Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-23

cohol Meantime 1t will be well to advise
the people as whole that every farm is
not going to be turned into distillery to
use up It's surplus vegetable products.
The law which the internal revenue OH
GERS are preparing to formulate will not
allow the making Of alcohol In distilleries
having capacity OF less than 500 gallons
daily. This is because there will have to
be a gauger and a storekeeper kept con-
stantly on duty, the one at salary OF
about 1--WE dollars day and the other at
about two dollars, just as in any other
distillery. II the distiliery makes only
denatured alcohol 1t will not have to pay
any revenue to the government. but the
chances are that II 1t turns out as much
withdrawn for making liquor, and this
will pay the tax and pay the wages OF the
officials who superintend 1t. This Is rather
hard on the farmer who would like to
beets and potatoes into alcohol and either
use or sell the product. This would bring
down the price OF alcohol some. But 1t
will not be allowed.
Cost Of Manufacture.
AS to the cost at which alcohol can be
manufactured. 1t is question that may
never be answered to the satisfaction OF
the public. When the hearings were held
before the committee in Congress recently.
9 to II cents a gallon. The prices will
vary. The New Orleans people who buy
black Cuban molasses and make alcohol
from 1t can get gallon OF alcohol out OF
they can make 1t as cheap as ten cents
a gallon. The people who make grain al
cohol, which Is what whisky is made
from. cannot probably make It for less
making Is more or less Of trade secret
Most. distilleries have their own private
methods. and 1t is said that grain alcohol
can be made cheaper in Chicago than al
methods and the cheapness OF grain In
that center.
It seems. averaging the estimates OF cost.
that alcohol can be made at about ~ cents
gallon. or perhaps a little less, and the
denaturing will add in cost Of materials
and labor perhaps cents gallon more.
The denaturing simply means the mixing
Of various undrinkable oils and other evil
tasting and smelling stuff with the alcohol.
and there are severe penalties against dis-
tilling out the alcohol and rendering II
drnkable again. just as there are against
making moonshine whisky In the first place
About the heat and power contained In
alcohol there Is a good deal of uncertainty
1t is little hotter burning fuel than gaso.
line, perhaps as much as 10 per cent But
1t Is thought that for use in Internal COM
bustion engines such as are used In auto
mobiles 1t Is only of little higher value
than gasoline. possibly per cent. Makers
Of alcohol cars on the continent, however
claim that 1t makes q much more eiastlc
running fuel and that it can be used more
effectively under different throttle and spark
conditions than can gasoline. 1t is adapteo
to almost any internal combustion engine
now using gasoline. with little different
valve and carbureter.
1t is possible that the introduction OF free
alcohol will increase the number OF as
tilleries and will enable the farmer to get
rid of a good deal OF his superfiuous veg
etable stock But 1T will by no means open
up q way for every farmer to use this
stock himself.
It alsovwili cheaper alcohol considerably
for cooking and lighting purposes. and viii
make 1t more available for use In silk man.
ufacture. In dyeing. paint and varnish max
ing and host Of other ways. but II does
not promise to put the Standard OH Com
pany on the pike nor to send John ID.
Rockefeller to the aimshouse.