The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-11-17
UNCLE SAM FOR
PURE GASOLINE
GOVERNMENT EXPERTS WILL
SHORTLY ANNOUNCE ABB
SOLUTE STANDARD.

State Legislatures Expected to Pass
Laws in Keeping With Federal
Standardization; Will Help Local
Product of Gasoline.
Montana producers Of gasoline will
be affected advantageously by the
standardization of gasoline, which has
been undertaken by the federal gov
eminent The production Of gasoline
in this state is limited to the output
OF that portion Of the rich Elk Basin
field which is on this side Of the Mon
tana-Wyoming boundary, and in
which portion of the field there are
now more than 80 producing wells
The gasoline that comes from the
Elk Basin, and from all the northern
Wyoming fields for that matter, is
vastly superior to the fluid that comes
from other fields. Tt is Of hiohel
degree of Baume gravity. Prospective
producers. and there is much drilling
for oil in Montana, are very much in
terested in the proposed standardiza-
ton.
The government has set to work a
corps of experts who will shortly an
nounce an absolute standard of motor
fuel which will be available to the
lawmakers of the state, and it is eN-
pected that the Montana legislature
will, at it's forthcoming session, enact
law in conformity with the federal
Standardization. In fact, the real pu1
pose Of the "pure gasoline" inquiry
which the bureau of standards Of the
department Of commerce is now con-
ducting is to provide accurate scienti-
fic data, for the time is believed to be
fast approaching, when the quality of
the gasoline now being sold will be
frowned upon by the law. The trou-
BILE with the gasoline of 1916 is its
kerosene constituent.
For more than year inquiries have
been pouring in upon the bureau from
trade and commercial ORGANIZATIONS
from coast to coast, all asking:
"What is pure motor gasoline?"
In almost every case the question
was accompanied by convincing proof
that the fuel sold as "gasoline' hv
garages and other sources of supply
contained kerosene constituent that
ranged anywhere from S per cent to
Is per cent Of the flnid mass.
Investigation Under Way.
Very recently the board of trade
of the District Of Columbia started a
campaign in the interest of purer gas
cline. The bureau of standards was
called upon to inaugurate series of
tests which would fix a standard for
gasoline, so that the board could bring
under local statute
which provided penalty for false
The board was successful in obtain
ing the cooperation not only of theE
bureau Of standards but OF the fed
eral bureau Of mines as well, and al
this time the gasoline probe is well
under way. It was started, bureau
officials pointed out, because of the
almost inevitable demand for "purc
gasoline' laws which IS expected t"
come within the next few months.
The development of the gasoline en-
CINE has made possible the use of a
certain kerosene content in all gaso-
inc sold for fuel This constituent was
ow in the first days Of gasoline adu]-
teration, but it has increased month
by month until it is now so large that
It will leave a film of grease on cloth
Tipped in the ordinary grade Of motor
gasoline.
Has Caused Much Trouble.
The increasing Of the kerosene adul-
5eration has caused motorists endless
;rouble, such as the clogging of cyl
nders with carbon deposit, and so
Door is the ordinary grade of gasoline
hat certain firms are charging higher
prices for the pure product. The bu-
eau of standards believes the time
s not far off when all states will pass
avs aimed at this evil.
No effort, however, to pass a ma
ional pure gasoline law will be made,
t is believed; the matter will be left
solely to the states but the bureau of
standards expects to be in a position
oon to furnish legislators with data
,pon which such laws must be based.
The work Of adopting an absolute
tandard for pure gasoline is altoge-
her too technically scientific to be
asily understood by the lay mind.
'et it can be summed up by saying
hat the bureau experts must deter
nine at what temperature real gaso-
inc distillate may be drawn from the
petroleum Chase"