The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-04-24

aud nitrogen; IT'S most economic use is
for feeding purposes, and next to that
for production of alcohol. Considering
the small investment necessary for
distillery, and the ease and low cost Of
alcohol under local conditions, Il is re-
markable that no attempt has been.
made by the sugar interests 10 start
distillery in the Islands. 1t would prove
good investment for number Of
mills, the amount Of the profit depend,
ing ON certain circumstances.
Fertfizer Would Pay Cost.
The most favorable case would be
that Of mill using irrigation on IFS
fields and having a surplus Of either
live OF exhaust steam. Taking for a
concrete example mill Of an annual
production Of $4,000 tons Of sugar the
amount Of waste Tholasses would be
about 2500gtons. The fertilizer ingred.
tents would have a value of at least
900, and II this mill would build a
distilleryeat n cost of less than $4,000
III could recover all the nitrogen and
potash IN the waste and bring it on
the field through, fts irrigation system.
This would pay for the initial cost of
the distillery and defray. returning ex-
pensea right in the first year, BESIDES
leaving d, net profit some 100000
gallons Of alcohol. IF the mill had to
buy fueisin order torrnn the tlistillery
il would require one gallon Of oil for
every gallon of alcohol, an expense Of
about 1--WE cents per gallon, or total
of q 1900. The fertilizer value of the
distillery waste would also pay. this ex.
ira expense. It would even cover the
expense Of boiling the waste down TO
syrup, 50 IL can be sprayed on the field
OF be mixed with lime and be spread in
day FORM This has been tho practical
experience I'M other countries; the al.
cohol is, even under these unfavorable
conditions, obtained free Of cost. Fin
ally there is the case Of those mills that
do not find 1T advantageous to own
their own distilleries; they can send
their molasses to a central distillery,
located at a place with good shipping
facilities, and have the Nfertilizer in
gradients and the alcohol recovered.
Hilo would be an ideal place for such
central establishment.
May Become Drug on Market.
The question now is, What can be
done with all the alcohol that the Is.
lands are capable Of producingf II on
ly half of the waste InOlasses Is used
for this purpose, will not the three mil
lion gallons Of alcohol be drug on
the marketf That need not be the case.
In all probability more than half Of
the molasses can, be used for feeding
purposes here and on the Coast, il a
systematic effort is made to sell IT. Z
Then, if the rest is turned into alco-
hol, quite a large amount can be used
in the Islands. First Of all, every mill
having a railroad Of its own can mater
Tally reduce the cost of hauling cane by
using alcohol locomotives supplied with
fuel by the mill distillery. Next TO
this such companies as the Hilo Rail
road Company can operate their motor
cars on alcohol Finally small motors
for manufacturing and agricultural pur.
poses will use some, while alcohol
lamps will furnish cheap illumination
and alcohol stoves will make our Welsh
rarebits. Alcohol is much safer than
kerosene or gasoline, since water will
extinguish an alcohol FIRE, As a fuel
for internal combustion engines 1t Is
little inferior to gasoline; IL has less
calorie value, but makes up for some
Of this by the fact that il allows a
greater compression, which increases its
efficiency. IL is ahead of gasoline in
that IL does not deposit any carbon on
the walls Of the cylinder or on the
spark plug, which increases the relia-
bility Of the engine.
Cost Of Denaturing.
In order TO use alcohol for industrial
purposes one has to denature ii, that is
make II unfit for consumption. This is
rather expensive under the present reg.
nlations of the internal revenue depart
ment, amounting TO about six cents a
gallon. However, the department rs
ready to consider special denaturants
for special conditions, and there is no
doubt but that the sugar mills would be
allowed to use cheap denaturant as
long ss the alcohol does not get into
general circulation, but is used by the
producers or other responsible concerns
For general purposes complete dena-
turant can probably be made in these
Islands at q reasonable cost.
After supplying the demands of the
home market the distilleries would send
their product to the Pacific States with
A !