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I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 15, No. 9
WASHINGTON NOTES TREASURY DEPARTMENT PROMULGATES DYE STANDARDS The growing seriousness of the situation created by unscrupulous promoters of alleged platinum-producing properties has The long-awaited standards of strength for assessing customs suggested to various state mining officials in the western states duties on coal-tar products imported under Paragraph 28 of the Tariff Act of 1922 have been promulgated. Tentative stand- the necessity of taking some action to protect the public. Legal ards were announced last May, but the final drafting of the regu- prosecution has been considered but not hitherto employed, lations was delayed pending consideration of criticisms and owing to the lack of sufficient laws to reach the cases, also to the difficulty of securing evidence of the necessary character. Legissuggestions received and a report from the customs authorities. relief has been considered in the form of a law requiring The official list contains an initial key index, indicating the name lative of the manufzcturer of each dye. Selection of a dye as of stand- the licensing and examination of assayers, and the so-called “blue ard strength does not guarantee its quality, but merely indi- sky” laws have also been considered as a possible remedy. Little cates that the dye has been selected as of fixed strength for the or no progress has been made toward the eradication of the evil. The Bureau of Mines advises persons who are asked to specupurpose of assessing duties. late in a platinum property to let it alone unless the purchaser is prepared t o go to the expense of a careful examination by a ADJUST YOUR CARBURETORS AND SAVE GASOLINE competent engineer. Experiments made by the Bureau of Mines on the fleet of TARIFF COMMISSION ACTIVITIES motor trucks used by the Government Fuel Yard indicate that substantial savings may be made in gasoline by the periodical C. R. Delong, who sailed for Europe on May 3, returned t o adjustment of carburetors based on the results of analysis of the United States on August 21 and brought with him producexhaust gases from automobile engines. As the result of car- tion costs as a result of the investigations which he conducted buretor adjustments made by gas analysis, an actual increased on the following chemicals in the places named : barium dioxide, efficiency in mileage and saving of gasoline amounting to 22 linseed oil, cresylic acid, and phenol in England; barium dioxide The tests demonstrate that a portable per cent was attained. in Germany; diethyl barbituric acid in Switzerland; linseed oil carbon dioxide indicator for testing the exhaust gases of a motor and oxalic acid in Holland; and barium dioxide in France. He vehicle gives a positive indication of the carburetor adjustment, was unable to obtain production costs on sodium nitrite in Norremoves all guess work of such adjustment, is perfectly feasible, way and Germany and on potassium chlorate in Germany, but and is almost indispensable to a company having ten or more valuable general information was procured. These figures will large trucks in service. be tabulated and reports prepared, as a result of which it is probable that hearings will be announced shortly. INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL REGULATION The Tariff Commission has ordered investigations under the A joint committee, representing the Alcohol Trades Advisory flexible provisions of the tariff of the rare sugars, amino acid and Committee and the Prohibition Unit, has completed the revision amino salts, not of coal-tar origin, and of magnesite and magof regulations No. 60, under which intoxicating liquors are manunesite brick, and has set October 1 to hear petitions For reducfactured, distributed, and used. tion in the duties on magnesite. Under its general powers, Among the most important changes in the proposed regulairrespective of the Tariff Act, the Commission has announced tions which have been tentatively agreed upon, is one which will that a general survey will be made of thymol, including thymol provide that permits for certain classes of operations when once crystals. It has just issued a resume of its findings on casein, granted may continue in effect until revoked or suspended for which gives the average costs of production in this country and cause or surrendered by the permittee. Permits to manufacture, Argentine, exclusive of the skimmed milk costs. sell, or transport will continue as a t present to require annual The commission has postponed until September a decision renewal if they are to remain operative, but after the new regu- on the application for a reduction in the duty on soy bean, cocolations go into effect the basic permits for other classes of oper- nut, peanut, and various fish oils. ations will not require such annual renewal. It is expected C. H. Penning has gone to Haiti and Jamaica in connection also that the new regulations will define more clearly than the with the logwood extract investigation. present regulations the conditions under which permit privileges W. G. CAMPBELL TO BE DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY WORK may be temporarily suspended or permanently revoked by the Walter G. Campbell, a t present acting chief of the Bureau of Prohibition Commissioner. Among other important changes tentatively agreed upon Chemistry, has been appointed Director of Regulatory Work of may be mentioned those fixing the standards for flavoring ex- the Department of Agriculture, a new position created by Contracts and other preparations; stating more clearly and specif- gress. Mr. Campbell will assist the Secretary of Agriculture in ically the requirements as to records and reports to the office administering the law enforcement work of the department. by persons operating under permit; and making more definite He will assume his new duties about October 1. Among the and specific the provisions of the regulations which fix the quan- regulatory acts of which Mr. Campbell will have general supertity of liquors which may be used or dealt in by permittees. visory administration are the Food and Drugs Act, the Insecticide and Fungicide Act, and the Naval Stores Act. PLATINUM SWINDLE
The Bureau of Mines warns the public to scrutinize carefully offers ol stock in so-called platinum-producing companies proffered by unscrupulous promoters. Although the United States, from widely scattered sources, produces only a few hundred ounces of platinum a year, certain promoters have made extremely fanciful announcements regarding properties claimed to contain platinum in commercial quantities. These promoters bolster their claims by the display of erroneous assays, which, in some instances, have reported values as high as $25,000 worth of platinum to the ton. I n one instance, the assertion was made t h a t a property near Yonkers, N. Y., contained 10,000,000tons of rock bearing this precious metal, the values ranging from $200 to $600 per ton-a mere bagatelle of from two to four billion dollars! In the case of a Seattle, Wash., concern, the possession of ore containing platinum and gold “in astonishing quantities” was heralded, while the location of the deposit was kept secret, in order to forestall a “mad rush.” Numerous samples of alleged platinum-bearing ores from various properties examined by assayers of the Bureau of Mines a t Reno, Nev., have failed t o disclose the presence of platinum in appreciable quantities. I n some instances, definite evidence has been obtained of the “salting” of samples with platinum wire and foil.
LEATHER SPECIFICATIONS The leather section of the Bureau of Standards has completed a final draft of specifications covering rawhide for vegetabletanned sole leather. These specifications were prepared for presentation to the subcommittee on leather of the Federal Specifications Board, The approval of the Tanners’ Councils committee has been secured, and an initial draft of specifications for three grades of upholstery leather has also been prepared. The data upon which these specifications are based have been prepared from an investigation which has just been completed upon upholstery leather samples submitted by automobile manufacturers. TIRESFROM RECLAIMED RUBBER The Bureau of Standards has placed an order with a rubber company for the making of fifty tires, using various amounts of reclaimed rubber in the treads. After manufacture, these tires are to be tested in the laboratory and also on triicks of the Post Office Department over four different types of roads, so that the relative wear of the different compounds can be determined. August 23, 1923
