GEORGE ROSE: A PIONEER IN AMERICAN PHOSPHORUS MANUFACTURE FROM 1 8 7 0 TO 1899' WILLIAM E. GIBBS2 and CLAUDE K. DEISCHER University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
THIS story of early American manufacture of phosphorus is simply a story of men, their plans, problems, struggles, successes, and failures. Along the southern bank of the Rancocas Creek a t a place called "Texas," formerly known as Magnolia Springs, about 12 miles from Camden, New Jersey, and within a half mile of Centerton, New Jersey, are a few remaining evidences of an almost forgotten chemical plant which it is believed was the first American attempt in the commercial manufacture of phosphorus, then a very important raw material of the match industry. Near the close of the "Great Transition Period" (1820-70) in American chemistry,* there was a distinct trend toward the more practical side of chemistry. Many firms intensified their efforts in the development of our national resources hoping to compete with foreign imports. In search of personnel for expansion of their already well known and established chemical firm, Powers and Weightman of Philadelphia contacted a George Rose through a chemical works, Albright and Wilson a t Oldhurg, near Birmingham, England. He was made an offerto come to this country and take charge of some of their laboratories. Leaving behind his wife and 8 children, 3 boys and 5 girls, Mr. Rose arrived in Phil* delphia in the spring of 1865 and took employment with Powers and Weightman. After a short time, he was approached by Mr. Powers about the possibility of bringing his family to this country. Rose, a deeply religious man, was so elated over the prospect of having his family reunited with him that he considered this a direct answer to his prayers. Mr. Powers instructed him to go to the office and get what money was needed and make all the necessary arrangements to bring his family to the States, which had just survived a Civil War. A number of weeks later, they arrived in New York and came to live in Philadelphia in the vicinity of 9th and Brown Streets. His three sons, William, James, and Absalom were given employment a t Powers and Weightman and the money that was so kmdly loaned to Rose was eventually repaid. 'presented before the Division of the History of Chemistry at the 116th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Atlantlc City, New Jersey, September 20, 1949. 'Present address: Masonville and Rancocm Road, Masonville, New Jersey. a BEOWNE, C. A., J. CEEM.EDUC.,9, 696 (1932).
Much information about the early life history4 of Rose is incomplete. He was born in Gloucestershire, England, on December 27,1819, and, it is believed, completed the elementary grades in a small country school but never attended college. After his marriage to Elizabeth Bayliss, he moved to West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, where employment was gained with Albright and Wilson. At the age of 45, Rose arrived in Philadelphia. In the spring of 1865, a wealthy southern chemist, a Mr. Lowell from New Orleans, Louisiana, met Rose through business connections with Powers and Weightman and no doubt discussed among many subjects, the advisability of beginning the manufacture of phosphorus in the States. Mr. Rose was greatly interested in this product for he had experienced some success with it while in the employ of the chemical works in his home town. Somewhat against his will, he &ally was persuaded to form a partnership with Lowell and immediately began making plans for the new project. Charles Gibbs, a nephew of George Rose, working in the same plant in England where Rose had worked, was now told of this project and a t the age of 20, in 1869, he reached America to assist in this manufacture. Some time elapsed before the firm of Rose and Lowell could h d a suitable site, one that would be conveniently located for transportation facilities. In 1870it was decided to locate at a place along the Rancocas which the Rose family named "Texas" because "it seemed so far removed from civilization." Perhaps another reason for this choice might be attributed to the influence and close proximity of some friends from England. Alfred Marshall, an English chemist, had come to this country earlier in the century, settled and built a brown stone house along the Rancocas about a mile above "Texas." Also, Robert Parrish, an English lawyer, had a mansion about half a mile above "Texas" which served as his home during summer. In winter he moved to Philadelphia. The three families were socially very intimate. After working for Powers and Weightman for almost 5 years, George Rose, together with his three sons, built
' Credit for what is known about Rose and his American adventure must be given to the survivors of the Charles Gibhs family and to Mrs. Ray Eisenhart, the daughter andlast surviving member of the Rose family.
