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Vol. 15, No. 9
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARIES Edward H a r t
the manufacture of the acid directly from sodium nitrate, and this led to the invention of the Hart boiler and condenser, which are still widely used. Thus, with Dr. Hart as silent partner, the firm of Baker & Adamson was started, which was later merged into the General Chemical Company, and which in turn has merged into the Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation. Dr. Hart very early took an interest in the art of the printer and used a small footpower printing press in connection with his teaching. When he began to edit the
In 1874 there came t o Lafayette College as professor of analytical chemistry, Thomas M. Drown,, later president of Lehigh University. With him there came as his assistant a young Quaker from Doylestown, Pa., by the name of Edward Hart. According to his own report, he was as verdant as any of the freshmen and he was immediately christened into the collegiate family as “Buddy,” and Buddy Hart he still remains after fifty Journal of Analytical and Applied Chemyears, although the tints of the spring of life have changed to those of autumn. As istry he found trouble in getting the journal out on time, so he audaciously decided an indication of his virility, his versatility, to be his own printer and in 1887 he enand even of his friendliness, the nickname gaged a student as the foreman of the prowas very happily chosen. posed company. In 1893 Harvey w. Wiley, Under his great teacher he certainly who had recently become president of the sprouted out in a variety of directions. AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY,requested Not satisfied with his knowledge of organic Dr. Hart t o become the editor of the chemistry, in 1876 he applied for a feljournal. There thus started an intimate lowship at the newly started Johns Hopfriendship which has increased with the kins University. Dr. Remsen must have passing years. Taking up the editorship, scanned young Hart more carefully than Dr. Hart found but two articles ahead while he did his college diploma, for the latter there were six numbers in arrears. He was nonexistent; but however that may unselfishly gave up his Journal of Analytical be, Edward Hart was given the fellowship and Applied Chemistry and merged it with and he kept i t for two years and received the SOCIETY’S journal. Dr. Wiley busied his doctorate into the bargain. Alman & Co. himself in getting papers, while Dr. Hart This was in 1879, but John Wiley had EDWARD HART edited and printed them. In 1894 he pubpublished his first book, entitled a “Handbook of Volumetric Analysis,” in 1878. His first paper was lished the first volume of Dr. Wiley’s “Principles and Practice published in the American Chemist in 1875, a second appeared of Agricultural Analysis,” and a year later Dr. Remsen asked t o in the same journal in 1876, and one appeared in the Chem- have the American Chemical Journal printed by the Chemical ical News in the same year. Dr. Drown resigned in 1881 and Publishing Company. From this company there later developed Dr. Hart was then made assistant professor in charge of the the Eschenbach Printing Company, which now prints all of the SOCIETY’S journals as, well as several other important technical department, with the magnificent salary of $1200. As a pospublications. Dr. Hart gave up the editorship in 1901, but he sible explanation of the size of his salary, it must be recalled that Dr. Hart was without his collegiate degree and this con- has remained an associate editor of the Journal of the American stituted a certain defect in the eyes of President Cattell. This Chemical Society. defect in Dr. Hart was fortunately not entirely irremediable, The growth of the chemistry department of the college under so the college gave him the anomalous degree of honorary bachelor Dr. Hart was continuous. From a few rooms in Pardee Hall, of science. Thus, he is a n alumnus without any classmatesthe department moved to a building of its own, Jenks Hall, which was soon outgrown. In 1902 a commodious new building was a sort of B.S. Extraordinary! It was a t this time that President Tuttle of Wabash College provided by James Gayley, himself a graduate of the departoffered him a professorship, which he considered seriously. ment in the class of 1876 and a Perkin medalist. Mr. Gayley When it became noised abroad that he was considering a change secured from Henry W. Oliver $5000 to endow the chemical of base, President Cattell came to him with an offer of prefer- library. In 1918 friends of Dr. Hart raised $10,000 to endow ment, both in rank and income, which he could quite conscien- the Edward Hart Research Fellowship, as a tribute t o his great service in building up chemistry in America. Although Dr. tiously do now that Dr. Hart had his collegiate degree. Another reason for remaining in Easton was that Dr. Hart Hart retired from the direction of the chemistry department in 1916, he has retained the title of professor of chemical engineerhad already started a series of business enterprises which were to assist in supporting his rapidly growing family-he has had ing and in a few months he will have completed a round fifty years of service as a teacher. eight children. In 1881, with John T. Baker, a Lafayette Dr. Hart possesses great originality together with boundless graduate of 1878, he began to make refined chemicals. They were without experience and with only $500 capital, but they energy; but modesty in regard to his own attainments and kindliness are even more characteristic of his later years. Still possessed plenty of courage. Renting land a t $10 per year, they put up rough buildings, erected furnaces, and started in to working on important industrial problems, such as the recovery manufacture pure hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, of potash from greensand, much of his time is given to civic and ammonium hydroxide. After two years their capital proved work and to the improvement of the farm which he has recently developed. Dr. Hart’s readings in old agricultural literature too small and they took in George P. Adamson, of the class of are perhaps the.most extensive of any in the country. He is 1884, and moved the plant to a five-acre plot near the railroad. The use of crude nitric acid in considerable quantities suggested thoroughly acquainted with all the early authors, especially the
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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Latin and early English writers. His library is rich in this literature, and he has drawn a great inspiration therefrom, which is reflected in his little volume “My Farm in Cedar Valley.” One may be a thorough theoretical chemist, a fine practical chemist, and an adept in chemical technolog$, and still retain the love of the fields and the forests. To his friend, Harvey W. Wiley, we owe this intimate characterization :
To my mind, Dr. Hart’s personality is one of the most charming of the chemists that I have intimately known. It is always a joy to be with him and hear his discussions on chemistry and chemical technology. *** One of Dr. Hart’s particular characteristics is his hospitality. He is the very genius of hospitality. It comes so evidently from the heart that one cannot fail t o appreciate the privilege of being his guest. If he had devoted his whole time t o manufacturing instead of to teaching he would certainly have been a millionaire. He has a remarkable instinct for technics and love of manufacturing. He is a very good business man in many other respects. *** One of the great charms of Dr. Hart is his conversational ability. I sit
