The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1906-11-15

Free alcohol, however, is expected
not only to warm the farmers dwell
ings in winter and make his evenings
cheerful by the illumination it affordsst
but also to relieve him from much Of
his labor by furnishing power. Both
his house and his barn will be literally
and inexpensively supplied with rum
ming water by small motor actuating
pump; and another little engine
likewise driven by alcohol, will operate
"a machine for chopping and grinding
his cattle-food. !;
In various other ways alcohol will
make itself useful as course of read
lily available energy on the farm; and,
not improbably, it may be employed
even to milk the cows, inasmuch as the
problem of performing that task by
mechanical means has been satisfactor-
lily solved. a
For example, one cannot pour alco-
hol into tank of a gasoline automobile;
and expect the car to travel. To avol-F
talize the fluid rapidly enough for mot
or purposes there is required nearly
twice the heat demanded by gasoline;
and consequently, modification is need
ed in the construction Of the engine.
But it is not of much Importance, in
volving only change in the explosion
chamber. "Alcohol, says the forthcom-
ing bulletin, "burrs with a pile blue
flame that is intensly hot. There is no
smoke and what odor there is cannot
be termed offensive. Togive the flame
Illuminating power a mantle must be
used. AS for heating stoves in which
alcohol is employed, there are several
different kinds already in use. includ-
ing apparatus for roasting coffee and
peanuts and for heating crimpirons.
One may buy today in the hardware
shops self-heating flatiron which con-
tains small alcohol lamp. When cer-
tain earths, such as 'thoria," are re-
duced to fine powder and subjected to
high heat, they grow brilliantly with
an intense white light. Taking
advantage Of this fact, resort is
had to the expedient of depositing the
thoria in such way upon white
cloth that. when the cloth has been
burned away the mantle made Of it
preserves its shape. If placed over a
gas fame in the familiar manner the
manner becomes incandescent; but the
same thing happens when the flame is
furnished by alcohol.
Now although the new law which re-
moves the tax of two dollars and twenty
cents gallon from alcohol used for
industrial and domestic purposes, goes
into effect the first day Of the coming
year. the government authorities,
oddly enough have not yet been able to
decide what substance shall be en-
ployed to 'denaturize" the stuff that
is to say to render it undrinkable. Itisa
difficult question, indeed, because
many ingredients that might be added
would render the products impossible
for utilization in certain important arts.
For example, if wood alcohol is chos-
en-, the tax-fee material cannot be
turned to account in the compounding
Of pharmaceutical preparations.
It is the treasury, and not the de-
partment of agriculture, that controls
all affairs relating to industrial alcohol.
The Commissioner of Internal Re-
venue, Mr.. Yerkes, is general manager,
and whateverhe says is law. He will
even determine what shall be the min
imum size Of the still employed; for it
is by no means intended that the in
dividual farmer shall be permitted to
manufacture his own supply Of spirits,
'moonshine" fashion, as one might
say, even though it be under federal
surveillance. It would make too much
.ltroub!e and, besides, the government