The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1908-12-26
pEnA1 lIrEp ALCOHOL.
Oregon Agritul urai College Gives In
formation On This Subject.
nrvollfa


By C. E. Bradley, RECON Agricultural College
corvallis
On june :, 1oo6. congress passed a
law removing the internal revenue tax
of s2o7 per ga lon on grain alcohol
which had been properly denatured or
rendered unfit Tor drinking purposes
by the addition of certain materials,
such as wood alcohol, benzine OF py-
ridine. 1t was hoped that by the re-
moval of this tax alcohol could be OBJ
tanned cheaply enough to compete
with petroleum for light and fuel. The
demand for such alcohol can be read
lily seen when we note that approx
mately 100000 gallons Of gasoline
are consumed daily in the country and
that the increased demand for il, due
to the development of the modern ex-
plosion motor, has doubled its price
in the last ten years. Indiana and
Ohio oils contain only about per
cent OF gasoline and the per cent OF
the lighter distillate in California and
Texas crude oil is very low. The
supply Of gasoline therefore seems to
be limited. but the demand increasing
Alcohol, it has been demonstrated,
can meet this demand. Furthermore,
the annual consumption Of kerosene
in the United States approximates l.
600 0OO, 900 gallons. three-fourths o.
which are probably used by the far
mers. Since one gallon Of alcohol i,
equivalent to two gallons Of kerosene
for lighting purposes, 375,000.OOO gal
| Ions Of alcohol could be used on the
| farms OF this country each year. This
would require for its production 140,-
/ 100000 bushels OF corn, or 10000
acres. an increase OF per cent over
that now grown. If made from pota-
toes. this 375 100000 gallons OF alcohol
would require 45O,OO0,0O0 bushels, or
| 5000, 900 acres, an increase of 90 per
cent over that now produced The
present consumption OF alcohol
amounts TO but 100000 gallons per
year
Ethyl or grain alcohol is natural
product. formed by the fermentation
of various kinds OF sugar through the
agency OF yeast organisms. Since
starch is readily convertible into SUI
gar by either natural or artificial
means, materials which contain nota-
BILE quantities of either starch or SUI
gar may be utilized for making alco.
hol. The more important sources oil
alcohol are the cereals, potatoes. mo.
lasses and fruits. In France alcoho
is chiefly made from the sugar beet, If
| Germany from the potato. and il
America from corn. A bushel Of corr
will yield approximately % gallons o.
95 per cent alcohol; bushel of pota
toes three-fourths of a gallon and ;
bushel of apples one-third of a gallon
In the large distilleries it cost
about II cents - manufacture an,
place on the mark 1t one gallon Of al
cohol and the cost of the raw mate ria
used brings this dinarily to approx
imately 80 cents. Allowing for tn
necessary profit, alcohol will reach tn
consumer at about 10 cents per gallon
But alcohol at 10 cents can compet
with kerosene at q cents for lighting
purposes, since alcohol has twice tn
Illuminating value OF kerosene, and il
competition kerosene can never de
mand more than one-half the marke
price of alcohol
For making cheap alcohol a chea
concentrated raw product and well
equipped plant are necessary. TIL
70 plant should have a capacity of q
least 100 gallons per day, the cost {
E such a plant being in the neighboi
5 hood of $4,000 No such plant ca
e operate successfully on waste pre-
g ducts alone. especially if such are t
= be obtained for only a brief part {
the year. as, for example. waste fruit
There must be some more staple pro
duct as a basis, with the waste m;
terials handled as a side issue For
staple in the Northwest we must loo
y to potatoes or sugar beets and dan
aged grain when it can be secured. G
which materials. together with vario,
waste products. a plant could be OF
h Grated throughout the year.
e Because of the persistent irquiri,
. relative 10 the merits and d I'm .rits