New-York tribune., 1906-08-26
ALCOHOL AS FUEL.
Viii 1t Replace GasOlepe as Soon
as Tar Comes of?

With the beginning OF the new year the way WIN
paved for the use OF alcohol fuel for s1uaI'
engines. and. while experts do not predict start
ling revolution which will sweep the EasOIsue and
kerosene engines into mechanical limbo. they q,
assert that the alcohol engine will find a lars-
field all is for usefulness The only ''if-'
lurking in the proposition is what restriction the
internal officials viii place on IT'S manu-
facture- Congress has removed the tax tn.
manufacture Of deuatured alcohol. which is grain
alcohol. such is used for whlskey. but poisoned
chemically 70 destroy the possibilities for use IN
beverages incidentally. The restrictions es to
its manufacture have been left the discretion o-
the officials and they have men abroad
now iuvesti gazing its manufacture there As both
France and Germany have fOstered the use a,
alcohol engines and the United States government
is inclined to DO the same. it is thought likely
that oppressive restrictions viii be made here. r.
they are. wOuld-be users Of the fuel Will Be
badly of as they are now. while there Is a tax
IT, which is TO he removed on January L
Alcohol engines viii not displace Eas0Iene en-
sines' said DR.. Charles E Lucze. OF Columbia Uui-
versity, who is experimenting with the fuel On b.
hah or the United States government They vii
occupy field OF their own. and their CHIEF vain.
VIII ne IN isolated localities where the high price %
easoleue- due to the expense Of Transportation h7.
made its cost prohibItiva
In the irrigated districts. for instance 4h,
rancher can pump his water BY an alcohol suzsn-
lnahins 'ne fuel from grain on his own place thus
making corn grow corn.
1T would also have value in isolated rs~t,,x ~,
motive power for automobiles power boat. 40
similar uses We are experimenting first ec ena
'le amount OF alcohol required for a given en-
slne compared with the amount % vaaola-.
This comparison OF consumption and the cor7ars
son OF price viii give the man intarsz-az =
basis for determining whether or not he should
buy an alcohol engine. The price Of gzsnIarz q.
ui1efent IN different parts Of the country owing
70 the cost OF transportation. Secondly we ara n,
determine whether there Is any more trouble -
handling alcohol as q fuel than in ban5T,.- -,
iene have obtained as high as 10 per cent r,,r.
49, win alcohol than with sasolene. bur win
,uen '@rser consumption In engines built property
AOf tnS aicohOi the consumption should ha st.
same. but in EssOleue engines have - y. -
IIIree unles as much alcohol I would ,z<ols,s
we are also making abstracts OF work ar-s.4y
% uons IA IN regard 10 alcohol engines At ths Paris
exposition Of 1s00 for instance pr-a ,or,--.s1,s
Tor these engines were held. The r,asfny - =
slnes designed especially for alcohol as f1.1 VIII
pfooaoty go slowly only the more enthusfz~sf,
manufacturers building them at first
IN addition to grain. alcohol can be made char
y from other substances. such as corn cobx ara
sugar cane In Cuba they make a large amount
or alcohol from sugar cane and mcIasssz AMI 1is.
II for engines Sugar beets obtain such a zooF
price on the market for sugar purposes that z
hardly think they will be used while potatoes con-
tain such high percentages OT water that th-v Il,
not commend themselves for the purpose Oa-.f.Ia
Of the Bureau Of Forestry are investigating n.
value Of wood alcohol for fuel purpOsss'
Inc Denatured Alcohol act viii remove an IN
ternal revenue tax OF g % gallon on sIcoh,1 ~.
this nature. which will bring il in price uitbf,
range OF competition with gasOIeue Just what n
will cost 20 make II has not been deterulined s-.
eleven chemicals being tested to detaruii-. n.
best for the process OF poisoning The investigation,
being carried on regarding It's manufacture a. ven
as It's use for engines. viii be compiled late f7
the fall for free distribution by the time th.
law goes into effect IL Is expected that this tratis.
on the subject win be in the hands OF the publir