INDUSTRIAL
News & E N G I N E E R I N G Edition
CHEMISTRY Published by the American Chemical Society
Vol, 3, No. 10
MAY 20, 1925
California as a Chemical Workshop BY
G.
R O S S ROBERTSON
Los A N G E L I S , CAL.
Industrial California is settled largely about two centers business center, but this does not seem to deter manufacturing "Greater San Francisco" in the north, and Los Angeles in the enterprise. south. The former district has long outgrown the peninsula FUTURE OUTLOOK of San Francisco itself, and counts its major chemical industries in the east bay regions of Oakland, Alameda, West Berkeley, Thanks to the Panama Canal, the whole industrial and com Richmond, Crockett, Pittsburg, etc., most of which are deepmercial position of California has been re-aligned. Numerous water ports, either on San Francisco harbor or the Sacramento opportunities are becoming evident where it now pays to pro river estuary. In the south, the suburban towns of Long Beach, duce here rather than to depend solely on the eastern manu Torrance, El Segundo, Vernon, Burbank, Glendale, and a few facturer, who in t h e days of tidewater freight rates held the minor locations, together with the very large incorporate area of market. Los Angeles proper make up the second industrial section. Electrolytically refined copper is an example of one of these Of the strictly chemical industries those of major importance industries which is due in California according to all economic laws, are t o be found in the San Francisco bay district. Here are but is still monopolized in the east chiefly because it is long es located the principal California souices of high explosives, cane tablished there. Storage battery manufacture is a like example sugar, crude and refined salt, high-class petroleum products, of an undeveloped field. Here, however, a start has been made. leather, alcohol, pigments, chloAs soon as a good supply of rine, alkali, strong acids, and "--—-"yj" ~ y .Utah and Colorado coals of sat miscellaneous heavy chemicals. ι "isfactory coking quality is as The combined port and switch > ' ·- « sured, southern California ex ing charge at Oakland harbor is pects to be able to handle an much lower than in Los An appreciable portion of its own geles, and even more favorable steel requirement. Fortunately than in San Francisco. Further huge deposits of high-grade hem more, the northern manufacturer atite are available in southeast has the advantage of the best ern California, adjacent to the buying market for a variety of Los Angeles industrial district. l v needed supplies, and usually has This ore in part at least is avail *y'.-\ * > access to superior capital. The able to the steam shovel. The district is the logical central dis first blast and steel furnaces are ^VV; ^ C tributing point for the Pacific to b e started soon in Long Beach, 7 coast. Such commercial advan according to recent announce tages have fostered an astonish ments. H-ve-j" ing growth in manufacturing in A natural difficulty in the es dustry, particularly since the tablishment of an entirely new s war. ^ basic industry is the lack both Λ- AT'* On the other hand, fuel, labor, of the interlocking industries and water conditions have been and also of the extensive capital highly favorable in the Los available in the east. The Angeles district, resulting in a textile trade suffers from the phenomenal industrial develop lack of dyeing plants; and the ment, particularly, from 1920 to wool-scouring business lan 1923. A large part of the popu guishes in the west because the v/j lation of Los Angeles has settled r- · ''Λ.,Λ^γ·--:·'"·;·· limited western capital cannot there for climatic reasons. In ! ..-. •.•!r...'il/-">.:,.-.> finance the sheep-owners in -:\î." this group are numerous experi competition with New England enced manufacturers wondering capital. However, the buying whether they can establish their market of the Pacific coast is : special line of production in a growing at so rapid a rate that l· . ';"' ^' .!··."-. ' ' :! new land. Establishments from within a decade one may expect ί =71" -: \*"\" -^=-' ""-r ¥• =->--such, sources naturally operate to see a large number of en on a small scale. The average tirely new manufacturing in . \\ ' - " , l· * capital invested in a Los Angeles dustries in California. . -"-^ plant is $62,000; in Oakland, f * _ ——_^-=.SOME OP THE NATIONALLY -— u $265,000. While Los Angeles is somewhat off center as a HAVE ESTABLISHED PLANTS IN Pacific coast distributing point, CALIFORNIA "" *its location is probably superior from the standpoint of foreign San Francisco Bay region: and eastern commercial possi Western Electric Co. I bilities. Unfortunately its har Aluminum Products Co. bor is rather distant from the General Electric Co. Palm Drive and West Adams Street, Los Angeles * • % .
