The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-07-27


permit the manufacture and sale of
ethyl alcohol free OF any tax where
1t Is denaturized, or rendered unfit for
use as a beverage by treating II with
some suitable denaturant is of the
highest Importance to this country,
owing to the effect it will have on 50
many different Industries. While the
number OF plants for the manufacture
OF alcohol will undoubtedly be greatly
Increased, its benefit In other forms
OF industry is of far more moment.
II is needless to more than refer TO
the raw material from which alcohol
can be produced at such O small ex-
pense that II can be utilized in place
of refined petroleum and other liquids
to a greater advantage. AS corn Is
one OF the principal materials, a brief
reference to the quantity OF spirits
which can be secured from this grain
may be given. Tests which have been
made at distilling plants in Illinois
show that from one bushel OF corn no
less than Ave gallons of proof alcohol
can be distilled. This means a liquid
which is from 30 to 95 per cent. pure
and from ls5 to 100 degrees proof-a
standard which allows 1t to be utilized
in nearly every product In which It
is required as an ingredient, and which
SLOWS It to be superior to gasoline
and Kerosene as a fuel and as an IL
luminant Estimating the cost OF a
bushel Of corn at AZ cents the entire
expense Of gallon of this alcohol is
but 1918 cents, for with the modern
equipment of a distilling plant the cost
OF mechanical treatment Is actually
less than two cents per gallon. Ac-
cording TO recent statistics compiled
by the government. crude wood alcohol
costs no less than 40 cents per gallon
to manufacture. As low-grade molass-
es from sugar cane Is another base for
the spirit, reliable data have been OBJ
tained as to the percentage which a
given quantity of 1t will yield. The
Cuban distilleries extract a gallon OF
alcohol (Which Is 80 per cent. ABSOLUTELY
from two gallons of the molasses-mo-
lasses of a quality which is brought
to this country and sold at three cents
a gallon. The average expense OF
manufacture. based on this price for
the raw material, is less than 10 cents.
The difference between the molasses
and corn spirit is that the former has
an odor which Is somewhat disagree
able but 1t can be utilized as effec-
lively as the other for all purposes ex-
medicines. The low cost of the mo-
lasses alcohol is of much significance,
as this base is similar to the waste
product obtained i'm the manufacture
of sugar from beets. Consequently, it
should be an additional incentive In
the expansion of the beet-sugar in
dustry, while an opportunity is offer
ed to manufacture alcohol especially
in Louisiana and Hawaii.
AS is well known, potatoes and fruit
are two other inexhaustible sources Of
supply in this country. The impor-
tance of the potato as an alcohol
producer can be appreciated when it is
known that 90 per cent of its substance
represents alcohol. and that an acre
of potatoes yielding 300 bushels will
supply over $50 gallons. At present
the aggregate American potato har-
vest exceeds 200, 600. 900 bushels. grown
practically in every part OF the Unit
ed States. Overripe fruit, which Is
now largely waste product in the
various orchard districts, can be
utilized In TIE same manner
As ethyl alcohol can be employed to
greater advantage than the methyl
spirit in nearly every branch of manu-
facture in which alcohol is an essential,
some OF the products in which 1t will
be utilized extensively may be men
toned. They are as follows:
Aniline colors and dyes: hats (stiff,
silk and Of frax al nil
transparent soap; furniture; picture
holdings; burial caskets; cabinet
work; passenger cars; pianos; organs;
whips; toys; rattan goods: lead pen
ellis; brushes; wagons; boots and
shoes; smokeless powder; illuminate of
mercury; b.a-s beds; gas and electric
light fixtures; various kinds OF metal
hardware; incandescent mantles;
materials; celluloid and
other like compounds; sulphurlc ether
and organic chemicals.
Nearly every one of these represents
extensively used In this coun-
try as well as In Europe. The manu-
facture of aniline dyes. however, has
been greatly handicapped for the rea-
son that Germany permitting the use
OF tax-free alcohol, has become the
great center OF the industry, as the
spirit is one of the main essentials. At
present only 200 barrels Of grain alco- |
hol are used yearly for this purpose in |
the United States. In the making OF /
hats about one-half gallon OF ethyl or /
methyl spirit is needed to every half !
dozen. which will give an idea of the .
extent 1t is used In this industry. It's
value in finishing woodwork, such as
furniture and pianos. lies In the fact
hat II Is the best solvent for shellac.
md II Indispensable as an ingredient
n the preparation Of fine varnlshes and
1olishes. II IL an interesting fact that
solutions Of shellac and alcohol enter
argely into the manufacture OF hats,
ma are used also rs lacquer for
he coating OF polished metalwork. In
modern explosives alcohol is required
u such quantities In the preparation
y fulmln ltes ana smokeless powders.
"a A DG enc AnE