In Midland, Mich.

Thirty-three years ago the directors of Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, Mich, held their first meeting. Last week the directorate held another epochal meeting. Their purpose: to elect a new president to succeed the late Dr. Herbert Henry Dow, founder of the company. Presiding over the meeting was Albert E. Convers, chairman, who has been with the company since its inception. Also at the meeting were Directors G. E. Collings and James T. Pardee, both of whom had been at the first meeting. Unanimously they voted that the presidency should be filled by Willard Henry Dow, Dr. Dow's oldest son. Since 1897 Dow Chemical has prospered phenomenally, made for itself a reputation unique in its industry. In the late 1880's Dr. Dow was a senior at Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland. He learned that the east central part of Michigan's lower peninsula is underlaid with great veins of brine and that salt from this brine was a failure because of impurities. He had the brilliant idea of extracting the impurities, making commercial use of them. In 1890, then 24, he went to Midland, bought with his partner a brine-well. He formed Midland Chemical Co., paid his board bill with stock. Midlanders viewed him with distrust and in 1900 brought suit charging that the Dow plants depreciated property, filled the town with vile and injurious odors. But by then Dow Chemical had been formed to take over Midland Chemical and another company Dr. Dow had formed; was well able to defend itself. Since 1900, Midlanders have changed their attitude toward Dow Chemical Co. and the Dow family. The company's plant stretches over 250 acres, contains 310 buildings, 18 miles of standard gauge railway tracks. Every day it uses 1,000 tons of coal, 120,000,000 gallons of water. More than 2,000 Midlanders are employed in it, not counting 200 chemists and engineers engaged in research. From a closely held corporation, Dow Chemical has expanded until it now has 1,200 stockholders. In 1927 its stock sold (on the Cleveland Exchange) at $70. Last year it reached $500, was split 4-1, and last week the new stock was selling at $50, or the equivalent of $200 for the old. Dow's products are numerous but are sold to manufacturing companies rather than individual customers.* As his company grew in its field, Dr. Dow became increasingly prominent in his profession. Last January he was awarded the Perkin Medal, was nominated by Henry Ford for the Chemical Markets Medal (awarded, however to Pierre Samuel du Pont)./- Henry Ford's nomination praised Dr. Dow for the scientific manner in which his plant was managed. Said Mr. Ford: "He is a most distinguished and successful representative of the American chemist who is also an executive, an engineer, and a manufacturer. As technician, and as businessman, his policy is founded upon a rare conception of chemistry's place in our national economics."

When Death came to Dr. Dow he was 64, the idol of Midland. The Dow estate is in the town itself, is open to the public. It consists of 125 acres of lawns, gardens, artificial lakes and cascades. Under his influence Midland became almost a model town as well as a prosperous town. Son Willard Henry Dow is 33, lives in a house on the edge of the Dow Estate. He was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1919, worked as an assistant chemist in the plant for five years. Since 1925 he has been assistant general manager, has seldom traveled far from Midland. His election to the Dow presidency pleased Midlanders, did not surprise them.

*Some Dow products: calcium chloride, used for refrigeration; diethylaniline, used in the dye industry; industrial chloroform, used by dry-cleaners and for medicinal purposes; ethyl chloride, used in antiknock gasoline and to make rubber more flexible; ferric chloride, used in photoengraving; phenol, used in making synthetic resins like Bakelite; acetic anhydride, used in the rayon industry; sodium sulphide, used in tanning; epsom salt; acetyl salicylic acid (aspirin). It also manufactures insecticides, aromatic chemicals, magnesium metal, alloys. /-Chemical Markets Medal awarded by Chemical Markets magazine; Perkin Medal, by Society of Chemical Industry, American Chemical Society, Societe de Chimie Industrielle, American Electrochemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

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