tools and machine parts
containing chromium withstand the
stress and strain of high-speed ma
chinery.
1.-THE commuter has a somewhat
'chromiumiZed' day. When he awakes
one of the first things he sees is the
bedroom wallpaper, which probably
was printed on a chromium plated
press, and his wife dons dress with
colored designs that were printed by a
chromium plated die. He turns a
bright, chromium-plated door knob on
the bathroom door, makes shaving
lather on his face, with water from
chromium plated faucets and shaves
with a chromium-plated razor.
Chromium Plated Pans.
Possibly his cereal was cooked in a
chromium plated pan, and his eggs and
pancakes were fried In chromium
plated utensils; If so, the cook used
no fat
Available for preparation Of another
meal is the SpotleSS chromium plated
waffle iron, toaster and tea pot of
permanent luster.
= Paper money his wife uses and post
age stamps were printed from chrom-
ium- plated engraved die at the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing. A mere
film of chromium viii extend the life
of engraving dies three times longer
than naked plates.
watches and locomotive axleS, en-
CINE driving rods and rails are treated
with the magic metal.
Although chromium plate has been
kn wide commercial use less than 10
years, many automobiles now plate
radiator shells, headlight shells, door
handles, bumpers, hub caps and trim
lnings with chromium. Under the hood
are numerous chromium alloy and
plated parts. Without their strength
ening qualities, the motor would be
larger.
Used in Buildings.
MANY tons of chromium alloy and
chromium plate go into the construc-
ton of modern buildings. Chromium
alloy usually is employed where its
STRENGTHENING qualities are required,
and chromium plate where metal Is ex-
posed to atmospheric corrosion, and
cleaning trimmings are desired.
In the chemical industry chromium
has made its mark in tanning leather.
Chromium treated leather reSists the
disintegrating effects of many chemicals
and water. In 1928 American oil re-
f1neries found that chromium reduced
corrosion of cracking chambers treat
ing high sulphur oils. In the paper in
dustry chromium plate has heightened
the life of tubes used for the evapora-
ton Of waste sulphate liquor. Heat
resisting qualities of chromite, the min
eral source of chromium, make 1t val
liable as a lining for open-hearth
furnaces.
I'm 1880 young Maryland metal
lngist found a cider barrel tilted
against an odd piece of rock He dis
covered the rock was chromite, and
later opened a mine near Baltimore.
Maryland led In production Of chromium
from 1880 until 1870. It was unseated
by Turkey, which held first place until
1908. Rhodesia and New Caledonia
jockeyed for frst position after Turkey
relinquished its place. For one year
19l8-the United States took the lead,
when the demand for. chromium for
armor plate and projectiles temporarily
brought the sl1mbering industry to life.
Today South Rhodesia Is the worlds
greatest chromite producing region"