The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-09-26

WHICH SNOW the great market maze
in those two countries for farm pro-
ducts by free denatured alcohol laws.
In Germany over three-fourths of
the alcohol distilled is made from
potatoes, last year 81, 14S,1S2 BUSH
els being consumed in the production
of 7G,010,927 gallons, or about 1.26
bushels of potatoes to the gallon of
alcohol. During the last season
there were 72,172 alcohol distiller-
les in operation, of which 604S were
farm distilleries, which illustrates
how closely the new industry can be
brought home to the farmer.
In Germany the distillation of al
cohol from potatoes is one of the
most important branches of agri-
culture. 1t alone in some cases rem
ders farming pursuits possible in re-
gions situated at distance from
business centers and possessing light
soil, and many farms owe their ex-
istence to the distilleries. About
one-third of the alcohol produced in
Germany is denatured.
"The use of spirits for driving
motors, lighting rooms and public
places, cooking food and producing
heat has great FUTURE" says Con-
sui General Thackera.
"In the United States" he con-
tinues, where alcohol for use in the
industries can be produced more
cheaply, perhaps, than in any other.
country in the world, the increase
consumption of the spirit which will
take place under the provisions of
the new law will be of great advant-
age to our agriculturists."
1t costs in Germany about cents
a gallon completely to denature al
cohol, and this is tie greatest draw
back in that country to the growth
of it's use. The price of denatured
alcohol varies from about 80 cents
a gallon to 81 cents, according to
strength and purity, and it has to
meet in competition petroleum,
which retails in Germany. at from IS
cents to % cents a gallon.
In France the alcohol used for
various Industrial purposes is manu-
featured mainly from beet root, the
material being either the refuse mo-
lasses from sugar factories or beets
which by reason of unfavorable con-
ditions contain only a small per-
centage of sugar Potatoes and
grain are also used to some extent,
but relatively much less than in Ger
many.
In France it costs about 10 cents
a gallon to denaturize alcohol, be-
cause the government has set one
process, while in Germany several
different methods are permitted. This
makes the cost of denatured alcohol
in France in ordinary times 80 cents
gallon. In France about 100000
gallons of denature alcohol are con-
sumed annually. From the cost of
manufacturing the raw alcohol
should be deducted a subsidy paid
by the government equal to about 6
cents a gallon. Alcohol denatur-
lied by the formula in use in France
is not only unnecessarily expensive,
but it may also be purified and be
used for human consumption. AS
the United States will also adopt a
formula which renders the product
unfit for human consumption, the
French denaturizing process will not
be followed and a much cheaper one
may be adopted.
Consul General Mason reports that
in both Germany and France there
has been disappointed that free de-
natured alcohol has not given great
err stimulus to the Industries and al
so come in closer competition with
petroleum. 1t appears from his
statement, however, that In ma
chinery motors must be especially
constructed to consume alcohol and
that denatured alcohol has proved
only partly successful in lamps.
The obstacles which have restrict
ed the growth Of the comparatively
new industry in France and Ger
many may be surmounted in thu
United States. but aside from It's use
as fuel and for lighting purposes
there is wide field In the mechani-
cal arts and Industries for denatured
alcohol produced free of taxation.