The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-24

nat,tftz ID lcphoi tor 11idpstTtal f,llf-
fpos Is has reached q higher plane In
the German Empire than In any other
country 1t took its rise from the fact
that Germany is dependent upon out
5ide sources for its supply OF petro-
leum and petroleum products When
the explosive motor came into general
use for governmental and military
purposes. the German government re-
allied that in case Of war It might be
shut on from these sources OF supply
and that, therefore. it was advisable
to procure substitute for the min
eral hydrocarbon fuel With the &C
tive cooperation of the German EN-
peror. the growth of the alcohol indus
try for commercial purposes was both
rapid and widespread The govern
ment encouraged the invention and
manufacture Of alcohol motors for
stationary and automobile purposes.
was both rapid and widespread. The
government encouraged the invention
and manufacture Of alcohol motors for
stationary and automobile purposes
of Illuminating devices, cooking uten-
sils, and other apparatus employing
alcohol as fuel. Extensive laws reg
ulate the production and use OF de-
naturfzed alcohol, and for several
wears it could be obtained in large
quantities and at low cost. Unfortu-
nately, the alcohol industry in Ger
many to-day has gradually come under
quence. the prices have risen so rap
idly that many of the benefits arising
from the uataxed alcohol system have
been lost. In France, England, Aus
tria. Belgium, and other countries, the
use of denaturized alcohol is extern
siye and 1t is employed in thriving and
valuable industries, regulated by wise
laws safeguard the public and prevent
fraud. The passage of the free-alco-
hof bill in this country promises much
good. and as very little is known re-
garding the subject on this side
of the Atlantic, we must draw from the
knowledge of the European manu-
facturers and users for information
upon the product.
During the height of the interest
aroused among the public in the earlier
phases of the denaturized alcohol pro-
paganda in Germany, the press OF
countries was full of accounts con-
corning the sources from which alco-
hol might be derived, and an appar-
emily authentic account was at one
time circulated, in which it was stated
that large quantities were produced
from such substances as peat and gar
bage. 1t appears, however, that alco-
hol is not made on an industrial scale
in Germany from peat or from garbage.
of any kind. Aside from the small
amount that is produced for drinking
and medicinal purposes from prunes.
grapes. cherries, and other fruits, the
great sources of alcohol for industrial
and other uses are potatoes, grain, and
the molasses derived as a secondary
nroduct from the manufacture OF beet
sugar. The crude molasses left as
refuse product of the raw beet-sugar
manufacture contains from 40 to 30
per cent of sugar which cannot be
crystalized, and this can also be uttl-.
ICED as material for the production
of alcohol. The spirits distilled from
grain and molasses and the small
quantities made from cherries. grape
must, plums, etc. are used mainly for
drinking and the manufacture of med
fcines, perfumes, vinegar, and various
other food preparations. The great
source of industrial alcohol is from po-
tatoes. and it is used for heating, light
ing, and motor purposes, and for a
vast number of applications in chem
zeal and industrial manufactures. An
Interesting consular report from Mar
acnibo states that successful attempts
have recently been made to produce
alcohol from the hitherto useless bulb
or busk inclosfng the coffee bean.
Should this report prove true, the al
cohol Industry will have received
new and vast source of supply, which
will prove OF great value, especially
in cofree-growing countries
Alcohol may be produced from sab
stances containing sugar, or from
those containing starch which may be
similarly derived from cellulose, for
instance, in the destructive distilla-
tion of wood, which results in the pro
duction of wood alcohol and various
other substances. 1t can be obtained
by distillation or by fermentation, but
usually results from, combination Of
both. In making spirit from beets.
sulphuric acid is used during the fer
mentattye process, which is effected
by adding yeast to the wort The latter
is the result of process Of saccharify-
ing the starch in the substance under
going dfstination. The alcohol re-