South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-21
w USE MAY BE
FOUND FOR MANY
ABANDONED STILLS
Predict Plants May be Used
in Manufacture of
Auto Fuel.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., July 90
A new use may be found for tae
abandoned distnleries and breweries
of the country which were put out
II business when national prohibi-
ton became effective.
FIr-secinC observers at the nation
al capital predict that the day Is not
tIr distant when these abandoned
plants viii be used very extensively
producing auto fuel.
An expert connected with the de-
partnaent OF commerce declared to-
day that IL VIII not be long until the
brewers and distiIlers. who have
been bemOaning the prospect OF
large financial loss through the
abandonment. Of their plants. viii
learn the truth OF the old adage
that Its an III wind that blows no
body good" He suggested that
breweries and distilleries, which
have been q drug on the market
since the enactment OF Volstead S IA
NOUS amendment, are 20 become an
adjunct Of the motor car. he add
ed.
They are not going to be turned
into manufacturing plants storage
warehouses or anything OF that ma
ture. Instead they are going 20
manufacturing a substitute for gas
Oline, which is composed OF 80 per-
cent industrial alcohol and 10 per-
cent vegetable oils. This substi-
tute, the inventor claims is free and
independent OF all mining industries.
any vegetable containing starch,
sugar or celluiose can be utilized for
its u-anufacture.
1T is claimed that the new fuel,
which at the present time is being
extensively tried out. can be sold for
less than half the present price Of
9asoline-certainly welcome news
10 the mOtorist.'
Make Many Tests.
The following tests have been Civ
en- TO demonstrate the value OF this
new substitute:
First a typical motor, such as is
used In many different makes Of au-
tomobiles, was run with the substi-
tute. Then the exhaust and printing
cups were opened wide and the en-
CINE run at high speed. The fumes
were discharged directly into the
room, and yet there was no odor
and no disagreeable effects were felt.
thus proving that the fuel gave off
no poisonous fumes.
A small quantity OF the fuel was
placed on the floor and lighted. IL
burned with a blush flame. No
smoke was given off, proving. the
inventor claims. that the fuel would
not cause carbon.
The alcohol is made by one for
n>uia only, which on completion OF
the process Of distillation need not
be treated in any special way in or
der TO be utilizable.
The secret consists Of the yeast
or bacteria used in the fermenta-
ton of the vegetable matter.
first cut into pulp and then placed
first out into pulp and then placed
in a compression cooler, where, up
on the addition OF sufficient water,
IL is boiled under a pressure of 30
10 60 poun5ds for three hours. The
juice obtained is put in fermenta-
ton tanks and the bacteria added.
Water was thrown on the new
fuel while burning and the flame ex-
tingu;shed Similar experiment with
gasoline caused the fame 70 spread.
Examining the substitute when
mixed with water showed Il had
changed from a light yellow, its
original color, TO a milky white. This
was n chemical change, the inven-
tor explained, and meant that the
fuel could not be diluted.
Another test was given TO prove
that the new fuel is heavier than
gasoline and would not mix with it.