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Other units, such as barns, sheds, carpenter shops, a small laboratory, kilns, furnaces, pulverizing and mixing mills, retort manufacturing house, etc., were constructed within the factory area. I t is said that eight horses were quartered in the barn and from 75 to 100 men, coming mostly from the villages of Rancocas, Centerton, Masonville, Hartford, Hainesport, and vicinity, were employed both at construction and during the peak operation of the plant. The chemical works were a fairly complete series of units, arranged so that the raw materials could be unloaded at the wharf along the creek with a bucket and derrick and be easily transported by wheelbarrow by means of ramps to the desired units. 3 Coal, sulfur, sulfuric acid, refractory clay, and phosphorus hearing rock were the chief materials brought by boat, many by way of the Delaware River and the Rancocas Creek. The rock, known by the trade as "Charlestomn" or "Florida" rock, was chiefly a petrified bone deposit, in some cases anmnented bv " some a~atite-aounrocks taken from the same areas. Campbell Morfit' mentions that the very same kind of rock was imported into England for phosphorus and phosphate manufacture. He describes the rock as "hard nodules coming from fish beds" and that its analysis gave from 42 t o 45 per cent Caa(PO4)a. Considerable amounts of charcoal were also neces6. sary in the manufacture. Most of this was hauled to the plant in large, high, boxlike wagons with tapering sides direct from the charcoal pits in the vicinity of Red Lion, Retreat, and Medford, New Jersey. At first the main dwelling a t the new site. Shortly thereafter Rose and Lowell pulverized their own charcoal by means Mr. Lowell joined the family, boarding with them. By of burrstones, but later (about 1885) it was delivered the spring of 1870, they, together with Charles G i b b ~ , ~in a finely powdered form.8 constructed an office building close to the dwelling. Although in the early period of the manufacture, sulBoth buildings faced an L-shaped lake6 approximately furic acid was made in the plant by the lead chamber 100 feet wide and 1000 feet long. A roadway separated process, the demand was far greater than the supply the lake from the buildings. The main entrance to the and so, by necessity, the rest was bought elsewhere, plant was by way of a road passing between the house some from Moro Phillips Chemical Co. of Camden and and office. A 10-foot-high board fence, vith gates, the balance from the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing connected the buildings. The entire factory site, con- Co. of Philadelphia. most of the acid was brought by sisting of several acres, was fenced in on 3 sides. boat in lead-lined tanks. The boat, called the "Man. Two towering stacks were a very important part of tua," was built at Cooper's Point, Camden and piloted the plant. Underground flues connected the stacks by Captain Dan Bougher of Masonville. with the furnaces and sulfuric acid plant. By natural The refractory clay came from Amboy, New Jersey. draft it was hoped to get rid of all noxious gases pro- This clay, used chiefly in making the retorts, was, at duced in the processes. Some of these underground first, worked by means of treading with bare feet. Later passages are still intact. They are brick-lined, dome- a pug machine was bought for mixing the clay, but it shaped passages about 3 feet wide and 3 feet high. A was found that "the retorts made by this method would few heaps of bricks are the only remains of the stacks. not stand up under the terrific heat used in the furnaces Most of the bricks were evidently removed at the time like those that were treated by treading." The molds the plant was dismantled. for making these retorts were wooden cores or plugs. ~~
W n July 31, 1871, Charles Gibbs married his cousin, Selena, the oldest daughter of George Rose a t the bride's residence. Mr. and Mrs. Rohert Parrish venr kindlv furnished all decora-
was in evidence. The water served as power for a mill and for other plant purposes since i t was a t a higher level than the creek.
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"A Practical Treatise on Pure Fertilizers," Triibner and Co., London, 1873, pp. 2 N 1 . A private communication says that George Crummel, a charcoal burner for William Thackara near Medford, recalls delivering "much of the matprial" to the "match factory" a t Texas and that it was d~fficultt o find bags clwely enough woven t o hold the powder. He also well remembers "the old buildings a t Texas and says the fumes were overpowering."
