160 MODERN SCIENCE READER 



Carborundum stands for a large industry, centered at 

 Niagara Falls, and founded also by Mr. Acheson. Twenty 

 years ago the name was not in the dictionary ; now it is 

 known all over the world as the most efficient abrasive ma- 

 terial in use. First produced just across the Monongahela, 

 in a little furnace as large as a cigar box, and sold for 

 polishing diamonds at many dollars per ounce, it is now 

 made by tons in electric furnaces of 2,000 horse-power 

 capacity, and competes successfully with such common 

 natural abrasives as emery and common sand. And in 

 fact, common silica sand, the most abundant material on 

 earth, with common carbon, like coke, furnish all the in- 

 gredients necessary for the furnace to work upon to pro- 

 duce SiC, silicon carbide. Mr. Acheson not merely founded 

 another new industry, but he discovered a new chemical 

 compound; he has enriched science, promoted industry, 

 and created new instruments of service ; no wonder that his 

 scientific friends have showered on him honors the Rum- 

 ford Medal, the Perkin Medal, and two years ago the 

 presidency of this Electrochemical Society. 



Silicon is the metal whose oxide is silica or sand and is 

 by far the most abundant metallic element on earth. Up 

 until very recently it was to be seen only in chemical 

 museums, costly and useless a chemical curiosity. Now 

 Mr. F. J. Tone, one of Mr. Acheson 's former lieutenants, 

 is producing it by the ton and selling it by the carload, at 

 a few cents per pound. The chemical world has found 

 uses for it, large uses, such as in solidifying steel, making 

 good copper castings, reducing other metals from their 

 oxides, chemical "pots and pans," etc. This illustrates 

 again the variety of the achievements of electrochemistry. 

 Here is % a new material furnished the world at a low price 

 and all sorts of workers are finding all sorts of advan- 

 tageous uses for it. The electric furnace makes it from 

 simply sand and carbon, with electric energy, and plus 

 considerable "brains." 



Calcium carbide is the product of another American in- 



