The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-01-29
pENA7 IN ED ALCOHOL.
Oregon Agrisul urai College Gives In
formation sn This Subject.


By c. e. Bradley, { regon Agricultural College
corvallis.
On June 7, 1906, congress passed
law removing the internal revenue tax
Of $2.o7 per ga Ion 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 or 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 approxi-
mately 100000 gallons of gasoline
are consumed daily in the country and
that the increased demand for it, 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
i'll the United States approximates l.
000, 100000 gallons. three-fourths OF
which are probably used by the far
mers. Since one gallon of alcohol -
equivalent to two gallons of kerosene
for lighting purposes, 100000 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 100000
acres, an increase of per cent over
that now grown. If made from pota-
toes. this 375,o00,G0o gallons of alcohol
would require 45o,o00,0Oo bushels, or
| 100000 acres, an increase of 60 per
cent over that now produced The
present consumption of alcohol
amounts to but 100000 gallons per
| year.
| Ethyl or grain alcohol is a 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 su-
gar may be utilized for making alco-
hol The more important sources Of
alcohol are the cereals. potatoes. mo-
lasses and fruits. In France alcohol
| is chiefly made from the sugar beet, in
Germany from the potato, and in
America from corn. A bushel of corn
will yield approximately % gallons OF
95 per cent alcohol; bushel of pota-
toes three-fourths Of gallon and a
bushel of apples one-third Of gallon
In the large distilleries it costs
about II cents - manufacture and
} place on the MARKET one gallon of al,
cohol, and the cost of the raw material
used brings this q dinarily to approx
imately 80 cents. Allowing for the
!. necessary profit, altohol will reach the
!. consumer at about 10 cents per gallon
, But alcohol at DO cents can compete
with kerosene at IS cents for lighting
purposes, since alcohol has twice tht
illuminating value of kerosene, and ir
competition kerosene can never de.
: mand more than one half the market
, price of alcohol.
For making cheap alcohol cheap
concentrated raw product and a we'll
equipped plant are necessary. The
plant should have capacity of al
least 100 gallons per day, the cost ol
such a plant being in the neighbor-
hood Of $4,000 No such plant can
operate successfully on waste pro-
ducts alone, especially if such are to
be obtained for only brief part OF
the year. as, for example. waste fruits,
There must be some more stapl. pro-
duct as a basis, with the waste ma
terials handled as side issue. For a
staple in the Northwest we must look
to potatoes or sugar beets. and dam
j aged grain when it can be secured, on
which materials, together with various
waste products. plant could be op-
Grated throughout tie year.
| e