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The rock was dried, burned, then ground into a fine flour-like powder, placed in large lead-lmed vats, mixed ,:--.. with sulfuric acid, and heated by steam until most of ,. the phosphate was extracted. The liquor that was 1, r 'w' . drained off mas heated and boiled down to a thick syruplike mass in large lead pans. The residues were placed . s >,'. on a refuse pile, later to be used in the manufacture of , , j 1 :::.'I r$ fertilizers. Fine charcoal (1 part to 4 parts by weight of the .1 syrup) was added, mixed, and finally used as a charge for each retort in the furnace. Into the open end of the retort was fitted a 4-inch ell and sealed with fire clay, the open end of the ell dipping i into a lead-lined trough, filled with water. The troughs were built along and under the protruding ends of the ell. The furnaces were fired with soft coal. The gases . . . , ~ , . .' . r, .i from the charges were forced through the ell into the .,. _.. :water where the phosphorus condensed into a soft wax, . . ? . . -. _-. .-. , . , . -" . ' - c . < . . = like mass. ., < This product was washed, taken to the pressroom C. i*.-,'v.ky?-. c .dL !.:- --- --,.-: .; where it was forced through a strainer containing a D W ~ I I end I ~ ~ office~ " i ~ d i " ~ filter layer of chamois skin and felt, by means of steam pressure. The phosphorus was now free from particles After fashioning the crucible, the mold was removed; of charcoal, etc. A mold similar to the old-fashioned the mouth or open end was formed and then left to dry candle mold was used to prepare the sticks of the elefor several days while on a heated flue. When dry ment. The casting was immersed in cold running they were placed in a large beehive muffle and baked. water and when solid the sticks were forced out into The retorts were 36 inches long and approximately 12 cans filled with water. Each stick was about 3/4 inch inches outside diameter, the bottom end was closed and in diameter and 8 inches long. The cans held from 24 rounded, the other end tapered to a 4-inch opening. to 48 sticks each. The lids mere soldered, after which These retorts were placed in rows and built in the fur- the cans were turned upside down to ascertain the presnaces with the bottom end inside the furnace and the opening facing outward at a 45' angle. Excessive heat used in the furnaces, the mechanical failure of the retorts and the linings of the furnace, and the long time required for a complete cycle from raw to finished product (about 2 weeks) meant that most furnaces had to be relined and new retorts installed after every one or two batches. This accounts for the many discarded fire bricks and broken retorts still in the area. The method used for manufacturing phosphorus was essentially the same as that described in Ure's 1864 Dictionary?
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"A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines," D. Appleton and Co.. New York. 1864. vol. 2, pp. 377-8.
sht.tch of the ~anooourChemical Works l187C-1899) Recomtructed from information supplied by Fred Gibbs (son of Cl~srlesOibbs) wbo was employed at the plant.
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the elimination of the 20 per cent duty during Grant's term of office, forced the price down and Rose and Lowell out of business. The business was sold by the sheriff in 1873 to Gibbs, Deacon, and Newbold. Newbold was the silent partner of the trio from Mount Holly, New Jersey. Shortly thereafter Deacon and Newbold dropped out and left the business to Amos Gibbs (no relative of Charles Gibbs). In 1874 Amos Gibbs began the manufacture of fertilizers a t Texas for the J. J. Allen Co. of Philadelphia by mixing the residue," obtained from the phosphorus manufacture with fish guano. Rose and Charles Gibbs, still interested in the manufacture of phosphorus, stayed on to supervise the operations of a few furnaces still running. On October 31,1874, Charles Gihbsappliedfor citizenBroken Crucibles Still to Be Found at Plnni Location ship in the Court of Common Pleas of Burlington ence of any leaks. These cans were finally packed in County, New Jersey, and by 1875 he returned to England to visit his relatives, but principally to learn sawdust in cases holding either 6 or 12 cans each. Special precautions were exercised as best they knew. how to improve on the manufacture of phosphorus to Rubber gauntlets were furnished all men coming in con- meet the trade's demand. He hoped to obtain this tact with the phosphorus. Medicated solutions and information through a cousin employed a t the chemical bandages were always available. For burns they used a works a t Oldbury. Charles Gibbs was gone 12 weeks, solution of limewater and laudanum. A fire depart- was paid his regular salary and a ten-dollar-a-week ment was organized and maintained a t the plant with bonus by Amos Gibbs. By this time the price of phosphorus was carried various hose lines and hose carts placed a t advantageous points. Charles Gibbs cautioned his children not down to near 50 cents. The reason for this was that to run barefoot through puddles of water in the plant. the match industry was under the control of the DiaThe story is told that one of the drivers of the charcoal mond Match Co, who, it; was testified before a Congreswagons was detained one night by a severe storm. His sional Committee, had "contracted with an English team, which he thought securely fastened, broke loose firm for their phosphorus supplies a t a price considerand in some way got to some of these puddles. "The ably below that quoted in England and below the cost horses drank of this water and died shortly thereafter." of production here. The market price in England is Often the piles containing the discarded filter screens about 70 cents, but it is imported into the United would throw off dense clouds of smoke and burst into States, an ad valorem of 20 per cent being paid and is flame. Explosions were also mentioned, one in par- sold in New York a t 60 cents per pound."12 Two years later, 1877, Moro Phillips, who owned and ticular taking part of the roof off the laboratory. One cannot help but wonder if any employees became "It was chiefly calcium sulfate with some phosphate which afflicted with "caries of the jawbones" or "pbosphyevidently was not removed in the sulfuric acid treatment. jaw." "Tenth Census of U. S., 1880," Mfg. of Chemical Products During 1870 Rose and Lowell prepared their first and Salts, p. 21. phosphorus,1°a t a time when the selling price was $1.25 per pound. Just about the time they were established and success seemed assured, foreign competition, in spite of a 20 per cent import duty on the finished product, forced the price down to 70 cents per pound. English manufacturers resented the American venture in a heretofore exclusively controlled field and so lowered their price. The plant ceased operation for a time and by 1871 the price was back to $1.20. The plucky partners reopened, but again the price gradually dropped to 70 cents. Increasing costs of materials such as fire brick at $50 per thousand, acid a t $20 per ton, soft coal a t $5 per ton, lead a t 10 to 12'/2 cents per pound and essential hone rock at $30 per ton, together with lo HAYNEB, WILLIAM, "Chemical Economics," D. Van Nostmnd Co., New York, 1933; "Tenth Census of United States, 1880," issued 1883, Mfg. of Chemical Products and Salts, p. 21.
