Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-09
RENzOL CONSIDERED
FUEL SUBSTITUTE
Gasoline Situation Becom
ing Acute and Something
Must Be Done.

lower fuel for the Hotoris''
These are:
The use of heavier distillates of
petroleum approaching kerosene.
An entirely acceptable Kerosene
carbureter. ~
General use of the cracking proc
esses of refining whereby gasoline is
made from kerosene and other less
valuable petroleum oils.
BenZol may be considered as Il SUD-
stitute for gasoline.
These means of relief are contained
in the letter from the secretary OF the
interior to the United States senate IN
answer to a resolution asking Tor an
inquiry into the production. consump-
don and price of gasoline.
Outside of this inquiry Motor PRINT
has interrogated several producers:
william II. Libby of the Standard on
company of New Jersey wrote under
date of February Z:
1--WE appreciate your courtesy III
offering us an opportunity of making
in your publication a statement on the
gasoline situation. Our answer IL
that the price of gasoline is simply
the result of the irresistible law OF
supply and demand. This company
is doing its utmost to meet the de-
mand at the most reasonable possible
price"
A representative Of Motor Print IN
Washington has found that the de-
partment of justice sidetracked
study of the gasoline question ana
passed 1t along to the federal trade
commission, which is now engaged III
,ome kind Of an investigation. In
1dition to isis Representative DOW
ell of Iowa has introduced resolu-
ton in congress calling for an inquiry
into the increasing cost of gasoline by
a congressional committee.
George White an oil producer ana
former member of congress from
Ohio, believes that increased pro1its
to the refner has something to do
with the present gasoline prices.
though probably less than the con.
suminS public generally supposes
He says further:
'The small independent refiners,
the men who had a struggle in less
prosperous days, are showing the evil
Jences of prosperity. They are IN
creasing the size and efficiency OF
their refining plants. II the little fel-
lows are making money, II IL reason
able to suppose that the bigger con-
Germs are making more money. l do
not charge that the Standard Oil com
pany is maintaining fictitiously
large price for gasoline. but If 1t were
doing so 1t would be conducting a
short sighted policy. The present
high prices are building up the little
independent refiners into strong COM
petitors. If the high prices last long
enough the Standard Oil company will
have more competition than at any
time since its formation"
II. ii. Tucker, jr., president of the
Uncio sam oil company. Kansas City,
Xan..in an interview for Motor Print,
says:
"Oil production in the Oklahoma
fields is being vigorously prosecuted.
None of the production is being
tanked for storage as $3.50 barrel
for crude oil means ready money for
the producer. Tankage stocks are
naturally at low ebb which fact. con-
sidered at first blush. lends verislmi-
jitude to the claim of the oil trust
that a petroleum famine is imminent.
This inspired propaganda is false and
the exact contrary is true as is proved
by the fact that 1915 was the nations
greatest year in petroleum produc-
This interview goes on to charge
the oil trust with an attempt to
create the idea that there is an i'm
mediate likelihood of a scarcity Of
crude oil "in its frenzied efforts to in.
duce promiscuous wildcatting," the
prospecting on bonanza scale for Oil
yools in all parts of the country Mr..
Tucker alleges tnat tnlS
rebounds with benefit to the oil
trust" particularly in discriminating
against rich oil fields which furnish
raw material to its successful competi-
tors"
In the figures given by the secre-
tarv of the interior to the senate it
was said that the production of gaso-
line has increased from $3.50, 600 bar
rels 1899 to 100000 barrels in
1909: 34.915,OOO in 1914, and 41.6O0,-
400 in 1915. Most of this gasoline is
consumed in the United States. the
export rate being as follows 297, 1000
barrels in 1899; 100000 barrels in
1909: 5000. 900 barrels in 1914, and
$500 600 barrels in 1915.
In answer to the question. What
fields and to what extent. are being
sxhausted." the interior department
gave this percentage of exhaustion of
the important fields: Appalachian,
"A per cent; Lima Indiana, SO per
cent: Illinois. 60 per cent; Md-COn-
tinent. so: North Texas, Al; North
vest Louisiana. a.: Gulf Coast, 70;
Colorado 79: Wyoming. 8: Califor-
MIA. "a.
Quoting further from the interior
department report:
Adjacent to or near many of the