Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-27
BENEFITS OF FREE ALCOHOL
Advantages Are Pointed Out by Scientist
with Special Interest to Nebraska.
DtHErUazlD FROM CROPS OF THIS STATE
Looks for Rapid Development OF In
sustry of MsnufactUrins Chem
icaIs as Result of Free
substance.

The matter of free alcohol IL pressing
itself upon the attention of scientists and
educators OF Nebraska and the west just
now in q remarkable degree. Here is
statement prepared by a leading sgricul-
tural college professor who, for private
reasons, asks his name be not used now.
He has made a comprehensive study OF the
subject and is still delving into it;
Ordinary alcohol, which will be termed
simply alcohol In this bulletin, is a product
that results from the fermentation of sugar
or. Of any substance, such as starch from
grain or potatoes, which has been nverted
into sugar. The alcohol thus formed is
obtained commercially. more or less mixed
with water. by distillation OF the mash In
alcohol factories are usually termed dis
tilleries. The distillers are required by law
TO place their product In bonded warehouses
ment of N.10 per each proof gallon of
spirit. Proof spirit consists of equal guam
reaured soS each ans eaon OF watsr-free aI
cohol is s2.20. The tax OF course varying
between these limits in proportion to the
the mixture The strongest alcohol of
commerce is usually about IS per cent OF
alcohol and the price varies from $3.50 to
part of the cost is due to the revenue
levied by the EoveFR;nent. The greater part
SumsS 5ns IN ~ 2ntea st,es n SseS in fbe
manufacture OF whisky and other bever-
ages The revenue tax prevents the use of
alcohol 10 any extent In the industries OF
the country. A certain amount is employed
IN the manufacture Of perfumes and medi-
cines Some is withdrawn from bond free
OF tax under the present law for the pur-
pose of manufacturing vinegar, for scientific
purposes, for the manufacture OF sweet
wines and for the export trade. Such is
in brief the situation at the present time.
The bill which has Just passed congress
and which goes into effect january / 1907
Is designed to promote the use of untaxed
alcohol in the arts and as fuel
Detriment OF wood Alcohol.
country wood alcohol has been used very
largely as substitute. This is very
poisonous substance and is used largely in
the arts to the detriment of the health of
the workers. Ordinary alcohol is much
better In all respects. There is hardly an in
stance where wood alcohol is used, such as
varnishes and shellacs, that untaxed al
cohol would not be far superior and at
much less cost. The first effect of the free
alcohol then will be to supplant the H.
100000 gallons of wood alcohol which are
used In the Industries just mentioned. For
this purpose some foreign substance, such
as 10 per cent wood alcohol will be added
to prevent the alcohors being used as a
beverage. The addition of such poison
GUS substance will effectually prevent such
use. except, possibly, among specimens of
the most degraded type of our population.
This denaturizing material will In no way
lnJure the solvent action of the alcohol.
The exact nature and amount of the de-
naturizing material Is wisely left to the
secretary Of the treasury and the commits
sioner OF Internal revenue, who may use
considerable discretion In the matter, pro-
vided always. that. the alcohol. on being
withdrawn. from bond, shall be so treated
that it cannot be used In compounding
beverages.
The second use that we may expect of
denaturized alcohol will be in the manu-
facture of certain products. as dye stuffs
and chemicals. which cannot be nanufac-
tured commercially at present in this coun-
"a
from Europe. We may look for a very
rapid development Of the industry of man
ufsoturing chemicals as the result of free
A further beneft to be derived from free
industrial alcohol is the following: In the
manufacture of alcohol there Is always
OF fusiI oil TRRis substance &C cannot ao'b be
Il is .exeeedinsiy useful I in % manufactnrinys y
the lscquers which are used on metallic
substances. fine hardware. gas fixtures and
turing these wares will undoubtedly receive
great stimulus as the result of cheaper
Denaturised Alcohol as a Fuel.
is one Of which we cannot speak quite so
stance viii hnd large use for heating
@ motors ana as tsouSS rS5
alcohol has only about half the heating
power Of kerosene or gasoline, gallon for
which may enable 1t to compete success
fully in spite of Its lower fuel value In
heat radiated from flaming gasoline is usu-
ally sufttcient to set woodwork on fire at
some little distance. Alcohol has a tend
ency to simply heat the surrounding va
pors and produce currents OF hot gases,
which, however, are not usually brought
to high enough temperature to infiame
alcohol may be readily diluted with water
and when II is diluted to more than one,
may be readily extinguished, while burning
gasoline, by floating on the water, simply
spreads its fame when water is applied TO
T. Again, although alcohol has far less
heating capacity than gasoline the best
experts believe that IL will develop a much
higher percentage of efficiency in motors
than does gasoline. 1t is generally consid-
cred that for internal combustion motors a
gallon of alcohol will be found equal in
Il may then not compete at once with gaso-
line, IL should be remembered that the
possible supply of alcohol is unlimited. ed
since gasoline represents only about per
cent of the petroleum which is refined, its
supply is exceedingly limited, and Its price
must mHst constantly constant rise IN view Of the enor-
and gasoline engines In general There
will then doubtless come a time in many
alcohol will supplant gasoline as a motive
agent
A. Illuminating Substance.
The farmer has up to the present time
the luxury of modern lights OF the type
OF the Welsbach burner. Industrial alcohol
10 now used in Germany in small portable
lamps which give all the effects OF a man
tel burner heated by gas. The expense for
alcohol e only about two-thirds as much
per candle power as is the cost of kero-
sene In an ordinary lamp. Even at Is cents
or ~ cents a gallon, denaturized alcohol
can successfully compete with kerosene as
i means of lighting.
The greater part OF the alcohol made I'm
this country is made from grain, especially
| corn. In Germany the potato is the usual
| source. Undoubtedly our first industrial
alcohol will be made from grain. The sta
uStics presented to the committee on ways
and means OF the house of representatives
would seem to show that there are many
places where alcohol can be al once made
al a cost OF % 10 Is cents per gallon. In
the opinion OF the. writer, there are no
places In the country for the location OF
factories superior to numerous sites along
| the lines of the Burlington railway. Many
| OF these locations have excellent water;
| grain Is very abundant and coal for dis
/ tilling the alcohol can be obtained at
/ reasonable rates. Occasionally in certain
sections corn Is damaged by an early frost