Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-24
FINDS new field
Cenatursd Alcohol Not to Displace
Gasoline, One Expert
Declares.
ITS USE NOT so GENERAL
VIII Drive Engines Only Where the
Cost of Transporting Other Fuel
Is Too High.

With the beginning of the new year
the way Will be paved for the use of
alcohol as 4 fuel for small engines. and
while experts do not predict Il startling
revolution which will sweep the gaso-
line and kerosene engines into mechan-
zeal limbo. they do assert that the al
coh0l engine Will find large field all
its own for usefulness The only eff
lurking in the proposition is what re-
striction the internal revenue officials
will place on its manufacture, says the
New York Tribune. Congress has re-
novel the tax on tie manufacture Of
dcnatured alcohol. which is grain nj
c0hol. such as is used for whisky. but
poisoned chemically to destroy Tie pos
sibilities for use in beverages or medi-
cinally. The restrictions as 10 its man
Ufdcture have been left 10 the discre-
ton of the revenue officials. and they
have men abroad now investigating its
manufacture there. AS both France
ana Germany have fostered the use Of
alcohol engines and the United States
government is inclined to do the same, |
it Is not thought likely that oppressive
restrictions Will be made here. If they |
as badly off as they are now. while |
there is a tax on it, which is to be re
moved .nn Iau--1
In Field of It's Own.
"Alcohol engines will not displace |
gasoline engines said DR.. Charles L. |
Lucke of Columbia university, who is
experimenting with the fuel on behalf |
of the United States government. |
They will occupy Il field of their own. |
ana their chief value will be in isOlat- /
Ell localities, where the high price CT |
gasoline. due 10 the expense OF trans
portation, has made its cost prohibit
TIVE.
In the irrigated districts, for in
stance, the rancher can pump his wa
ter by an alcohol engine. making the !
fuel from grain on his own place, thus
making corn grow more corn. I
1T would also have value in isolated II
regions as motive power for auto
mobiles. power boats and similar uses. Il
We are experimenting, first, to find the
amount of alcohol required for 4 given Il
engine compared with the amount OF
gasoline. This comparison of conSump Il
ton and the comparison OF price will II
give the man interested basis for de- II
tcrmining whether or not he should Il
buy an alcohol engine. The price of II
gasoline is different in different parts
of the country owing to the cost Of H
transportation. Secondly, we are to de-
termine whether there is any more t!
trouble i'll handling alcohol as Il fuel
than in handling gasoline. 1 have OBJ
tanned as high as 10 per cent more
power with alcohol than with gaso-
line, but with much larger consump- /.
ton. In engines built properly fer
the alcohol the consumption should be Il
the same, but in gasoline engines L
have had TO use three times as much
alcohol as l would gasoline. We are (
also making abstracts of work already I
done in regard TO alcohol engines. At {
the Paris exposition of 1900, for in
stance prize competitions for these en-
zines were held. The making of en-
gines designed especially for alcohol /
as fuel will probably so slowly. only Z
The mere enthusiastic manufacturers
building them at first.
Made From other Substances.
in addition to grain. alcohol can be
made cheaply from other substances, I
uch as corncobs and sugar cane. In 4
'uba they make Il large amount of al
ohol from sugar cane and mOlaSseS
nd use IL for engines. Sugar beets z
btain such good price on the market
or sugar purposes that hardly think
hey viii be used. while potatoes con-
ain such Il high percentage of water =
hat they do not commend themselves
or the purpose. Officials of the bureau II
f forestry are investigating the value
f wood alcohol for fuel purposes" !
The denatured alcohol act Will re-
move All internal revenue tax Of sos a
gallon on alcohol Of this nature, which n
Till bring il in price within range of T
with gasoline. Just what n
viii cost to make it has not been 81
etermined. Some eleven chemicals 81
re being tested To determine the best p
Or the process of poisoning. The In n
eStigations being carried on regarding G.
8 manufacture as well as It's use for eC
ngines will be compiled late in the M
all for free distribution, and by the &C
me the law goes into effect 1t IS ex- v
ected that this treatise on the subject h
ill be in the hands of the public. III