The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-09-08


n. stand this morning. I know
spproximately al the components
chemical eomponents-of your
cleaner 7 don't know Row they !
vere put together and frankly
there must be some reagent that
III have 70 study UP on a bit.
TODAY III start the working tests
YOU asked for. Then III Try maxi
ing some wondrosoap myself
No business before breakfast
Kav warned him. Ted, you'll
have ham-snd with US. won't
you"
The business office of Wondro-
soap had nothing to do until
Benton's analysis vas complete,
80 Kay drafted Ted and Mary 10
help her plant her long neglected
garden Luckily they were well
away from the plant when the
explosion occurred.
II came suddenly. A great
earth-shaking blast, the crash OF
broken glass. falling bricks and
splintering wood. and cloud Of
black and yellow smoke rising
from a hole in the roof.
KAY screamed. So did Mary.
Ted ran for fire extinguisher.
When she got her breath. Kay
found herself shouting: Joe, Joe
Benton, Are you all right :"
Benton's head emerged from
broken window.
"Everything's all right" hs
yelled. Just had little excite
ment" The head disappeared
again. Kay ran To the wrecked
laboratory, with Mary close be-
hind her.
They found Joe standing in the
midst of the wrecksge. smiling
happily. His eyebrows were singed
and his face was black. But he
was unhurt. Ted's fire extingusher
had stopped the spread of flames.
but the laboratory looked like il
had been a target for a bomber.
Sunlight streamed through the
hole in the roof
It's marvellous, Great" Ben-
ton was shouting. Most remark
able experiment ever saw.
Should have guessed it. Missed it
entirely -
What happened? ?" Ted yelled.
1T blew up"
What blew up"
"Wondrosoap!r
1t was some time before they all
Gained down enough TO get
Benton's story straight.
Il spilled some acid Joe re-
lated, and when I hurried down
to the end of the table to get a
rag TO wipe it up. I Knocked over
a test tube OF diluted alcohol. u
/ spilled into an empty can Of
Wondrososp. There must have
been a little left in il. l turned
/ just in time TO see a few drops
of the acid run off the table and
into the can BOOMu,"
You think the Wondrosoap ex-
ploded ?" Ted scoffed. 'Impos-
sibler'
Il KNOW It exploded. That
hole in the roof is plenty OF proof.
| I've been mixing acid and alcohol
long enough to know 1T doesn't
4 explode. There wasn't anything
else TO explode but the Wondro-
soap. It's the only unknown in
the equation.
Wait a minute. If ! can find
some more acid. Wen try it out"
rs it safe? Don't blow up the
entire plant" Kay ventured.
] Wen try it in your garden. 1t
will be safe enough" Benton hur-
i ried back into the lab
He returned soon with bottles,
a test tube. long wire. and
can of Wondrososp. Carefully he
arranged the experiment.
A tiny bit Of Wondrosoap,
/ placed on the ground and moist
ened with alcohol and water
poured from a test tube held in
long wire-produced nothing.
But when Joe added few
drops Of acid to the solution and
poured it over the Wondrosoap.
there was sharp explosion that
shattered the test tube, jerked tn.
wire from his hand and sprayed
dirt over all of them.
Ted gszed down into the hole
the blast had left. II was a foot
or more deep. twice as wide.
Gosh" he said in wonder.
When a bit Of Wondrosoap the
size Of a matchhead and two
drops Of acid will do that-what
would can Of the stuff and a pint
Of acid do"
There wouldn't be much fac
tory left" Benton said.
He turned TO Kay. Did YOU find
anything in your fathers papers
that might indicate he knew what
this stuff would do I doubt IL,
though, because he wouldn't have
made so much Of II. A million
cans. You could blow up half OF
New York CITY"
KAY vas stu shaking. half with
fear half with excitement. as sh.
answered: I've searched through
every paper I could find but
can't find even the slightest refer
ence 10 Wondrososp. Dad didn't
mention il anywhere.
But there's one man who might