Susquehanna Co., Now Reorganized, Has Good Business:
Much Local Interest in Current Operations; Three Plants Running
The Democrat: January 25, 1951
The wood chemical industry always booms during wartime – and the present is no exception to that ancient rule.
The recently reorganized Susquehanna Chemical Co. is operation three plants at Custer City and Westline, in McKean County, and at Roulette, in Potter County.
Unfortunately for residents of this area, the Crosby chemical plant has been torn down. East Smethport, formerly a wood chemical manufacturing center, has a new plastics industry established in the old acetone plant, which was build by the late Raphael K. Kessler, Jr. to produce materials for munitions early in World War I.
Although it has no plants in this immediate vicinity, there is considerable local interest in affairs of the Susquehanna Chemical Co. Robert H. Redfield of Bradford, formerly of Smethport, is president of the reorganized concern. Attorney Robert B. Apple of Smethport is secretary of the company.
William R. Lelpold of Bradford is treasurer of Susquehanna and also has been named general manager. Mr. Lelpold has many years experience in the chemical industry. He was associated with Susquehanna and its predecessor companies at Custer City for 25 years.
The main office of the Susquehanna Chemical Co. has been established in Bradford.
With a staff of capable officers and prospects of continuing large orders for its products, Susquehanna starts operations under the reorganization set-up favored by very propitious circumstances.
At present, Susquehanna needs additional supplies of chemical wood and is also advertising for woodcutters.
Charcoal, one of the principle products of the destructive distillation of chemical wood, is very essential to the war effort. It is used in production of steel, basic chemicals, rayon, rubber, glass, copper, brass and bronze.
It is said that fully 50% of the total production of charcoal is devoted to manufacture of carbon disulphide used in rayon.
Smethport is the home of one of the country’s most outstanding chemical engineers. He is J. M. Coabran of West green St., who holds a number of patents for importing chemical processes.
By a very, very strange coincidence, Mr. Coabran and his wife, a doctor of medicine, reside in the home formerly occupied by the late Daniel Cooper and the late Arvid Bengs, both of whom were outstanding figures in the chemical industry years ago.
This area has been a leader in the wood chemical industry for many years. The largest wood chemical industry for many years. The largest wood chemical plant in the world operated at Keystone a number of years ago.
Chemical plants were located in Crosby and Coryville for many years. A wood chemical plant has operated at Marvindale for many years.
Many residents of this section are descendants of woodcutters who came her from Macedonia, Austria and Italy.