Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-24
Thirty Years Of Gasoline
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

| line soaring beyond the reach OF all
but the oppulent.
In the past, little economy has been
practiced with our natural resources.
Our unlimited oil supply was taken
for granted. Only within the last few
years have a few far seeing Americans
begun to consider the possibility OF an
oil exhaustion. A government scien-
tist for example. developed the famous
cracking process by which larger
proportion of crude oil is converted IN
to gasoline than under the old process.
Refineries in all parts of the country
are now employing this method, and 1t
is estimated that more than five mil
lions barrels of gasoline will be pro-
duced this year by it. But economy Is
only putting off the evil day. II new
oil wells are not discovered in the
meantime-which is considered highly
improbable by the geological survey
at the end of thirty years there will be
no crude oil left to economic on. For
this reason, the government chemists
are not attempting to develop prac-
teal substitute.
J Alcohol, Of course. presents the most
obvious, substitute, and numerous ex-
periments have been conducted along
this line. One chemist not long ago
resigned his position with a we'll known
oil Arm and started raising large guam.
titles of potatoes on small farm. with
the idea of converting them into alco-
hol. Unfortunately, however the pro-
cess of converting vegetables into al
cohol is an expensive one, and the
chemist found to his disgust that the
potatoes were much more profitable
when sold as potatoes and not as fuel.
Another chemist made the amazing
discovery that an automobile could be
run on fuel consisting Of water; that
is, the oxygen and hydrogen contained
in water. This too, proved impractical
because the processes OF separating
the various chemicals were much too
elaborate and costly Natural gas, al
so. has never been able to compete
with gasoline. But all OF these sub
stitutes present possibilities Chem
lists all over the country are pursuing
experiments along these lines and the
scientists in the scientific laboratory OF
| the bureau of mines, are studying each
one with the object of developing a
cheap process Of producing 1t that will
compete with gasoline.
Quite recently the bureau Of mines
has begun series Of experiments with
another chemical This is benzol. 1t
seems that the bureau is convinced
, that the Germans are now using ben
/ zol to operate their motors In the
place of gasoline, from which they are
cut Off Benzol is by product Of coal.
and by products of coal have always
been extensively used in Germany. In
this country by products have been ig.
nored until recently. Now one firm in
Denver claims to have put benzol on 2
practical basis and tn be operating
automobiles with it. They have heen
obtaining the fluid from Ignite and re-
! finire IT, AS their first successful dem
onstratinn. they drove an automobile
Ioperated by benzol to the top Of Pixies
Peak and back. but no announcement
has been made concerning the cost OF
the fuel 1t is doubtful. however. If
!, the trip was made as ebeaply as il the
fuel used had been gasoline.
| Thus many substitutes have been
suggested. but none as yet has been
found that can take the place of gaso-
line. even at the present high price.
Relief may come in the oil resources
of other nations Mexico and Russia
still have large urdeveloped oil de.
posts and American representatives
are now in China in the belief that oil
may be discovered there-but in any
case it will only be temporary. There
is a limit to the earths oil supnly. I'm
der these circumstances the automobile
list of the present generation may con-
slider himself fortunate to pay only
thirtv-three cents a gallon for gasoline
which sometimes will not run his car.
for the day may soon come when he
will be struggling with exorbitant fue!
made from potatoes or benZol.