Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-02
POSSIBILITIES OF DENATURED
AICOHOI.

The inquiry now being made into
the possibilities of denatured alcohol
opens an overwhelming field of useful
ness for this product. The early ad-
vocates of the adoption of the law re-
moving the revenue tax from alcohol
under certain conditions based their
arguments on its possible use in linn
tied number of arts. 1t was con-
tended that alcohol was necessary In
the preparation of certain articles re-
CURED in the manufacture Of lin
tied number of lines of goods. Among
other things 1t was prominently put
forth that the Germans had outrun
the Americans in the manufacture of
dyes solely by reason of the fact that
the alcohol required In the processes
could be obtained in Germany so much
cheaper than was possible In the
United States under the internal rev.
enue laws. This is but one OF the
several points featured by the advo-
Gates of the denatured alcohol law.
The Introduction of the internal
combustion engine as a factor in the
Industrial life of the country brought
even more prominently to the fore
the necessity for cheaper and safer
form of fuel than was furnished by
petroleum or petroleum products. This
need is supplied by denatured alcohol.
Actual experience in European coun-
tries, where petroleum and gasoline are
not easily had. and where alcohol is
plentiful and cheap, has proven the
utility of alcohol as a power producer.
The fact that it's combustion is more
nearly perfect than that of either gas
oline or vaporized petroleum is a
strong point in its support, while the
further fact that it produces power
cheaper is perhaps the most potent
argument that can be used in its be-
half.
Such experiments as have been
made in this country with alcohol as
a power have not as yet been carried
to a satisfactory conclusion. Some in
vestigators have reported that more
alcohol than gasoline was consumed
to produce a given amount of energy,
while others have reached conclusions
directly the reverse. Conditions I'M
der which these tests have been made
have varied SO greatly that the re-
suits can hardly be accepted as def
mite and reliable. However, 1t has been
demonstrated that under proper con-
ditions alcohol is in every way salts
factory as a fuel for the internal COM
bustion engine.
Other investigators have turned
their attention in the direction of dis
oovery and are rapidly widening the
circle of usefulness to which alcohol
Is adapted. One of the most recent
announcements refers to it's use as
light producer. 1t has been demon
strsted that alcohol produces. when
burned in mantel, a light equal to
that Of the best gas and under condi-
lions far more secure than are posi-
bic with gasoline or any Of the other
liquids that are vaporized for light
ing purposes. Still further expert
ments are being made looking to the
end of demonstrating the possibility
of using alcohol on a practical scale
for heating and cooking.
1t is not improbable that within a
reasonably short space of time these
processes will have been developed to
that point where the farmer of Ne
braska and other states similarly sit
uated can manufacture from his own
grain each year a sufficient quantity
of alcohol to furnish him not only
the power needed to drive his ma
chinery and do all the work necessary
to the cultivation of his land and the
harvesting Of his crops, but also to
light and heat his house during the
entire year and to provide his good
wife with an economical, clean and
perfectly safe fuel for the kitchen.