Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-07

| .NdSlllnSLOI u. ~, Icy. f.~~od
have shown that If the atmosphere
I.would be no cloud effects, no radiant
sunsets, no soft afterglow Of harmon
ious lcolorings which lend a halo to
the quiet of eventide. Also, there
could be no condensation Of moisture
as in rain, mist or fog without mueller
such as dust particles.
This is one phase OF the story of
the usefulness Of dust, but government
scientists and others are more inter-
estsd just now in determining what
can be done with dusts of specific
kinds that have long constituted big
Items Of waste in various industries.
Perhaps the most interesting de-
velopment of the experimental work
that has been going on is in connec-
ton with the problem Of what to do
with sawdust. Ever since the first
saw bit its way through a piece of
Timber the enormous waste in sawdust
has been a matter to worry over. In
time it was found that this debris
could be made commercially valuable
as the basis of various manufactures.
IOxalic acid is produced on a large
lscaleI from sawdust, and sawdust is
|also used in the ~carbonating stage Of
the process for the manufacture Of
soda ash. " 81.
But now it has been discovered that
sawdust can be converted into a food
and by carrying the process a step
further alcohol may be Produced
not wood alcohol, but the kind that
was the basis for gloom eradicators
in pre-Volstead days.
The sawGust food is one for beast
and not for man. but nevertheless it
is useful and may become a factor
in farm economies. Sawdust alcohol
will not be used for beverage purpos-
] es. but there is a great need for a new
motor fuel to take the place Of gaso-
line or to supplement h supply of
that article which is not keeping pace
with The demand, and alcohol seems
to hold out the greatest possibilities
in that direction.
White pine saWdust is used in this
process. It is treated with dilute sui
furic acid and cooked under pressure
with steam. This brings about a
chemical change in which the saWdust
lis Jpartially converted into glucose, a
simple sugar which is both digestible
land Of food value. There is from IA
to IS per cent of glucose in this mix
lture, which is then neutraliZed with
lime, the sugar dissolved, and the SO
Luton filtered off and boiled down
uIIuCT. SuuSS pAOSooAO oiLAl LID VI
the consistency of m9lasses. This
molasses is then mixed with the par
ltially dried sawdust residue; and the
result is a product closely resembling
bran. HH E5 y /
Farmer Had Right Idea.
Thus it would appear tina. the
ltlghtfisted farmer who tried feeding
I his mules excelsior and sawdust, as
substitutes for grass and branrhash
had the right idea. or at least a feasi-
BILE idea His trouble was that he
did not prepare the staff properly.
In producing alcohol from the bran
mixture the essential step Is to lie.
the sugar IN ftfferment. 1t is csti-
mated that three to four hundred
million gallons: Of alcohol could in
this way be derived from sawdust.
shavings, and bits OF lumber that arc
wasted each veal in the mills Of the
Icountry. Il
The debris Of the lumber industry,
lis by no means the only dust that il
I being conserved and put to useful pur-
poses. Coal dust is another notable
kexample, and in view Of the present
shortage in the coal supply az a re-
suit Of the strikes Its utilization is es-
pecjally important:
For years the cu1m or dust produced
I'm sizing anthracite for the market
twas regarded AS practically worthless
3although1H was for the most partEper-
ifectly good coal I'll could not be
HANDLED or shipped economically.
thoweyer, and the consumer did not
know how to use It, SO It was permit
.!ted to 60 waste. Smaller and
smaller sizes OF anthracite were found
Iuseful~unt.l now the dust itself u
'Ibsing burned; either through a pow
:Idered-coal burner which sprays thu
fpu1verized fuel into the furnace Ol
3Ifire-box, i It'd the form . ( brtquettes
corporation recently formed haa
Ian establishment at Alsxandrlass Wiz.
Tgt6ia. where q new proeesss pf prepar.
ding2t u ftels that SisS AnffafnalgaM D Goa
sfdust and cru5s pfI III being exploited
IIt III 5claiMbedSstha Wholly ssttaKac
atory ssubstitutts tor sntliractte fGfl DO.
amestiS %sspurppSsS is belnk produced
lana n sdssalSoS I'D that, 81 can bG mar,
4 ketSdsafsANYtce that albgesthers ID,
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