Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-08-01
Alcohol for Automobiles.

| AicODOi IOf AutOmODiieS.
Alcohol is reproduced in the cycle
OF the seasons; II is absolutely In
exhaustible; It is made out of sun
shine and air, and its composition
does not lessen the value of the soil
or the energy of the earth. Gaso-
line, on the contrary, represents
part of the stored energy of the
earth; II exists only to the extent of
about per cent in petroleum, and
its supply will in the future inevit-
ably fail. Today the supply of gaso-
line is so much less than the demand
that It practically cannot be obtain
cd by many who would use It. If all
the gasoline engines in America
worked continuously for day OF ten
hours they would consume some
100000 gallons OF gasoline.
Then, Industrial alcohol is praotial-
ly constant in composition; gasoline.
on the contrary, is a mixture, and Is
generally badly adulterated. Again,
alcohol Is beyond all question safer
and more cleanly to use. It's safety
lies in the fact that It is not so
readily lnflammable, and that Il dis
solves in water, even to its per cent
In whisky. will at once extinguish II.
Gasoline, on the other hand, Is eX-
traOrdlnarily inhammable, and, what
Is much worse. Il floats on water; In
a gasoline fire the more the water
is used the more the fire spreads.
This fact for alcohol Is of extreme
Importance I'm the question OF in
surance and In It's use for motor
boats. Still again, with alcohol the
smell OF the exhaust is almost fmper
ceptible; at any rate gasoliue, In this
respect. could not endure compari-
son. Another advantage for alcohol
lies In the fact that cylinders and
valves do not bocome plugged with
residual products. as with gasoline.
and that its combustion is cleaner
and its ignition more perfect.
Perhaps the greatest advantage
by alcohol In n struggle |
with gasoline rests In the high sr
OF its vapor; the |
OF alcohol vapor may |
safely be carried TO 200 pounds. per
square inch, while that OF gasoline !
cannot endure more than so pounds |
without danger OF premature expIo-
sion, Next. IL requires no more skill |
10 operate an alcohol engine than q /
gasoline engine. Finally, II may be |
expected that alcohol can always be
made In the locality of the demand:
L will not require. like gasoline.
through extensive dis
iauces.
With proper manipulation any en-
CINE working with gasoline or kero !,
iene can operate. unaltered, with al
,onoI.
IL can be operated with alcohol |
'niy at about twice the cost OF gaso-
a"Nt AHao 10 ShNNH iu a ttttut NtHt 4
" fuel economy. in which three auto
mobiles running on alcohol. mixture \
n kerosene and gasoline, and gaso-
Inc, respectively. Travelled from
Trenton, n, j.. 20 Atlantic City, 1865
niles. While the alcohol engine ran I
at a rate of S5 miles an
hour. II consumed 14h gallons OF al II
'ohol. at 81 cents gallon. constitut-
ng a total cost OF s5.S6s. as against !
he performance of its rival. which
IA gallons OF gasoline. at
,2 cents, with total cost OF s1.65.
rhe relation OF the two Is best shown
- the cost per ton mile. which for al
,ohol works out TO sO.0s92, and for :,
gasoline sO.O1S54. about half as
nueh.-Professor Robert X. Duncan
In Harper's.