The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
CHEAPER fuel
Being TESTED
Auto Manufacturers Expert.
menting with Substitutes
for Costly Gasoline.
BIG SAVING PREDICTED
Committee from Society of Automo-
bile Engineers Reports on In
ves6gation of Conditions.

AS reaction against the high price
OF gasoline, automobile manufacturers
are beginning to employ cheaper fuels
Tor testing purposes, and while this prac-
tice has not yet become general, from
present indications il is safe to predict
that ii represents a possible saving of
upward of 100000 gallons of gasoline
within the next twelve months alone.
Although this is figuratively but drop
In the bucket as compared with the total
cost OF gasoline for automobile use, il
is by no means negligible at a time
when the oil refiners are squeezing every
possible drop Of the lighter oils out of
none too plentiful supply of petroleum.
On the same basis of calculation, the
employment of cheap fuels for motor
testing will involve direct saving of
at least S1,75000e.
This was one OF the many phases of
the gasoline situation considered at a
meeting held in New York last week by
the special fuel investigating committee
Of the Society of Automobile Engineers
recently appointed to cooperate with the
gasoline producers and others in seeking
a solution Of the automobile fuel prob
lem.
Manufacturer Try City Gas.
The employment of cheap fuels for
testing purposes is a subject more or less
aside from the main purpose of the in
vestigation, which. however, was deemed
Of sufficient importance TO engage the
immediate attention of the committee.
Quite a number of the more prominent
manufacturers, notably in Detroit and
Cleveland. already are using or are in
stalling city gas in their test rooms. In
r number of instances, the gas COM
panies are supplying mixing valves to
replace the ordinary carburetor during
the test. in others a simple attachment
for connection to one of the air ports
of the carburetor itself is employed.
Sixty-cent gas so employed has been
found to be practically equivalent to
e-cent gasoline, and in general a saving
of one-half the fuel cost for the run
ming in of motors on the testing stands
is possible by using gas. In cities like
Detroit. where accent gas is available
at present, and where 35-cent gas is
soon to become available, the saving is
proportionately greater.
One maker, who is turning out some
1,500 cars year, figures an economy of
25.000 gallons of gasoline A year by the
use of gas. In another case, net saw
ing of nearly $50 a day. in the operating
cost of the test room is being realized.
while in still another the saving will
amount to s24 a day. Some concerns
that are unable to secure Illuminating
gas at sufficiently low price are even
figuring on installing gas producer plants
for the purpose.
Importance of Cheap Fuel.
1T would be premature to discuss at
this time any of the details of the fuel
investigation" said Manager S. A. Miles,
of the National Association, for which
the work is being carried on by the engi-
neering society. The plans Of the COM
nlittee as vet are not sufficiently well
advanced to warrant any disclosures.
The problem of securing an abundance
of good fuel for automobiles at low
price seems to me to be very impor-
tant that / might almost say our whole
future as an industry depends upon it.
That means, in a word. that the inves-
tigation, to be of any value at all TO the
rubIic as well as to the industry, must
ha very exhaustive and carried out in a
thoroughly scientific manner. That
means we must proceed very cautiously
at the start
II do want to say, though, for
the benefit of manufacturers and in
ventors of kerosene carbureters, substi-
tute fuels and the like, who may already
have addressed inquiries to the n. A
A. NJ, or who may contemplate doing
so that we welcome all information with
respect to such new factors in the 1uei
situation. And / may add that the work
Of examining and testing appliances ana
products Of such character forms an
in1portant part of the plan that Is at
present under consideration