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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1916)
Science Notes BY WILLIAM G. HAYNES. NITRATED COTTON In following up the latest develop ments of the European War it is quite often true that we are amazed at the wonderful progress made in the man ufacture of high explosives. Then turning to the effects of this war up on American manufacturers of the products, one can only dream of the vast amount of money which one imagines them to be storing away as profits. Little attention is paid to the fact that a large percentage of the output from these factories is com posed of material made solely for peaceful trades. How different are the visions that loom up at the mention of the words “guncotton” and “celluloid.” One is instantly associated with rifles, can non and war, while the other calls to mind such common articles as collar buttons, combs, etc. Yet the two are very much the same except for the fact that celluloid contains camphor, while gutcotton does not. Up to a certain point the manufacture of the products is practically the same. The technical nama for pure cotton is celluloid, so it is not difficult to sec that nitrated cotton, nitrocellulose, cellulose nitrate and guncotton mean pretty much the same thing. Fortunately some of the largest powder companies of America are proud of the fact that most of their nitrated cotton is made for peaceful purposes. As an instance of this, your attention is called to the follow ing extract from “Manufacturers’ liccord” (Sept. 14) wherein the Du Font Company shows some of the uses to which their nitrated cotton is put: “The rise of cotton from its low price during the ‘buy-a-bale’ period to its present highly satisfactory price, around 15 cents, was brought about largely by the enormous cotton re-, quirements of the Du Font Company , and others engaged in the manufac ture of military explosives. The fleecy staple, on account of be ing the purest cellulose obtainable, and because it is obtainable in such large amounts, naturally becomes the important factor in the manufacture of a long list of chemical products, It is not utilized entirely for the man ufacture of cloth, but finds an import ant place in the processes of manufac- j turing chemicals. The nitrating of cotton is simply treating it with nitric acid of varying strength. The process requires but a few days for its completion. Wheth er the finished product is guncotton or the soluble cotton of commerce re ferred to later depends on the degree of nitration, which is governed by the strength of the acid used or by the length of time the nitrating process .s allowed to continue. The process of nitration is exceed ingly simple from the theoretical otandpoint, but from the practical standpoint becomes more or less in volved and requires the most careful advance research work and painstak ing care in every step of the process, it includes a purification so thorough that all foreign substances, dirt and oils are absolutely removed. The final use of the nitrated cotton must be determined on before nitration is be gun, for if the nitration is permitted to stop too soon or progress too far, the mass is ruined for the purpose lor which it may be needed. Although the million pounds per day capacity of the Du Pont plant at Hopewell, Va., has been taxed to the utmost during much of the past two years, its enormous output of nitrated cotton was not used exclusively for military guncotton and smokeless powder, and an ever increasing amount was converted into soluble cotton for use in chemical industries. There are many uses for soluble cotton, the largest individual use be ing in the manufacture of leather substitutes. This industry, which has been the field of so much chemical and manufacturing research, has within the past few years developed so rap idly as to tax factory facilities, and all leather manufacturers of import ance in this line are now far behind with their orders. This growing demand for leather substitutes has been brought about by the high price and increasing scarcity of good leather, and the pub lic realization of the weakness of cheap split leather, commonly refer red to as “genuine leather,” to such an extent as to be spectacular. The uses of leather substitutes are in practically every field of endeavor. The demand comes from the automo bile manufacturer, the car builder, the bookbinder, the shoe manufactur er, the trunk and case manufacturer, the furniture manufacturer, the glove manufacturer, the hat and cap man ufacturer, the novelty manufacturer, and, in fact, from practically every one using a strong, pliable, waterproof fabric. A good example of this great use is to be found in the plants of the automobile and fuimiture manufac turers, for when such plants reach the basis of 1000 cars or sets per day, leather of any grade becomes entirely out of the question, because it is im possible to obtain, varies greatly in quality, must be separately cut by experts, is subject to great waste, and is very expensive to handle. In such cases where economies of 1 cent per car or chair are important, leather substitutes win because of superiority over cheap splits in wearing qualities, waterproofness, feasibility of cutting in multiples by machinery and greater ease of use. (To be Continued.) Advertisements inserted among the locals cost two cents a word. Count your words and you will then know just how much your advertisement will cost you before you put it in. Display advertisements cost 50 cents an inch if inserted only once. If al lowed to stand for several issues, then the rate is 25 cents an inch. Classified advertisements cost one cent and a half a word for the first insertion and one cent for subsequent insertions. LINCOLN’S CABIN BECOMES NATIONAL PROPERTY Washington, District of Columbia.— The cabin which was Lincoln’s first heme, now standing on its original site near Hodgensville, Ky., became the other day the property of the nation. A man who sees it, and later sees the completed grand marble me morial to Lincoln on the bank of the Potomac at Washington, will have seen typical edifices of the most sym obc career yet known to the republic. The one is ten logs high on a side; is plastered with soil, and has an outer chimney of logs, sticks and mud. The other is to cost millions; be made and adorned by artists of distinction; and become, next to Mt. Vernon, the home of Washington, the most frequented 01 all American civic temples. What enduring monuments these are, not only to Lincoln, but to the 10,000,000 Black men and women and children in America—it was because of the Emancipation Proclamation that Lincoln will longest be remem bered. When you need a good clean shave, see P. H. Jenkins, 1313 Dodge street. —Adv. Complete Stocks of New Fall and Winter Merchandise Moderately Priced Thompson, Belden & Co. HOWARD AND SIXTEENTH STREETS 1, . . . GOOIJGRoVe'rIES* ALWAYS ”****“’ C. P. WESIN GROCERY CO. Also Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. 2005 Cuming St. Telephone Douglas 1098 ST. PHILIP’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH PRESENTS Clarence Cameron White Violin Soloist Monday, Oct. 30 a*t£hmcb Admission, 50c