The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-09-20
ALCOHOL AS FUEL.
Alcohol Engines Will Not Displace Those
Operated by Gasoline.

and while experts do not predict a
startling revolution which will sweep
the gasoline and kerosene engines into
mechanical limbo, they do assert that
the alcohol engine will find large
field all it's own for usefulness. The
only eff" lurking in the proposition
is what restriction the internal revenue
officials will place on it's manufacture.
Congress has removed the tax on the
manufacture of denatured alcohol,
which is grain alcohol, such as is
used for whiskey, but poisoned chem
ically to destroy the possibilities for
use in beverages or incidentally. The
restrictions as to it's manufacture
have been left to the discretion of the
revenue officials and they have men
abroad now Investigating it's manufac-
ture there. AS both France and Ger
many have fOstered the use of alcohol
engines and the United States govern
ment is inclined to do the same, it is
not thought likely that oppressive re-
strictions will be made here. If they
are, would-be users of the fuel will
be as badly off as they are now while
there is a tax on it, which is to be re-
moved on January l.
"Alcohol engines will not displace
gasoline engines" said DR.. Charles
E. Lucke, of Columbus university,
who is experimenting with the fuel on
behalf of the United States govern
ment. "They will occupy field Of
| their own, and their chief value will
be in isolated localities where the
high price of gasoline, due to the ex-
pense of transportation, has made it's
cost prohibitive.
I'm the irrigated districts, for in
stance, the rancher can pump his
water by an alcohol engine, making
the fuel from grain on his own place,
thus making corn grow more corn.
'It would have value in isolated
regions as a motive power for auto
mobiles, power boats and similar
uses. We are experimenting, first, to
find the amount of alcohol required
for given engine, compared with the
amount of gasoline. This comparison
of consumption and the comparison of
price will give the man interested, a
basis for determining whether or not
he should buy an alcohol engine.
The price of gasoline is different in
different parts of the country owing to
the cost of transportation. Secondly,
we are to determine whether there is
any more trouble in handling alcohol
as fuel than in handling gasoline.
I have obtained as high as 10 per cent
more power with alcohol than with
gasoline, but with much larger con-
sumption. In engines built properly
for the alcohol the consumption
the same, but in gasoline engines I
have had to use three times as much
alcohol as I would gasoline. We are
also making abstracts Of work al
ready done in regard to alcohol en-
gines. At the Paris exposition of
1900, for instance, prize competitions
for these engines we're held. The max
ing of engines designed especially for
alcohol as fuel will probably go slow
ly, only the more enthusiastic manu-
facturers building them at first.
''In addition to grain, alcohol can
be made cheaply from other SUBJ
stances, such as corn cobs and sugar
cane. In Cuba they make large
amount of alcohol from sugar cane and
molasses and use it for engines.
Sugar beets obtain such good price
on themarket for sugar purposes that
hardly think they will be used, while
potatoes contain such high percent
age of water that they do not COM
mend the mselves for the purpose.
Officials of the bureau of forestry are
investigating the value of wood al
cohol for fuel purposes.
The denatured alcohol act will re-
move an internal revenue tax of S2.O5
gallon on alcohol of this nature,
which will bring it in price within
range of competition with gasoline.
Just what it will cost to make it has
not been determined. Some eleven
chemicals are being tested to de-
termine the best for the process of
poisoning. The Investigations being
carried on regarding it's manufacture
as we'll as it's use for engines will be
compiled late in the fall for free dis.
tribution, and by the4 time the law
goes into effect it is expected that this
treatise on the subject will be in the
hands of the public.