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KNTOWN CORPORATIONS WHICH
INDUSTRIAL
2 San Francisco Bay region:—Cont. Sherwin-Williams Paint Co. Westinghouse Klectric Co. Bethlehem Steel Corp'n Am. Manganese Steel Co. Standard Oil Co. Hercules Powder Co. Los Angeles region: Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. Shell Oil Co. THE
AND ENGINEERING
Libby, McNeill & Libby Edison Klectric Appliance Co. Standard Oil Co. Swift Co. Acme White Lead Co. Pacific Roessler & Hasslacher Corp'n Air Reduction Co. of America General Chemical Co. Cudahy Packing Co. American Can Co.
COST OF ENERGY
Coal is a commodity of minor importance in California. Ordinary soft steam coal costs $10 per ton, most of which is a freight charge. No coal of any value has been found in California. Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico supply most of the small demand. Alaskan coal, a prospect of the distant future, will ultimately be a large item in domestic as well as industrial fuel. Virtually all industries, railroads, public buildings, etc., use "fuel oil," the residual fraction of crude asphaltic petroleum. This fuel, in varying quality, costing $1 to $1.50 per barrel, is equivalent to ordinary bituminous coal at about $3.50 per ton. Obviously no coal gas or water gas is produced in California. Artificial gas is made by the destructive distillation of crude petroleum in retorts of the type used in the "carburetion" of the ordinary eastern water gas. When well treated with ferric oxide, this gas serves as an acceptable domestic fuel running over 500 B. t. u. value. Natural gas of 1100 B. t. u. value is available in quantity in the southern district, and is marketed to industrial plants at 20 to 30 cents per M cu. ft., the price varying with the quantity consumed and with the price of oil. This almost ideal clean fuel has been the means of encouragement to several lines of ceramic development. Domestic, hotel, and restaurant consumers receive a mixed 850 B. t. u. gas at 53 to 68 cents per M in the city of Los Angeles, and at rates increasing to double that figure in more distant towns. This fuel is so cheap per heat unit that it has displaced practically all other household fuels in Los Angeles. So complete is the gas installation that kindling wood is usually burned as scrap and is in no demand. In the country districts, and in the north, conditions are not so favorable, so that more wood, coal, and briquets are used. However, an ordinary householder would hardly burn a ton of coal in California where ten or fifteen tons would be used in a similar establishment in the east, so that the matter is not of great consequence. Electric energy is again abundant, in spite of drouth, following the installation of huge new equipment, completed within the last few months. The Southern California Edison Company, national pioneer in long-distance transmission, has finished the colossal Big Creek hydro-electric project on the San Joaquin River and also a large steam plant at Long Beach. Los Angeles has led the state in economical rates for electric energy by the means of municipal ownership. Despite expected political opposition, the civic power plan is a conspicuous success, and has brought a reduction in rates to very low figures. The Los Angeles householder pays only 5.6 cents per kw.-hr., while the power consumer pays from 0.86 to 1.05 cents per kw.-hr., for alternating current. In the San Francisco bay district smaller consumers, including the minor industrial plants, pay somewhat higher rates. Very large consumers, however, enjoy rates as low as .6 cent per kw.-hr. where much non-peak-load current is used and a favorable power factor is maintained. Similar discounts are available to large plants in Los Angeles. In marked contrast to the general run of eastern cities, these low rates have made the Californian the greatest individual consumer of electric energy in the Union. Naturally the annual consumption of electric energy is increasing beyond the immediate supply; but the Boulder Canyon dam project promises a tremendous increase in the supply, and at a cost of a few mills per kw.-hr. WATER
The easterner can hardly realize how California treasures and nurtures her water supply. San Francisco has long outgrown its local water supply, but will soon profit by the extensive Sierra Nevada development in the Hetch-Hetchy Valley. Los Angeles has been more foresighted in the solution of water problems, and has an aqueduct capable of supplying a city of two and one-half million. Recent phenomenal increases in population have stirred the city to file on 1500 second-feet of the flow of the Colorado River. Following the unsnarling of the present political difficulties besetting the waters of the Colorado, it is hoped that Los Angeles may attack the 8 or 10 years' job of bringing the desired water to the metropolis. The cost of this project will be colossal; perhaps $200,000,000 would not be far amiss. A large amount of power will be needed to lift the water over the eastern mountain ranges, but competent engineers have assured the city that the cost per unit of water will be very reasonable.
