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THE MOREHEADS OF NORTH CAROLINA
Board of Control, and continued in the performance of that duty
for fourteen years. During that period he was more influential in
connection with the work of this survey than any other citizen,
except alone Professor Holmes, who was at its head. By this work
he contributed much to the welfare of the State, and earned an-other
title to the gratitude of the people for his intelligent action
in their behalf.
In order to further develop the water power possibilities at
Spray, he formed the Willson Aluminum Company to exploit a new
process for the production of aluminum and established a plant at
that point. The process for making aluminum was not a success
and the company was for long on the verge of dissociation, but,
owing to the optimism, perseverance, and personal credit of Major
Morehead, the plant continued experimentation which finally
resulted in the production of calcium carbide, from which acety-lene
gas is produced. This electro-chemical product was first com-mercially
produced by Major Morehead in Spray. The outcome
astonished the scientific world, and the result was commended by
such men as Lord Kelvin; and it was declared by Professor Vivian
B. Lewes, F.I.C., Professor of Chemistry, Royal Naval College,
Greenwich, before an assembly of learned experts, to be epoch-making;
and since then the results obtained have had a world-wide
influence, and have been accompanied by important economic
benefits.
In the course of his business he became interested in smelting
refractory ores, and after long-continued effort and large ex-penditures
he demonstrated the commercial and practical possibili-ties
of the electric arc in that work.
His plants in Virginia and West Virginia and their successors
have since 1898 supplied all the chromium that has gone into the
armor plate and projectiles used by the United States, and large
quantities are exported to Sheffield and to the leading English
manufacturers of armor plate.
[Tin
