180 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES OF MICHIGAN. 



ALFRED H. WHITE. UNIVERSITY OF MICIIIGAX. 



It is perhaps advisable at the bepnning of this paper to reoofi;nize that 

 there is a gi'eat difference in the lists of those industries which arc actu- 

 ally chemical industries and those which ought to be chemical industries, 

 but unfortunately are not conducted in such a way as to entitle them to 

 that distinction. The manufacturers of metallurgical, electrochemical, 

 and pharmaceutical products, of alkalies, cements, sugar and varnishes 

 have always recognized the necessity of strict chemical control of their 

 operations. 



There are instances of well-conducted works in every other industry, 

 and the large and flourishing factories are almost always found to be 

 under chemical control. The pressure of competition of these modern 

 factories is causing continually larger numbers of manufacturers to break 

 away from the rule of thumb methods handed down by tradition, and to 

 seek the aid of scientifically trained men in the conduct of their business. 



The recent completion of the reports on manufactures of the twelfth 

 census allows us to review with some reliability the status of the chemical 

 industries of ^Michigan. Under the heading "Chemicals and Allied Pro- 

 duets'' we find the following list in the Census Bulletin: 



Industry. Value of prDduct. 



Sodas |L',SL>(;,:i77 



Potashes 7T,<;0!> 



Alums :{!).500 



Wood Distillation .514. IOC. 



Fertilizers an.S.iiOS 



Bleaching Materials (;l'.887 



Electrochemical Products l!I.S.ii.")(> 



Tanning Materials 1(I(».(;S4 



Paints, Colors and Varnishes 'A,:V.)\.17:i 



Exi)losives , 0ni.7(»(> 



Essential Oils 2(L».2."')S 



rV)ni])rossed and Liquefied Cases '2.UH\ 



Chemicals not otherwise specified 1,8(H»,7S4 



|!»,7r)7,()84 



Michigan ranks as the sixth Slate in the Union in the value of chemical 

 products thus enumerated, being surpassed by New York, Pennsylvania, 

 New Jersey. Ohio, and Illinois, standing in the order named. In the' 

 average number of jieople employed, however, Michigan takes fourth 

 place, surpassing both Ohio and Illinois. 



It will be noted that the paint, color and varnish industry ranked first 

 in the value of its i>i-oducts during the census year, with soda manu- 

 facture in the second jdace. These jiositions have j.robably been reversed 



