Infant's Father

"Air conditioning." says Chemist Arthur Dehon Little's Industrial Bulletin, "is probably the lustiest and liveliest of the present-day infant industries. It is truly an infant, for it has great vigor, makes plenty of noise, costs a lot of money, is much talked about and is referred to as 'hopeful.' " This brawling infant's importance was recognized last week by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers which awarded its 1934 medal to Willis Haviland Carrier, accredited founder of the air-conditioning industry in the U. S.*

In 1902 a Brooklyn color processor who found his paper distorted by atmospheric humidity went to Buffalo Forge Co. to see what could be done. In the company's employ was Willis Carrier, just out of Cornell. Young Carrier was interested, began to experiment, found that warm wet air could be cooled and dried by passing it through an atomized spray. By 1915 he had recruited a partner and enough capital to start Carrier Engineering Corp. in Newark, N. J. In 1922 he invented a centrifugal refrigerating compressor which has been a potent factor in building Carrier prestige. He works hard, is absent-minded about meals and haircuts, likes to hunt and fish. In 1929 his companies did nearly $8,000,000 worth of business, earned. $672,000. Last year there was a deficit of $673,000. This year volume is up nearly 100%.

If not yet a common private convenience, conditioned air is a necessity in many an industry, a valuable trade-getter for hotels, theatres, stores, railroads. Besides a long and imposing list of industrial customers, Carrier equipment manufactures weather in the Senate Chamber and House of Representatives; the White House executive offices; the ape-house of The Bronx Zoo; Atlantic City's convention hall; the London Daily Mail; the Secretariat in Delhi, India; Manhattan's RCA Building; San Francisco's Stock Exchange. Lately Mr. Carrier contracted to air condition the world's deepest gold mine, in South Africa, for $500,000.

In the small installation field Mr. Carrier has many a competitor who wishes he would stay out. The big installation business he divides chiefly with York Ice Machinery Corp. and B. F. Sturtevant Co. which also get fat contracts for air-conditioning big buildings in & out of Washington. Carrier admits its prices are slightly higher, thinks the difference is saved in operating expense.

* In the U. S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, one of Florida's two immortal sons is Dr. John Gorrie (1803-55) who won his State's lasting gratitude by making artificial ice and chilling air for hospitals.

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