142 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES. 
By HARVEY FLETCHER. 
Although in some lines, especially chemistry, there has 
been some industrial research ever since the birth of our 
nation, it is comparatively recent since it has been recognized 
as a very important part of the large industrial organiza- 
tions. 
| The large corporations are beginning to see that the 
development work, especially with the big problems, is 
carried on much more successfully by University men rather 
than by the so called practical man, who has received his 
education in the business. 
As early as 1795 James Woodhouse, Professor of 
Chemistry of the University of Pennsylvania, took an active 
interest in commercial problems. He showed that anthracite 
coal was better than ordinary bituminous coal for giving 
“intensity and regularity of heat.” 
Also about this time John Harrison, the first manu- 
facturer of sulphuric acid, took an active interest in indus- 
trial problems. There has always been scientific research 
men connected with the mining industry, especially in the 
milling and smelting of the ores. There were a great many 
chemists who contributed to our industrial development dur- 
ing this time. Work on beet sugar, production of gelatine, 
illuminating oils, manufacture of bleaching powders, manu- 
facture of Bessemer steel were things which were accom- 
plished by the chemists of this period. 
In 1860 Joseph Wharton made it possible to establish 
firmly a new industry by discovering a new process for the 
manufacture of zinc. 
During the 25 years succeeding this, a great deal was 
done in the steel industry, the preservation of wood and on 
products of petroleum, etc. After the construction of power 
plants at Niagara Falls, making it possible to produce elec- 
trical energy very cheaply a number of new processes were 
invented for the manufacture of metals and chemicals not- 
able among which was the process of producing aluminum by 
Charles M. Hall, a young Oberlin graduate. 
