Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-24

Washington, ID. c., Oct. 2O-The ais
covery not long ago that impure or
adulterated gasoline was being placed
upon the market caused great deal
of Indignation among American auto
mobolists. Samples from several hun
dred garages were bought and tested.
1t was found in most instances that
the gasoline was of poorer quallty
than that purchased at half price
year ago, and some of it was so poor
that it failed to operate the engines OF
number of cars. The automob1llsts
started national campaign against
such adulteration, and several large
cities drew up specifications OF a GER
tain standard to which the gasoline
sold at the garages must comply. so
far. however, this standard has not
been enforced. for new light mas
been shed on the gasoline situation
In a speech made before the Wash
ineton committee ipgestigating the
gasoline problem, Director Van II
Manning of the bureau of mines maze
the statement that in thirty years the
supply of crude oil in the United states
will be exhausted. The end OF our
petroleum resources are in sight. Al
ter that we will be dependent either on
the production Of other nations, or up
on a substitute derived from other
sources. In the meantime, he urges
the automobiles Of the country not
to be too hard on the gasoline rem.
ers, who are trying to make the pest
of bad conditions.
A year ago. gasoline was selling al
eleven cents gallon and was almost
a drug on the market. This was be-
cause the Gushing field in Oklahoma
was Welding tremendous production
of crude oil, and it looked as II there
were an unlimited supply. Every gal.
Ion of this oil contained from 25 to 80
per cent pure gasoline. About this
time American, refiners started export
ing large quantities Of gasoline to
Europe and the sale Of automobiles IN
this country was progressing by leaps
and bounds. Their suddenly the pro-
duction Of the Cushing wells began to
decline. Where formerly over three
hundred thousand barrels OF crude OIL
were obtained a day. now less tnan
sixty thousand are put on the market
The richness Of this oil apparently can
not be duplicated, the other wells
throughout the country yielding only
from Is to II per cent gasoline.
The demand for gasoline has in no
way abated with the declining supply
Large shipments are still required by
Europe, and the number of automo-
biles in use in this country is increas-
ing every month. At the beginning OF
1915. two, and quarter million auto
mobiles were in operation in the Unit
ed States: by January. 1917, it Is esti-
mated there will be over three and
quarter million, and by January; 1918.
over four and half million In use. In
addition to this, there are thousands
of motor trucks. farm tractors, station
airy gasoline engines, motor boats. etc
in operation throughout the country
all demanding gasoline.
Thus the situation is, indeed. critical
and not to be combatted by national
campaign for purity in gasoline. The
automobiles are at the mercy of the
automobile engineers and refiners. The
refiners are trying to economic on the
oil supply by distilling more gasoline
even II impure-from every gallon
of oil, while the automobile engineers
are attempting to improve the auto
mobile engine so that it will run on the
cruder product In many OF the newer
cars this improvement has been made.
and the owners are having no difficulty
with the gasoline sold at the city gar
ages. On the contrary, the owners OF
models a couple of years old are hav-
ing a great deal of trouble and are
therefore insisting upon a universal
gasoline standard. Such standard.
according to the bureau OF mines.
would only stop the scientific expert
ments of the relners and automobile
engineers, and send the price of gaso-