Piee- of the First Phosphorus Manufactured at "Texas"
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operated a fertilizer plant a t 11th and Linden Streets, Camden, induced Rose, his three sons, and Charles Gibhs to come and begin the manufacture of phosphorus for him. They left the employ of Amos Gibbs in May, 1877, and by September of the same year the furnaces used for phosphorus manufacture a t Texas were closed down, due chiefly to lack of proper knowledge for processing. The plant now gave special attention to the production of fertilizers. The products that were marketed were labeled as Allen's Ammoniated Raw Bone, Allen's Dissolved Bone Phosphate, Allen's Nitro Phosphate, Anen's Dried Fish Guano, Allen's Marine Guano, etc., and a brand known as Texana which was in great demand in New Jersey. Ground up fish and king crabs were used in large quantities to make these fertilizers. Amos Gibbs continued this manufacture for Allen until the spring of 1889, although he had sold the major interests in his Texas plant to the sons of J. J. Allen as early as 1885. In the meantime Charles Gibbs, his wife, and two children returned to England in May, 1878, for more than a year in order to obtain further information regarding the processing method as used in the manufacture of phosphorus. Upon return to Moro Phillips, differences soon arose regarding pay, with the result that Rose, his sons and Gibhs quit their employment. Charles Gibbs now began work a t a glass house in Camden and later went into business with Aaron Ward, a contractor, until he again returned to the Texas plant in 1889 to supervise the manufacture of phosphorus for the Allen interests. Rose, after leaving Phillips, began the manufacture of soap and soap powder with his sons a t 215 N. 9th St., Camden, under the trade name of George Rose and Co. In the early 80's a Mr. Pyle of New York started in the manufacture of a soap product that Rose claimed was an infringement on,his patent. He sent his old friend Robert Parrish to New York to intercede in his behalf, but he met with no success. As Rose was haneially handicapped, he was unable to start litigations. He was finally forced to close his business. During the winter of 1889 Charles Gihbs was again induced to return to the Texas plant hut soon encountered trouble with a German chemist who also was brought into the plant by Allen for the purpose of making phosphorus. When Gibbs made a complaint, he was informed by Mr. Allen that "we are not beholding to any one man, Charlie" whereupon Gibbs terminated his business relationship. After a period of a few months, Gibbs was given full charge of the manufacture of phosphorus as "they had been unable to make a single pound during the time he was away as well as seriously damaging the equipment." The furnaces were reconditioned and places for 20 new retorts were added, making a total of 95 in operation by 1890. As the average cycle required about two weeks they were capable of producing a ton of phosphorus every cycle or roughly 26 tons per year.
Gibhs continued in the manufacture of phosphorus for the J. J. Allen's Sons until 1899 when the Diamond Match Co. bought them out after shutting off their sources of raw materials. Gihbs was offereda position with them a t their Niagara Falls plant which he declined together with an offer for the secrets used by the firm of Rose and Lowell. Parts of the Texas plant were dynamited and the machinery sold as junk; the rest gradually fell into ill repair and was torn down. Rose, upon retirement, became interested in welfare work and died on June 22, 1906. Burial was made in the Colestown Cemetery near Moorestown, New Jersey. Charles Gibbs went into business for himself as a general contractor and builder. Like his father-in-law, he was an ordained minister of the Methodist faith. Death came to him a t his home near Raneocas, New Jersey, on June 8, 1930. Thus ended an admirable example of an early American enterprise in applied chemistry. The authors express their appreciation to C. S. Brinton and N. R. Ewan of the Camden County Historical Society for their interest and assistance in this study.
Retort or C~uciblaU s d for Manufacture of Phosphorus
