Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-17
WOOn ALCOHOL.
The Conversion of Hard Woods into Mer-
charitable Material.


In a late number of the Bradford Era
we find the following interesting account
of Mexican county (Pa.) manufacturing
enterprise:
at the extensive chemical works OF A.
B. Smith & Co. the interesting process NAV
be witnessed in all its details of convert
ing hard wood into charcoal, wood naphtha
and acetate of lime These three products
are shipped to all parts Of the country,
where they are finally consumed in the
manufacture of various commodities and
in forming a part of different chemicals
used in the arts and sciences. The wood,
cut in ordinary cord lengths, is packed
closely in huge iron retorts and subjected
to an intense heat The watery vapors
and gases are driven out, and, passing
through large copper condensers sur
rounded by cold water, are converted into
the liquid form. The liquid is pumped
into a series of tanks, where the tar settles
10 the bottom, is drawn off and burned as
waste product. The upper and lighter
portion of the fluid is carried over to an
other tank, where it is treated with COM
mon lime. 1t next passes into close STILL
where the application of heat drives off
the wood naphtha or alcohol spirit, which
is collected in the ordinary manner of dis
tillation. The residuum from the still is
| thrown into an open vat. where the water
is evaporated by boiling. The resulting
product is the acetate of lime, which is
spread over the floor of kiln and very
thoroughly dried.
| Mr.. Smith smanufactory contains twenty
four retorts and has an average consump-
| ton of fifteen cords of wood a day. The
only fuel used is natural gas, although in
| the manufacturing process large guam
tity of gas is evolved which IL factories
which do not enjoy the advantages of
petroleum fuel is consumed under the re-
torts. These retorts are 9 feet long and
4 feet in diameter; they are made of heavy
castiron L inches thick, and weigh more
than three tons apiece Each holds about
five-eighths of cord of wood, which is ex-
pected to make thirty bushels of merchant
able charcoal. Each retort is supplied
with short, thick, curved outlet at the
back, which connects it with a peculiar
condensing apparatus of copper pipes,
ranging from y down to 4 inches in
diameter. The retorts are set in firm
framework of friedrich, and require a
very solid and expensive foundation
When retort is filled the door is plastered
tightly shut with mud and firmly closed
by means of iron wedges The outside of
the retort is subjected to heat of 4000,
which, in the interior, rises to 1,2000.
The vapors Immediately begin to pass
over. and a liquid which at first is as clear
as water runs from the condensers into a
long pipe at the rear of the great range of
retorts The liquid soon changes in color
and becomes thick, brown and tarry. The
heat is applied from twenty-four to thirty
six hours, according to the quality and
condition and dryness Of wood. The gas
that finds its way through the condensers
is burned at the end of long, upright pipes.
When no more liquor runs from the con-
densers, the preliminary sta of the man
ufacture is at an end.
Upon opening the heavy door of re-
tort a solid pile of charred wood confronts
the observer. The attending workman
Immediately thrusts in long iron rake,
the large sticks are broken up, and the
whole pile bursts into blaze. The pieces
of blazing charcoal are raked into heavy
iron cylinders and conveyed away to cool.
Each cylinder is provided with cover.
which soon smothers out all tendency of
! the charcoal to consume itself The cyl
inders hold from four to five bushels each,
and are readily carried around the works
by means of light two-wheeled trucks.
Next to the range of twenty-four retorts
is the dry kiln, an elevated platform of
stone of twenty-five feet square, upon which
the acetate of lime is spread for its final
preparation for the market Beyond this
heated floor of stone are the boiling watts,
and huge stills and tanks into which the
| liquid from the retorts is conveyed before
it is converted into alcohol and acetate of
| lime.
The wood used is principally beech,
birch and maple. The product of the
mandatory varies considerably, and de-
ponds great deal upon the market and
the demand. The year just closed has not
been remarkably prosperous. Too many
establishments of the kind have been
built, and the result is that wood alcohol
has declined from 81 05 to about 80 cents a
gallon, and the acetate of lime, which at
one time was Is cents pound, dropped to
81 so per 100 last year, and now brings
but 81 % per hundred weight. Charcoal
is worth from three to five cents II bushel
The capacity of the works when run to
their full extent is about 4, 900 bushels of
merchantable coal, eight or ten tons of
acetate of lime and 240 gallons of wood
naphtha per week. This amount would
require the consumption of 80 cords of