News Edition
CHEMISTRY
Water rates in California are naturally high, inasmuch as the water has a definite intrinsic value in addition to the service charge. This is a marked contrast to the conditions in many eastern cities, where the price of water merely means cost of distribution and sanitation. A s a result, the average Californian, for example, uses less than half the water used by a resident of Chicago. Los Angeles charges industrial plants on a sliding scale from 10 cents down t o 5 cents per hundred cubic feet. San Francisco bay rates run from 29 cents to 21 cents. New water developments both of San Francisco and Oakland may improve this latter situation. The water supplies of both industrial districts are of ordinary good quality, carrying about 300 parts per million of total solids, with a moderate degree of both temporary and permanent hardness, which must be taken care of in boiler management. Close to the coast the waters are more highly mineralized than those from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on account of the prevalence of decomposed tertiary magnesia and lime formations. An extreme case of this trouble is found on the famous Santa Catalina Island, off the coast o f Los Angeles County. All drinking water used on this island for the past thirty years has been imported from the mainland. For domestic city use the usual chlorination processes are employed. T h e iodine content of the water seems adequate, or at least no goitre-prevention service seems necessary. The semiarid climate is n o doubt a favorable factor in this connection. LABOR
The industrial value of the Pacific coast climate is hardly appreciated in t h e east. Thanks to freedom from both severe winters and humid summers, labor is less hampered, and a saving of nearly 10% is secured. Formerly this statement was considered mere chamber-of-commerce boosting talk, but has been proven conclusively through the establishment of branch factories by eastern concerns. In cases where a large corporation manufactures t h e same nationally advertised article both in California and a t the eastern home plant, the evidence is plainly in favor of the western operation. The San Francisco bay region probably enjoys the finest workingman's climate in the state. The continuously fresh, almost chilly atmosphere, even in summer, is a stimulant, but drives the less vigorous comfort-lover to the warmer climate of southern California. This condition brings out a marked contrast in the labor markets. The northern district is influenced by powerful organized labor interests in much the style normal t o the large eastern centers. The Los Angeles region, however, contains s o many semi-retired artisans of a thousand sorts that effective labor domination is hardly possible. Such a condition tends to depress wages slightly in many of the less skilled trades and office lines, such as rough carpenter, clerk, stenographer, bookkeeper. At the same time it has given the opportunity for industrial development at times even faster than that of the Bay region. All this is in spite of the marked commercial superiority of San Francisco, both, as to outlet for goods and available stocks of manufacturing supplies. This article will be concluded with a description of the individual industries in the June 10 News Edition.
West Addresses St. Louis Section on Oriental Medicines Fred West of the United Drug Company, formerly chemist for the U. S. Customs House in San Francisco, gave an address before the St. Louis Section at the April meeting on "Oriental Medicines." The speaker has spent several years in the Orient and during his talk presented numerous examples and specimens of the bizarre remedies used by the Chinese and Japanese. Among the fantastical medicines discussed were: dried crabs' eyes, alligator-hide tea, elephant skin, dragon bones, ells' blood, lizard-skin, infusions, scorpions (desiccated), rose-petal ashes, cinnabar pills, and animal dung dried and molded into briquets. I t was pointed out that the Oriental was a close observer of natural phenomena and that most of his, to us, unusual medicines were prepared from animals and plants which were unique in t h e animal and vegetable worlds. It appears that in many instances the Chinese have ante-dated modern medicine many centuries in the use of animal extracts and vegetable infusions.
