Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-03
Despite Discourasins Delay, Denatursd
Alcohol Will Soon Be Available.

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Alcohol Will Soon Be Available.
Practical application Of the denatur-
ed alcohol idea Is being made on very
extensive scale. Hitherto the main
difficulty has been one Of cost, but to
all intents and purposes, this may be
said to have been removed. Today, In
fact, the untaxed spirits are being
manufactured actually at so cheap
rate as to enable them to compete in
the market with gasoline.
On the first day Of last August the
price of tax-free alcohol in the United
States was about forty cents a gallon,
but since then it has been falling with
great rapidity. At present there Is on
ly one large manufacturer in this coun-
try, but many other concerns are about
to embark in the business, and 1t is
expected, furthermore, that multitude
of farmers will soon establish for them
selves small cooperative plants, to
which they will bring their refuse, ap-
Piles, spoiled cabbages, corn cobs and
green corn stalks, and all sort Of waste
vegetable material, to be converted in
to alcohol.
Already in Germany denatured alco-
hol is being produced in enormous
quantities, mainly from potatoes, at
twelve cents a gallon. But much
more striking illustration Of the possi-
bilities of cheapening the fluid may be
found nearer home-that Is to say, In
Cuba, where vast amounts Of molas-
ses refuse are available for distilla-
ton. Alcohol derived from this source
costs, on the island, less than ten cents
a gallon. 1t is by all odds the cheap
est fuel in the world, gasoline being
out Of competition with it.
Now, the obviousness of this fact has
led our navy department to undertake
a series of experiments looking to the
possible adoption Of alcohol as fuel for
warships. The government Of course,
can import the fluid from Cuba with
out paying any duty, and, utilized as a
substitute for coal, it might save a
good deal of money. At the present
time Germany and Great Britain, with
the same idea in view, are building
fighting vessels which will be equip
ped with engines specially adapted for
the use Of alcohol as the motive power,
and they are inclined to the opinion
that high wines" will, in the not dis
tant future, furnish propulsion for
warships of all classes, excepting, per-
haps, the battleships. Meanwhile, a
large plant has been established at
Meriden, Conn, for turning out great
quantities Of lamps, stoves and other
contrivances adapted for the utilization
of denatured alcohol. The fluid cannot
be employed as fuel, or as an illumi-
nant, in any kind of apparatus suitable
for oil, and on this account it has been
necessary to invent for the purpose
special and peculiar devices-all of
them depending fundamentally upon
the idea Of burning not the alcohol di-
rectly, but the gas generated from 1t by
heat. Among these is kind OF street
lamp, exceedingly brilliant, which used
with an incandescent mantle, has a
power of 300 candles.
The new alcohol stoves are very
compact, with broilers and other at
tractive attachments, and will bel
cheaper to manage than gasoline
stoves. when the fluid fuel employed
comes down to it's normal price. Be
sides they are decidedly cleaner. or
heaters, there is quite a variety, run by
alcohol, one style being intended for
automobiles. This, indeed, is quite an
interesting improvement; and it Isl
worth mentioning, incidentally, that
the motor cars in the future will be
provided with a modified carbureter for
burning alcohol, thus getting rid Of all
disagreeable smell.
Outdoor heaters and cookers, burn
ing alcohol will soon be on the market;
and special contrivances have been de-
vised for the use Of the same fluid in
the kitchens Of yachts. 1t seems likely,
indeed, that alcohol will be used for
the lighting and heating of such
boats Lamps suitable for the pur-
pose, with incandescent mantles, give
a beautiful illumination.
One may add that in all probability
motor boats will before long be pro-
PEELED by alcohol.-Saturday Evening
Post
go The female brain begins to lose