The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-11-28

important a place in that regard in
this country as it has in Germany.
That country has nc such ample cup.
ply Of gasoline and kerosene as is at
our command and is more dependent
upon alcohol as a heating and light
ing fluid.
1t is therefore in a measure mi-lead-
ing to anticipate for it the widespread
use here in the immediate future as
is made OF it in Germany, but it is
wholly reasonable to predict a healthy
and steady expansion of the consump-
ton of deuatured alcohol in this
country for industrial purposes.
The present tax on grain alcohol
for internal use is Sl.lO per proof gal.
Ion so per cent. alcohol and 80 per
cent. water. On absolute alcohol the
tax therefore amounts to 1920 per
gallon. This tax plus the cost of pro.
duction brings the present price Of al
cohol to s2.40(a3.W per gallon, a
price which absolutely prohibits it's
use for industrial purposes. In other
countries alcohol costs from 10 to 30
cents per gallon. 1t is now estimated
that with the tax removed in this
country alcohol could be made aud
sold at a reasonable profit for from
IL to % cents a gallon.
1t alcohol can be produced chesply
enough to become available as a ma.
terial to supply heat, light and power
the farmer will derive great benefit
from it.. as we'll as finding in its man
ufacture u better market for u portion
Of many crops he raises which now
represent nearly waste material or
such as has TO be sold at a very low
price.
The sOurces of alcohol are starch
and sugar, and used for the purpose
they yield about IS per cent. Of their
weight in alcohol. An expert has
figured that the percentage of alco.
hol.making material is Ii in apples,
l6 in artichokes, 20 in barley, 80 10
beans, 81 in buckwheat, 30 in cassava.
20 in corn, II in cornstalks, % in cot.
ton seed, 50 in COW peas, 20 in Kaffir
corn, 90 10 oats, so 10 peas, II in po-
tatoes, so in rice, y in rye, II in sor-
ghum fodder, Is 10 sugar beets, ~ in
sweet potatoes and II in wheat. Com.
pare with this the average yield per
acre, which is % bushels for corn, Is
for wheat, "a for oats, q for barley,
IL for rye, - for buck wheat, s. for
potatoes. nine IONS for sugar beets,
etc. Now, Is bushels Of potatoes will
weigh 800 pounds. Seventeen per
of this, or S67 pounds, is starch.
The starch will yield As per cent. of
its weight in alcohol, or 800 pounds,
which equals 81 gallons. II the alco.
hol sells for % cents q gallon an av.
erage acre Of potatoes would there.
fore yield only $l4.25 iu the form of
alcohol.
Distillers state that the average
yield from Q bushel of corn is Ave
proof gallons or two and t%wo-thirds
gallons of commercial alcohol Ca per
cent. J. and that the by-products used
in feeding stock are sufficient to pay
the cost Of distill alton. The cost of
alcohol thus determined will be the
cost of corn and other crops used in
its manufacture. On that basis alco.
hol will cost IL, l3 and Il cents a gal
Ion with corn at 30, IS and 10 cents
per bushel. The process of denatur.
ing with wood alcohol and allowing
the distiller's profits alcohol should
be obtainable for Is cents a gallon.
Alcohol Is almost non-explosive.
With an incadescent mantle alcohol
gives a far brighter white light than
kerosene and without any unpleasant
Odor. The chimneys do not smoke up,
the wicks do not have to be renewed,
less heat Is given off and the lamp Is
safer than with kerosene.
Ii the production of dcnatured alcO-
hOl from the various farm crops can
be kept out of the clutch Of some
greedy trust. as it should be, it will
prove the best agent through which to
hold the Unsuitable, grasping COM
binations that now control our sup
plies OF heating and lighting materials
in check that has yet been produced.