HARDWOOD DISTILLATION 191 



lengths. The vapor was condensed in a copper log condenser and the 

 liquid recovered was pumped into settling tanks, from which it was drawn 

 to the copper stills for distillation. The settled tar was drawn off from 

 these settling tanks each day, and spread, with a ladle, over the charcoal, 

 which was burned under the retorts, the copper and lime stills, and the 

 pans all distillation being accomplished by this direct method. Little 

 or no effort was made to save the wood spirit, the main object being to 

 produce acetate of lime, for which a high price was obtained both in the 

 home and Scotch markets. 



The methods followed in operating the plant demanded a large amount 

 of hand labor, and sturdy men of experience were needed to carry the 

 work forward. These men with their families came from time to time 

 from Scotland. In a short time Milburn became known as the Scotch 

 Settlement, and it was famous for the number of trained men who, after 

 getting their experience here, were called upon to take charge of distilla- 

 tion plants not only in New York, but in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Canada 

 and other centers as well. 



About 1865 (or soon after), a Mr. Pollock, a chemist, of Morrisania, 

 New York, began refining wood spirit in a small way. The market 

 developed rapidly. Shortly after the Burcey Column was introduced to 

 the crude plants, thereby adding to the power of the stills to recover wood 

 spirit of 82 per cent test. The production of wood spirit being greatly 

 increased, it became desirable to install a central refining station, and the 

 Burcey Chemical Co., with a refinery at Binghamton, New York, resulted. 

 A refinery was also started in Brockton, Mass., in 1877. 



For a long tune the sale of charcoal was limited, the greater part being 

 consumed as fuel in the plants. Slowly the market developed, until 

 to-day practically the entire output is shipped, hard and soft coal taking 

 its place under the boiler and retorts, and live steam being used in the 

 stills (now fitted with coils), and in the pans, which have steam jackets 

 at the bottom. 



At the present time plant operation is along efficient lines. Old-time 

 methods have been discontinued, and the manual labor is now greatly 

 reduced. In the woods there is also a notable improvement. Cord wood 

 is now, to some extent, cut from the limbs and refuse tree trunks, after 

 the lumberman has taken out the best timber in the shape of logs. 

 Thus the danger of fire is reduced and the ground, which, otherwise would 

 be covered with scattered brush, is free for new seedlings to take root 

 without delay, or the stumps left to sprout up with a new wood crop. 



