The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-08-03
DENATURE ALCOHOL.

NOsNs NS 49, ~NV
SURPLUS FRUITS AND vEGE
TABLES AND WASTE STUFF
Can Be Made Into Material for Feat
ing, Lighting and Running
Engines.
THE passage of the denature alco
hol bill by Congress at its recent SOS
sion Is n OF the best and most help
full measures eve Cotton through thai
body. Many persons do not fully un.
derstand the real help that ia to come
from this bill, but when they learn
that denatured alcohol can be used
for the same purpose that gasoline is,
they will understand in q measure the
great benefits that we may reasonably
expect to derive from it," says Mr..
Sligo Meyers. Of Savannah, Ca, who
has given the matter q great deal of
thought and his views on the subject
are of more than ordinary interest
II am reliably informed that dena.
tured alcohol can be produced at a
cost Of from 6 to 10 cents per gallon,
and 1 know that the processes Of max,
ing 1t are not very dimoult, and in
fact are in reach Of any farmer Of or.
binary means. Though every farmer
has not sufficient quantities Of raw
material for making such an enter
prise profitable yet In each netghbor.
hood there is q plenty Of material
that is wasted every year to make
these plants paying from the very
start. Denatured alcohol can be made
from any fruits, corn and all grain,
sugar cane, potatoes, beets and q doz-
en- other vegetables.
1T has occurred to me that the best
thing to do with the large surplus
fruit and vegetable crops of the state
would be to convert them into dena-
tured alcohol. When this Ia done we
have at hand the fuel for running our
automobiles, our small power plants,
and instead of burning coal or wood
at high price we can use Jul cheap
and inexpensive alcohol for cooking
and lightning, heating purposes and
for many other uses. l should not re
further with this interview before
stating the fact that denatured aloo-
hol Is poison and cannot be used az q
beverage any moro SO than gasoline OF
~kerosene-in fact, q very small guam,
tity taken internally produces E cath:
hence 1t is that no one, no : tier
how religious, could Object to Ito IAN.
nfacture as 1t positively cannot be
used as q beverage.
THE passage Of this bill was a di.
rect thrust at the Standard Oh, which
fought Its enactment into law with
all Of the powerful forces at it's com-
mand. The farmers of the country
#oS5k SiEd sha,bH sad 1Gan Sheae
hornerhanded o n Of toll gave the
word it went on the statute books.
Denatured alcohol, you see, Is destin
cd to rob the Standard Oh of q gooG
deal Of the profits it is now making
on gasoline. Den&tured alcohol will
be used In o Thousand different lines
Of art, with which chemists and skill
ed artisans are familiar and with
which the general public have little
idea. Even l know Of only q few uses
1T can be put to, ven these few de-
monStrate the fact that It's use will
become general in the United States
In a short time.
II am Of the opinion that 1t Will be
nearly q year before the government
will be able to permit the opening OF
those plants. In the meantime the
real benefits that may be expected
from the passage OF this bill will be-
come the subject of favorable com.
ment In every section Of the country
and when the government is ready
for opening Of these plants there viii
be q thousand Of them ready to begir
business. Commissioner John w,
Yerkes OF the Internal Revenue De
partment, has gone abroad where he
will study the methods OF handling
these plants by other governments.
Most, II not all OF the Important for.
eign governments do not tax denatur.
cd alcohol, and 1t Ia said that In Ger
many, for instance, that 1t has beer
Of great benefit to the small manu-
f%acturer, and that 1T has done q Rreat
deal towards making Germany one o.
the leading manufacturing countrie.
OF the world. l look for ii to hav,
much the same effect In the United
States, and l am certain that no sec
ton of country Will be benefited 81
much from the cheap power thu
made'posslbje as will the South.
1T may be generally understood
but at this time the regular alcoho
now liz uae Ia taxed at the rate O
about 80 a gallon. Under the bill JUS
passed this tax is entirely removed
As l have stated 1t will admit OF tn,
farmer utilizing every spare ounce o
the fruit and vegetable produces O
his farm which under tho old law wa
not permissible, as 80 few could affort
to pay the tax to manufacture. Ii
addition the demand for denaturet
alcohol at the price 1t had to be SOLE
was 30 insigicant that no n care,
to manufacture It,. 1t is now wortl
In the open market about 80, so pc
gallon. When the present bill becom
es OF force, gay a year hence, 1t will b
sold at retail around 20 cents per gal
lon and by the barrel at q much small
er price. l look for q new and NOR
prosperous era OF industrial actiV vii
all through the country, and the ma,
who 10 going to be the recipient 0
the greatest benefits is the sturdy an
hard headed farmer, In every section
Of the country"