Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-09
ALCOHOL
PLANT COSTS $4,000
Department of Agriculture Bull
Ietin Gives Information
as to Product.

What q denatured alcohol diStillery
costs and what can be done with it Is
the subject of bulletin just issued by
the Department of Agriculture. The fig
ures are based on the operation Of q
plant capable Of turning out 104 gallons
of alcohol a day. In fact, at the strength
on which the internal revenue regulations
are based the plant will produce 1877 gal
Ions. 1t is figured that at 40 cents
gallon the output would bring $74SO
per day, and deducting $33, the estimated
amount of the running expenses, this
would leave net profit of $41.SO per day.
The bulletin goes into details as to the
cost of the plant and its operation. When
the free alcohol bill'' was passed some
years ago it was predicted that it would
be a great aid to the farmers and manu-
facturers. The bill provided for de
Maturing the alcohol-that is, adding sub
stances to 1t that made it unfit to drink,
and yet did not interfere with It's use in
the arts or for engine work
1t was freely predicted that when the
internal revenue tax was removed alcohol
would boone SO cheap that it could COM
pete with gasoline as a fuel for internal
combustion engines. 1t was said also that
1t would provide for the use of all the
waste products Of the farm, as alcohol
could be made out of any sort of vege-
table refuse.
Predictions Not True.
The results have not carried out these
predictions. Exhaustive tests were made
it was found that, gallon for gallon, al
i1,of ofn
fuel as gasoline. and that it had some
advantages. 1t was more elastic as a
source Of power; it was safer, and it had
not the Objectionable smell of gasoline.
But the price was still prohibitive where
it had to compete with gasoline as engine
fuel. The retail cost now is 60 cents a
gallon in Washington, while the price OF
gasoline is 10 cents.
The Department of Agriculture pub
lished a number of bulletins about de-
natured alcohol, explaining that it was
not backyard industry and that a
farmer could not set up still anywhere
with an old tin can and an armful OF
corn stalks. 1t is possible for farmers
to combine and establish cooperative
distillery. The returns Of the depart
ment so far show that they are slow in
taking hold of the scheme. There were
agricultural colleges brought to WASH
ington last autumn and taught the prac-
teal side of alcohol making, at the de-
partment's specially licensed distillery
here.
Experiments have been conducted also
in making alcohol from. beets, grains of
several sorts. cornstalks and fruit ref
use. The present bulletin Is on the sub
ject Of making alcohol from potato culls.
1t has been found that these can be
bought in the potato districts for about
% cents per hundred pounds. 1t is on
ments estimates of costs and profits are
made.
Details for Running Plant.
1t is estimated by the department. that
the buildings and equipment for an alco-
hol plant capable of turning out 1O4
gallons day will be $4,000. Details
are given for running the plant after 1t
is once installed Even the arrange
ments of the machines are provided for,
SO as to take advantage of gravity
wherever possible in handling the ma
terial.
Alcohol is produced much cheaper
abroad than it is in this country, and in
Germany and France it is in practical
use as an engine fuel. There are a
number Of processes in this country that
promise to make alcohol from all sorts
sawdust, at prices grading down to Z
cents per gallon. None of these plants
has yet come into use and, owing to the
fact that there is much more industrial
alcohol used now that the tax has been
removed, the price since the free alcohol
bill was passed. has advanced instead of
receded.