Evening star., 1938-01-02
ISY 7 ELIUM for sale!"

WHICH Uncle sam Ii TACK
ing up after maintaining
q close guard on the only commercial
source of the gas for 50 years, Ger
many recently requested and was
granted the right to purchase 17,900,-
900 cubic feet of helium to fill dirigi-
bles for transatlantic flights.
At the last step in the program
which precedes the actual sale of
helium, the Government is now COM
pleting negotiations for purchase of
privately-owned helium plants. I'm
mediately after this transaction, the
Government will begin the sale OF
helium from its own plant near
Amarillo, Tex. In reserve are two
undeveloped helium properties in Utah.
The action Of the United States In
ending its monopoly of the mysterious
gas brings to light for the first time
stories Of military secrets that began
IN England during the World War,
and vital roles played in U. s. war
history by civilians who stepped from
the industrial life Of the Nation to
serve during the emergency.
Helium has inspired secret foreign
missions and anxiously guarded con-
ferences, for 1t was mysterious
"X-factor" that was booted around
the U. S. A. for more than . decade
before its almost incalculable value
was pointed out by representatives Of
another nation,
MYSTERY surrounds even the
original discovery Of the element
helium in 1886, it is recalled. Scien-
lists were mystified by . previously
unnoticed line in = spectroscope study
OF sun rays which was later identified
as the first evidence of the presence
Of q new element. Eventually chem
lists produced helium in a laboratory
through q complicated treatment OF
certain minerals.
From the sub-strata Of Texas at
Amarillo, less than 500 miles from
New London, where last March 456
school children and teachers perished
in an explosion Of Texas natural gas,
this totally different and non -infiam-
mable gas called helium is obtained.
1t Is one Of the most inert elements
known, and while nearly as light as
hydrogen, 1t will not explode. Au-
thorities studying the curious exist
ence OF both helium and inflammable
gases in virtually the same strata,
attribute the presence Of helium to
the breaking up Of radioactive min
erals Of the earth.
Only few decades ago, when mod
ern production methods had not yet
been perfected. the cost of one cubic
foot Of helium was approximately
$2,500. Now, however, it is antici-
pated that the Government will be
able to place helium on the market
at $40 for 1000 cubic feet.
The first in the series Of strange
events which led to this country's
monopoly of helium was the develop
| ment OF q special incendiary bullet
by British inventor during the
World War. The explosive missiles
not only protected London from Ger
man airships filled with explosive
hydrogen, but kept three British
dirigibles on the ground, for there
were reports that the German High
Command had developed an inoen-
diary bullet to match the British.
r EPOSING In the archives OF the
British admiralty was a report
that mysterious gas called helium,
which would not burn or explode, had
been discovered in the United States.
A secret mission from the admiralty
quietly entered this country and Of
fered, in their determination to get
helium at any cost, to develop the then
unimproved and scarcely known
sources of the element in the United
States, where 1t had been discovered
as early as 1905.
In the hectic winter of 1861, in
ventors by the dozens were lombard
ing Washington with shortcuts for
winning the war and it may have been
more than coincidence that the high
mission on helium was referred to q
man who, seven years before, had been
forced to say yes" or mo" to another
British proposal which subsequently