New-York tribune., 1906-11-12
NO CHANCE FOR FARMERS.
They Cannot Proftably Produce
Dendtured alcohol.
rFrom rba --.,,,,,0 p.,-

i
Washington. Nov. 1.-THE Office Of the In+.rnai
Revenue Commissioner is simply swan1ped with
letters OF inquiry sent IN from all parts of the
country by an army OF persons interested IN the
su-oeoI 01 oehatured alcohol. SO great has been
the demand for information Of various kinds bear
ing on all phases OF the subject that Commissioner
Yerkes he's found II necessary TO issue several cir
GUAR letters calculated TO At the different sorts
OF queries received. and. in addition has secured
from the Government Printer several thousand
copies Of sixty-six page booklet entitled 'Regu-
4auohs ana instructions Concerning Denatured
Alcohol" which sets forth exhaustively every step
In the complicated process Of rendering alcohol
unfit for drink
great deal OF mis,nforma ton regarding de-
natured alcohol has been absorbed by the country
al large. said Assistant Revenue Commissioner
Robert Williams. For instance. we have letters
by the bushel here from farmers all over the coun-
Try who have been told that they could make de-
natured alcohol Of corn cObs, corn husks. pota
toes or oak chips They want TO know how soon
they can start making spirits and write to the
bureau for tips how TO turn their corn husks or
shavings into money. AL the bureau do is to
send them copies OF the law and regulations. After
they thoroughly digest what they read IN the
pamphlets they receive Il is more than likely they
viii decide that manufacturing alcohol for the
arts. sciences and factories is hardly worth while
just yet
Assistant Commissioner williams gave II his
opinion that under the present regulations it would
an association OF small farmers. engage in the
manufacture OF denatured alcohol 1t is absolutely
obligatory for the makers Of the product own
not alone distillery machinery. which is costly If
the product is 10 be made large scale, but 1t IS
necessary, under the law, for the manufacturer of
denatured alcohol TO have one bonded warehouse
upon premises for storage OF natural spirits
as they are first distilled and another bonded vale
house adjoining the first for the denaturing or
poisoning OF the tax-free alcohol. Every drop OF
must be measured recorded. kept under lock and
key. and guarded by armed employees OF Uncle sam
from The moment the process OF olstatlon is start
ed untit u leaves the premises under the proper
seal and labe. for some designated licensed dealer
VINO shall, IN MS follow It's travels toward the
consumer. The changing OF natural spirits into
ment just as jealousy as the production or the
original alcohol the manufacture or WhlSkeE py
the recuders- Il IS the tedious, though necessary
process or guarding the governments interests
against possible illegal distiatioc or mixing that
IS 10 make the process so costly that Few beside
6lstillerS already equipped with much OF the neces
sary paraphernal!a likely start up new esab-
lishments for the production OF the III smelling
bad tasting stuff. According 70 the paTnpnlet
hol and benZine in prescribed proportions are 10 De
the recognized standard denaturIng agents Alco-
hol denatUred with methyl alcohol ana oeL?zlne Is
be designated completely denatureC a4cCho!'
while alcohol denatUred with other agents, 20 be
hereafter approved by the bureau Tor use IN certain
kinds OF manufactures. IS 10 be known as spe-
cially ienatured alcohol.
The law is 10 go into effect on January !, and
before that time neither the established dlsteres
full spirits. After that date the manuIact-
ure and sale may begin under the watcnIuI eyes
OF the government gaugers who VIII see that the
full strength OF the unpalatable maIodorouS lngIe-
that comes from the kettle And the buyers ana
users OF denatured alcohol will probably be ful!y
Williams expresses it the stun will smell so loud
that II Will knock dog OF a dump cart