Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-11
CHEAPER LIGHT AND HEAT
House Makes ImpOrtsns Amendment t.
Deoatursd Alcohol Bill
MAKES pOsslslE sMAlL OIsrllERA
DenaturisinE Plants May BE Estab-
Iished at Different Points In the
Country within Easy Reach
of the Producer.
CFrom a stan CorrespondentO


WASHINGTON. Feb. t0.-(Special.)- THE
house OF representatives on Thursday en-
acted what II is believed wfl prove one OF
the greatest boons TO the manufacturing
class OF the United States. to the farmers,
and to all those who use light and fuel.
The bill amending what has come to be
known as the "denatured alcohol bill' was
on Thursday amended so as to give the
farmers Of the United States and manu-
facturers who desire II the right to make
raw alcohol and denature II for light or
fuel purposes, under easy conditions. and
is destined to create a revolution In the
heating and lighting methods Of the coun-
try. The bill which was passed last June
failed in the one important particular Of
permitting the farmer and the small manu-
facturer making alcohol and sending It to
some central denaturinE establishment to
have II poisoned" The purpose Of the bill
passed this week Is to still further reduce
the cost OF denatured alcohol by giving
grea ter facilities for Its production and dis
tribution.
While the act approved June I, 1906 was
hailed by the farming interests OF the
United States as an unmixed blessing, as
surfing substantial freedom from the "kero-
sene trust" and the gasoline trust" there
were some defects in the bill which tended
to limit the production and distribution
OF the denatured product. And Il was for
the purpose of correcting apparent discrep-
anoies that the law of last June was
amended and which now permits OF alcohol
OF the required proof may be drawn OF for
denaturation only from the receiving cist-
ems In the >cistern room OF any distllery
for transfer by pipes direct to any de-
naturisng bonded warehouse or to closed
metal storage tanks under regulations to
be prescribed by the commissioner OF In
ternal revenue.
Dispenses with Warehouse.
The bill further provides that at dlstil-
leries producing alcohol from any sub
stance whatever for denaturation only and
having a daily spirit producing capacity
of not exceeding 100 proof gallons, the use
Of cisterns, or tanks. OF size and construc-
ton as may be deemed expedient, may be
permitted in lieu of distillery bonded ware
houses. This means that at central points
throughout the United States there may be
established denaturizing plants under the
supervision Of treasury inspectors in order
that the consumer may be brought close
to the point of manufacture. Judging from
the experience of other countries where
the right to use denatured alcohol freely
has been conceded for from twenty-five TO
fifty years, probably two-thirds OF the en-
tire consumption will be of what Is known
las completely denatured" spirit. This is
what Is used for domestic purposes for
heating. cooking lighting. for all kiads OF
internal explosion engines and for many
manufacturing uses.
1t follows therefore that with the great
area of the United States and the distances
between the natural points of production,
the cost of transportation, or assembling
the ingredients, will be one OF the largest
items of expense. The wood alcohol in
dustry is largely conferred today in the
states OF New York. Pennsylvania and
Michigan. The cheapest ethyl alcohol will
be made from West India molasses on the
Atlantic coast. from corn in the corn belt
from potatoes in Maine and in the north
west and from waste products OF sugar
production in Hawaii. Louisiana and the
beet sugar states
In this connection II is interesting to
know that the bill which passed the house
on Thursday ia a compromise measure
growing out of bills introduced by Repre-
sentative Hill of Connecticut, who pro-
vided for the application of the law to
the manufacture of ether. chloroform and
other definite chemical substances where
the alcohol is changed into some other
chemical substance and does not appear
in the finished product; by Mr.. Marshall
OF North Dakota, who wanted a practical
adoption OF the German locked still and
tank system for agricultural dstilleries
by Mr.. Volstead OF Minnesota and by Mr..
Gronna OF North Dakota, the former favor
ing a still with a capacity OF thirty
gallons output per day and the latter limit
ing the output TO fifteen gallons.