Evening star., 1916-01-06
BIG JUMP SHOWN
IN GASOLINE PRICE
Advance of Ten Cents a GAL
lon Recorded in Washing
ton Since March 81.
INCREASE IS EXCEEDED
IN ONLY TWO OTHER CITIES
Reasons Assigned Are Decreased Oil
Supply and Greater Demand
for Refined Product.

Washington, D. c., is one Of the lead
ers in list of cities showing advances
in the price of gasoline since March 81
last. Ten cents a gallon is the jump
shown in the price of this commodity
in this city between March 81 and to-
day. That is exceeded in only two
other cities. Pittsburgh and Newark,
N j., which showed increases of IL and
II cents a gallon. respectively. dur
ing the same period.
Gasoline sold at wholesale in this city
on March 81 at 10h cents a gallon, and
today it is selling for 2oh cents. The
retail price here is 1 cent more.
The advances in other parts Of the
country range from to IL cents gal
Ion. Reports from New York indicate
that still higher prices may be ex-
pected, and the belief Is expressed in
the metropolis that 25 or 80 cent gaso-
line is not in the far distant future.
Reasons Assigned for Advance.
The advance is attributed by the Wall
Street Journal to, two causes, primar-
lily, decreasing oil supplies and an un-
usually large increase in the demand
for gasoline. For the time being de-
mand appears to be far in excess OF
refinery capacity of the country; and
that, Notwithstanding a big improve
ment in the methods of extracting gas
oline.
Passenger and commercial cars sold
in the year ended June 80 last. the
Journals article says further. amount
ed to more than 100000, or one-third
more than in the preceding year. Plans
Of the big automobile manufacturers
for the 1915-16 season indicate an out
put of about 100000 cars.
The Official figures show close to
100000 cars licensed in this country
in 1915. It is figured that next summer
the total will be not far from 2.1bO,-
900 cars, allowing 20 per cent for cars
which probably will be junked. In
1910, licensed cars in this country num-
bered only 425.000: in 1911, $4,000; in
1912. $4,000; in 1913. 1.1s1, 900; in 1914,
100000.
Estimates by Oil Men.
Oil men estimate that each car con-
sumes about 500 gallons of gasoline a
year on an average. At that rate auto
mobiles in use at present are consum-
ing gasoline to the extent Of slightly
more than 1.000,000,0o0 gallons a year.
Next summer consumption probably
will be at the rate of 1875, 100000 gal
Ions yearly.
But that is only a part of the story.
Export demand has placed heavy
burden on American ref1neries. Ship
ments to foreign countries are running
at the rate of about 25o.ooo.0oo gallons
a year.
Then there is the demand for gaso-
line for farm tractors and motor boats,
both important and growing items.
While nothing better than guess can
be made on it, consumption of gaso-
line is rapidly approaching the 2,ooo.-
900. 900 gallon mark.
The accompanying table compiled by
the Journal sets forth the current price
of gasoline. in cents per gallon. on a
tank wagon or garage basis, in the
larger cities of the United States. This
is compared with the price on March
81, and the advance in cents per gal
Ion.
Less Than Price to Consumers.
This price, of course, is several cents
below what the consumer has to pay
for his gas, that depending on the
quality of the gasoline, ETC.: