Alcohol Potato02

Waupaca Republican

May 17, 1907

WAUPACA TO THE FRONT

The Waupaca Business Men’s Association is showing itself to be alert to all possibilities whereby it may advance the interest and develop the resources of the enterprising little city which it represents.

At a recent meeting it decided to take up and investigate the possibility of making alcohol from potatoes under the federal law recently enacted by congress. This entire section of Wisconsin is noted for its potato crops, the climate and soil both being well adapted to the cultivation of the tuber. The business is a large one for the farming country surrounding Waupaca, perhaps the largest in the state and one of the largest in the United States.

The plan, if found to be feasible, is to make use of the small and injured potatoes, which are now thrown away or fed to swine, for the purpose of manufacturing alcohol. A central distillery where such potatoes may be readily hauled would be much better than the plan usually adopted by small farm stills and in this way economy of handling would make the manufacture of this alcohol more profitable.

Waupaca is one of the first cities in this part of the United States to make a move in this direction and the outcome will be watched with interest.

Green Bay Gazette

The Gazette is right with few exceptions. Waupaca already has two starch factories which is able to work up the surplus, small and scabby potatoes, unless the cause of denatured alcohol will warrant paying a better price than has been paid for such stock for starch.

But Waupaca will experiment on the German Alcohol potatoes with a view of testing the matter to see if it will pay. If it does one or both of the starch factories may in due time be arranged to be ready for the new fluid for light, heat and power purposes as the matter develops far enough to compete with gasoline.