El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-26
Auto Men War on Gasoline
Motor Organizations of the World
Offer 100000 For Satisfac-
tory Fuel Substitute
- Iiv 4 rod eric j. Hnskfn--
: U + reaerIe . HasAl

/ engineer in the world"
Such is the desire. translated into
| the language Of the want ad page. OF
/ a large portion of the scientific and
! industrial world, Gasoline is not only
/ high in price, but there actually is not
( enough of the product in sight to keep
I pace with the rapidly increasing num-
/ Der of internal combustion engines,
which must use a liquid fuel so highly
I volatile that upon the application OF
/ heat it viii be turned into gas ready
| to be exploded by an electric sparker.
Kerosene may be used but 1t re-
quires a specially constructed carbure-
tor and the application Of much out
side heat before the engine can be
started. Alcohol may be used, but it
is even higher in price than gasoline,
/ although the supply is practically IN
! limited.
offers 100000 for Substitute.
The International Association OF
Recognized Automobile clubs. the mem
I bership of which is composed Of repre-
sentatives Of the most influential au-
tOmObile clubs in the world, is max
ing war on gasoline and has offered an
award of 100000 cash for the best
all around fuel other than petrol" or
gasoline, WhiNn viii satisfactorily take
the place Of the petroleum product
The decision was made at the meet
ing Of the board Of directors in Paris
last February when il was arrenged
ganlZation representing France, Eng
land, Germany, Austria Hungary, HOl-
land, Russia, Switzerland, ROumania
and Egypt should contribute its portion
to the general fund which shall con-
stitute the prize. Baron de KuyIen de
Nyvelt is the chairman OF the commit
tee and has his office in Paris at the
headquarters of the International As
ISOLATION OF Recognized Automobile
clubs.
British Society Makes Same Offer.
The British Society Of Motor Manu-
facturers and Traders is offering
prize amounting TO the same sum
The restrictions are very simple The
fuel must be suitable for existing in
ternal combustion engines 1t must be
less expensive, readily prOcurable and
of such nature that il can not be cor
nered by the trusts. either national or
international Preparations for the
formal announcement OF these condi-
tons are now being made ready by the
committees. An important detail in
connection with the prize offered by
the Association of Automobile clubs is
the assurance, which Will be obtained
from all Of the governments Of Europe,
that the new fuel viii be taxed very
moderately If at all.
In the United States equal interest
Is being manifested in a gasoline sub
Sttute- Several new fuels are now
being tried out by automobile manu-
featuring companies, the results OF
=
these which IL is claimed can be man
ufactured at three cents less per gal
lon than the present rate for gasoline
has indicated capacity of 10 per cent
more mileage to the gallon than gaso-
line. Another fuel has proved smoke
less SOOuess, and practically OdOrless,
but, according TO the the present tests,
II viii not start the engine as quickly
as gasoline
A meeting was held in Pittsburg
during the first week in August to
which were invited delegates from 20
different organizations interested in
petroleum and its products A care
Iul study has been made OF the gaSO-
line situation with relation to its use
for fuel and arrangements were made
Tor the cooperation Of this nation with
the international Petroleum Commits
sion which was organized in Paris
In order to obtain a single gallon of
gasoline from refinable California Pc
troleum, IL is necessary to produce as
by-products nine gallons Of kerosene
other words il requires 40 gallons OF
crude petroleum to secure one gallon
Of gasoline Although the output OF
western petroleum is continually in
creasing the price of gasoline is ris-
ing. The Investigations made by the
department Of commerce indicate that
the advancing price Of gasoline is due
solely to the law OF supply and de-
corporation
sponsible for the higher prices which
are now impending.
Demand Grows; supply Decreases.
The production Of crude oil in this
country viii probably approximate
3OO,OOO,O0O barrels this year. But the
largest increase OF production of gas
ollne yet recorded in a year has been
less than 10 per cent, while the pro-
duction Of power-driven vehicles will
in all probability represent an increase
n I'D 70
the supply Of crude oils yielding gasO-
line is decreasing. The increased crude
oil output of Oklahoma and California (
will consist largely of asphalt oils
having insufficient gasoline for exist
ing requirements
Kerosene as Substitute.
The use Of kerosene as a substitute /
Tor gasoline in the production OF mo-
tor power is feasible, and is being re- /
garded with increasing favor, espec- |
tally by automobile manufacturers. At I
the recent meeting held in Pittsburg 4
for the discussion of the fluid fuel I
problem several manufacturers ex- j
pressed the opinion that kerosene /
might solve it.
Several kerosene carburetOrs are 4
now upon the market which are re- /
ported to have met the full require /
ments of the tests to which they have /
been subjected. At a meeting OF the I
Society of Automobile Engineers held !
in Indianapolis last month, the Opin-
ion was expressed that despite the
fact that the Oil-driven engine had
heretofore had less commercial pOpu-
arity than the gas or gasoline en-
CINE ii viii in the future come to sup-
ply the power for transportation by
land, water and air.
The shortage in the gasoline SUD /
ply caused by the increased demand is 1
we'll recognized by the United States (
navy which is planning TO depend less I
lpon II in the future. Even now the /
)nly gasoline used by the navy is to
supply the engines of some Of the
and for the motor boats
which are furnished to the large bat
leships- The new submarines are be-
ng supplied with burning oil engines
because the increasing output of
American crude oil renders the fuel oil
esources much more dependable than
hose Of gasoline.
kerosene By-PrOduct.
In connection with the market
'rices of kerosene and gasoline. it is
to note how values are ar
ected by popular demand In former
lays the oil engine was expensive be-
ause of the high price Of both crude
nd refined oils Now the conditions Z
re absolutely reversed. Kerosene has
ecome a by-product of little value. It
s quoted at 90 per cent less a gallon ]
han gasoline. The increased use of /
lectricity and gas for illumination has