Platinum Theft at Depauw On the night of M a y 6 the Chemistry Building of Depauw University, Greencastle, Ind., was entered by thieves who forced a window and stole about 75 grams of platinum ware. Fortunately only this small amount was in the regular platinum drawer at the time,
May 20, 1925
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Omaha Section Entertains President Norris The May meeting of the Omaha section of the American Chemical Society was held on May 6 in the office building of Swift & Co. Dinner was served by courtesy of Swift & Co., in their assembly room. The menus were quite attractive inasmuch as the usual French and English names gave way to chemical terms. Miss Ida Lustgarten, one of Omahas most talented pianists gave several popular piano solos during the remainder of the program. The Section had as its guests of honor President James F. Norris; James C. Dahlman, Mayor of Omaha; Major-General Duncan; Dr. Von W. Schuîte; Major Mason; and Mr. Louis Swift, Jr. The meeting was presided over by the chairman, Dr. Le vine, who first welcomed Dr. Norris in the name of the Omaha Section. Other addresses of welcome were given by Mayor Dahlman, General Duncan, and Dr. Von W. Schulte. Dr. William Barr, Councilor, gave a report of the Baltimore Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Superintendent Rydman, of the Swift plant, gave a short talk on the value of chemical research to the packing industry. Dr. Norris was the principal speaker of the evening. He spoke on "The Development of Chemical Industries Based on Petroleum." It was very much evidenced by his talk that chemical research and the progress of the world go hand in hand. In addition to telling of the wonderful progress made in the field of petroleum research, Dr. Norris also spoke on some of the fundamental principles underlying the rapid growth of our society, as well as the value it has in the chemical world.
A Chemical Speller A pronouncing chemical formula speller has just been published by the Williams & Wilkins Company of Baltimore, Md. This book is intended as a guide for chemical spelling contests, and should do much toward securing a more general adoption of this form of chemical education. The book is divided into four parts. The first is a list of nearly 3000 names and formulas of inorganic chemical compounds together with their waters of hydration, whenever they occur in hydrated form. The second is a list of about 300 names and formulas of minerals, while the third consists of a list of more than 1000 of the more common organic compounds, with their formulas and molecular group orientation names, in so far as these can be given. This organic list has been revised and reconstructed by Professor E . Emmet Reid of Johns Hopkins University, and should be serviceable in spelling contests among students of organic chemistry. The fourth section of the book occupies as much space as the other three combined, and consists of more than 1550 questions and answers covering the typical reactions of all the chemically active elements, accredited by the International Commission. The answers to these questions are given in the form of balanced equations that are all based on authentic experimental data.
Program for Third National Colloid S y m p o s i u m The third National Colloid Symposium will be held at the University of Minnesota under the chairmanship of Prof. Harry N . Holmes, June 17, 18, and 19. Dr. Herbert Freundlich will be the foreign guest of the Symposium and will lecture on "Adsorption." In addition t o this topic, twenty other contributions will be made to the program, as follows: "Molecular Weight and Solution," by W. D . Bancroft, Cornell University; "Some New Aspects of the Surface Tension of Colloidal Solutions Which Have Led to the Determination of Molecular Dimensions," b y Lecomte du Nouy, Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research; "The Orientation and Distribution of Molecules," by Irving Langmuir, General Electric Company; "Photographic Sensitivity," by S. E. Sheppard, Eastman Kodak Company; "Catalysis by Metalized Silica Gels," by L. H. Ryerson, University of Minnesota; "Colloidal Water and Ice," by Howard T. Barnes, McGill University; "Colloid Chemistry of Rennet Coagulation," by L. S. Tahner, University of Minnesota; "The Viscosity of Protoplasm," by L. V. Heilbrunn, University of Michigan; "Antigenic Properties of Bacterial Toxins Neutralized by Surface Tension Depressants," by W. P. Larson, R. S. Evans, H. O. Halvorson, University of Minnesota Medical School; "Physico-Chemical Studies on Blood Coagulation," by I. N . Kugelmaas, Yale University Medical School; "The Effect of Anions on the Colloidal and Chemical Properties of Aluminium Hydroxide," by Lewis B. Miller, U. S. Public Health Service; "The Nature of Soil Colloids," b y Philip L. Gile, U. S. Bureau of Soils, Washington, D . C ; "The Colloid Chemistry of Soils," by E. Truog, University of Wisconsin;
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"Soil Water," by F. J. Alway, Division of Soils, University of Minnesota; "Colloids in Geology," by W. J. Mead, University of Wisconsin; "Lithopones," by C. A. Mann, University of Minnesota; "The Plasticity Problems of Rubber," by W. J . Kelly, Goodyear Rubber Co.; "An Experimental Study of Emulsification on the Basis of Distribution of Size of Particles," by Alfred J. Stamm, University of Wisconsin; "The Centrifugal Method for Determination of the Distribution of Size of Particles in Colloidal Solutions," by J. B. Nichols, University of Wisconsin; "The Motion Picture Machine as an Aid to Colloid Research,"—Demonstrations, by E. O. Kraemer, University of Wisconsin; W. J. Kelly, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.; and W . G. France, Ohio State University.
