This great economy combined with its cleanliness, safety, ease of man agement, and its complete control promise to make this the ideal do mestic fuel.
Beating.—Heating stoves are not so far advanced as other alcohol consuming devices. They are in con siderable use in the East, and have been used largely in Germany and France for years. The heaters are cleanly in that there is no dust or ashes. And being light and not at tached to flue, pipe, or chimney, they can easily be moved from place to place. The flame is at all times non smoking and odorless. Other advan tages not so easily observed, but none the less real and important, are found in the increased healthfulness and purity of the air of a closed room in which alcohol is burned, compared to one in which kerosene or gasoline is being used. The nox ious influence of carbonic-acid gas in closed rooms is well known. That carbonic monoxide always accom panies this, and is many times more poisonous and more lasting in its evil effects, is not so well known. This gas results from the incomplete com bustion of the carbonaceous materi als, and the very fact that the alcohol flame is nonluminous shows that com bustion is complete and that there is practically none of the dangerous carbon-monoxide gas formed.
Other Utilities.—Self-heating flat irons, chafing dishes, special marine lamps and stoves, curling irons, port able or nursery cooking stoves with nested utensils, and many other novel and practical utilities are now on the market.
Power.—Alcohol as a motor fuel that is an explosive agent in an in ternal combustion engine is a recent development. In France cabs weigh ing 3,788 pounds were driven 70 miles in 3 hours and 44 minutes at as low a cost as 40 cents. The leading auto mobile makers are now making ex haustive experiments.
Possibilities.—The future of this practically inexhaustible fuel is as sured. The granges throughout the United States have taken it up and organized the famous National Com mittee, " to promote the use of alco hol in the industrial arts, and es pecially to encourage its use for light, heat, and power, to the end that new markets for farm products shall be opened, modern improve ments brought into the rural home, the toil of the farmer's wife lessened, and all the benefits of cheap alcohol diffused among the people in the shortest time." The Federal Govern ment has- established a model distill ery in Washington. The agricultural colleges throughout the country will teach the manufacture of denatured alcohol, and tremendous development is promised by the Department of Agriculture, now taking an active in terest in the subject.