Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 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
I Standardization; Will Help Local
Product of Gasoline.

Laws in Keeping With Federal
Y 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-W 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. 1t is of a hi0her
degree of Baume gravity. Prospective
producers, and there is much drilling
for oil in Montana, are very much in
terested in the proposed STANDARDIZED
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 ex-
pected that the Montana legislature
!, will, at its Forthcoming session, enact
\ a law in conformity with the federal
Standardization. In fact, the real pur-
pose of the "pure gasoline" inquiry
which the bureau of standards OF the
department Of commerce is now con-
: Quoting is to provide accurate scienti-
fic data, for the time is believed to be
: fast approaching, when the quality of
g the gasoline now being sold will be
: frowned upon by the law. The trou-
e BILE with the gasoline of 1915 is its
kerosene constituent.
For more than a year inquiries have
been pouring in upon the bureau from
+ trade and commercial organizations
from coast to coast, all asking:
"What is pure motor gasoline9'
In almost every case the question
was ACCOMPANIED by convincing proof
J that the fuel sold as "gasoline' bv
} garages and other sources of supply
contained a kerosene constituent that
r ranged anywhere from 5 per cent to
Is per cent of the fluid mass.
Investigation Under Way.
VERY recently the board of trade
of the District of Columbia started {
campaign in the interest of purer gas
n oline. The bureau of standards was
+ called upon to inaugurate a series Of
9 tests which would fix a standard fol
: gasoline, so that the board could bring
n prosecutions under a local statute
r which provided a penalty for false
II advertising.
The board was successful in obtain.
= ing the cooperation not only of the
a bureau Of standards but OF the fed.
eral bureau of mines as well, and a
this time the gasoline probe is wei
under way. 1t was started, bureau
y officials pointed out, because of the
, almost inevitable demand for "pure
q gasoline" laws which is expected r.
e come within the next few months.
The development of the gasoline en-
IS CINE has made possible the use of {
certain kerosene content in all gaso
line sold for fuel. This constituent wal
low in the first days of gasoline adul
teration, but it has increased montl
by month until it is now so large tina
6 it will leave a film Of grease on clotl
v dipped in the ordinary grade of motto
gasoline.
s. Has Caused Much Trouble.
The increasing of the kerosene adul
iteration has caused motorists endles
trouble, such as the cloggings of CYL
inders with a carbon deposit, and S
q poor is the ordinary grade Of gasolin
that certain firms are charging highe
prices for the pure product. The bu
reau of standards believes the tim
is not far off when alhstates will pas
70 laws aimed at this evil.
No effort, however, to pass a ma
IS tional pure gasoline law will be made
lie it is believed; the matter will be LET
ID solely to the states but the bureau o
standards expects to be in a position
soon to furnish legislators with dat
upon which such laws must be based
)S The work of adopting an absolut
IS standard for pure gasoline is altoge
Their too technically scientific to b
re easily understood by the lay mine
I'd vet it can be summed up by savin
as that the bureau experts must deter
mine at what temperature a real case
line distillate may be drawn from tn
petroleum Chase"
y