Acree Addresses S o u t h Jersey Section The thirty-second regular meeting of the South Jersey Section of the American Chemical Society was held at the du Pont Club on Wednesday evening, April 29 with an attendance of thirty. The principal business of the meeting was a report on t h e Baltimore Meeting by Councilor H. W. Mahr; the acceptance of an invitation to participate in the joint meeting of the Chemical Section of the National Safety Council and the Delaware Section of the American Chemical Society which is to be held in Wilmington May 22 and 23 ; and the appointment of a nominating committee to present nominees for the election of the 1925-26 officers of the Section. The speaker of the evening was Dr. S. F. Acree of George Washington University who spoke on "Physical Chemical Studies of Some Organic Reactions." Dr. Acree is a very interesting speaker and his address was especially appreciated by the members of the Section as he brought out many points which bear on every day chemical problems especially in the manufacture of dyestuffs.
Arizona Section Meetings During March and April, Dr. D. T. MacDougal, director of the Desert Laboratory for Plant Physiology (Tucson), and Dr. B. L. Clarke, also of the Desert Laboratory, gave a series of five lectures before the Arizona Section, American Chemical Society, and the Chemistry Seminar of the University of Arizona. Dr. MacDougaTs lecture dealt with "Physico-Chemical Procedure in Growth" and "Sap Pressure and Movement in Plants." Dr. Clarke's lectures dealt with certain phases of his research at the Desert Laboratory and Columbia University.
Florida Section Has New Officers The Florida Section of the American Chemical Society m e t in the Engineering Building of the University of Florida at Gainesville on May 2, 1925. There was an afternoon session at four o'clock and a paper by Professor Shiyes of Rollins College on the topic, "The Even Distribution of Temperature Rise within the Catalyst Chamber in the Preferential Catalytic Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide by Means of Hopcalite." At the evening session H. H. Buckman of Jacksonville addressed the Section on the topic "The Chemists and the Future." The following officers were elected: Chairman, R. W. Ruprecht; 1st Vice Chairman, H. A. Shiver; 2nd Vice Chairman, Nelle Morris; Secretary-Treasurer, F. H. Heath; Councilor, W. J. Husa.
Detroit C h e m i s t s Enjoy Lecture o n Glass Henry Hess, a consulting chemical engineer of Toledo, Ohio, addressed the Detroit Chemists recently on the subject of "The Manufacture of Glass." He described the inventions important in modern glass making, the Westlake bulb machine, the Libby-Owens machine for plate glass, the Danner tube machine for making sheet or semi-plate glass. This subject interests Detroiters because at the River Rouge Plant of the Ford Motor Co., acres of plate glass are produced daily for Ford cars.
American Leather C h e m i s t s to Meet i n J u n e A very cordial invitation is extended to all those in any way interested in the leather industry, to be present at the coming annual meeting of the American Leather Chemists Association, to be held June 3, 4, and 5, 1925 at the Hotel Traymore, Atlantic City, N. J. Be sure to make your reservations early. More than 100 technical men, according to the Association of Chemical Equipment Manufacturers, will be in direct or subordinate charge of exhibitors' booths a t the Chemical Equipment Exposition, Providence, June 22-27, inclusive.
