The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-26
GASOLINE WORRY
Is EXAGGERATED
Present Conditions Cannot
Last Long According to
an Expert.
PLENTY OF OIL ALWAYS

- can't SEC the a for all this OK.
clement about the price II gasolen,"
says Horace 7. Thomas. chief engineer
- tho REQ Motor Car Company, "nor
,au I understand why some folks who
olrht 10 know better take the matter
:, seriously.
'pf curse If there were the slightest
ct.u!cO VI 40 cent gasolenc iu the near
'ltuf,. or even a chance that the tres-
rrt prices would continue, II would ,m
different. But any one with even tho
most superficial knowledge of conditions
hnows hat is impossible.
"No ono worries about the price OF
o'umiuum-though that is now twice It's
ucrral price. Nur brass nor lead.
The pricv OF steel is high-tr,, M.
'.rdy suppusos for Il momen, that thos,
prices viii obtain after the European
war - over.
War conditions and war prices is
'he answer to the gasoleue situation. AS
~ the others.
so far a. New York Is concerned
that city is an exception to every rule
anyway. At this time 1t Is Impossible
20 ship freight into New York, so most
e; :, IS hauled from far distant POINTS
nd tho rest is shipped in by express,
That Is the reason for New York's 30
'ent per gallon. and'of course 1t is for
he moment only.
I'VE are exporting tremendous quan-
'i:ies OF gssolene 10 Europe. In fact,
Irce the Calician. Rumanian and Rus
san aelds are inactive We are supply
'ng the world with gasolene as well as
.tl other petroleum products.
81 noticed the other day that twelve
zig tank steamers had cleared on the
4re day-ihe biggest days shipment
ever made. And every available tank
ship IL la service. The Standard OIL
company is rushing work on thirty OF
Tie largest tank steamers ever built.
why. just think Practically all the
ccok.ne at the front is done with gaso-
lcre. Then there are 10000 motor
'-lchs 70 be fed as well as ,ny-iads OF
greedy seroplancs. Every automobile In
Europe is doing double duty-ald little
t;ention can be paid 20 economy in
taat service. Tremendous quantities
Jre destroyed too IN storage places by
'rn1 y aircraft and shells.
surely there's ample reason for the
resent shortage and for the present
rr.ces. They are wartime conditions 4:
nat is al. And they will end with
'hc wal. In fact We are at the peak
now-prices will go no higher and may
D. expected to come dow any day.
some will recall that just before the
war broke out. people on the Pacific
,oas, became alarmed at the soaring
n-icss and feared they would continue.
y company was financed 10 bring Ash
Jtc caso,ene over-and Immediately
hereafter Pacific coast points got the
cheapest gasolene they had had for
years. In short, Just as soon as the
rice Of vasolenc reaches "A certain
loyel IL begins to How back this way
nd 10 stop competition before 1t gets
-srious, our distillers cut prices. That
was the real reason for the various price
outings IN the past not the supposed
war between the trust and !ndepen-
dents. only the war prevents that now.
There is AN impression abroad h a
tho supply Will SOME time run out. !
ant see IL that way.
For example. just consider this
Whereas formerly only per cent.
= the crude oil was available for gaso-
lane. to-day, because OF improved meth
IA " distilling and improvements OF
irbureters and motors, 90 per cent
Z al crude oil is rendered suitable
fr engine consumption n new
Wells 10y lunITeus are belll- 'l''l'' w
very day and better processes OF distil-
alton.
"Bunk-that stuff about "A shortage
rure bunk. Its like the tales OF eN'
iausted coal fields and timber forests
No generation now living Will see thN
shor,aye. Time was when those com
uol!ties were wastefully used and sold
fr less than their value as compared
with other commodities, but that IL the
whole story.
"Now let us consider II from another
lrgle that OF the automobile user. Hr
ecl feel 40 concern over the present
eoudtiun # he was satisfied with thai
which obtained. say. three Years ago
"'Ie Is getting more miles per dollar
',-lly thau he got then despite tn" dif-
ference in price. even at wartime prices
md Il may be news to him. but 1t Is I:
ct. that he il getting more miles pei
Gallon out Of the low tset fucI today
nan lac 20, from his high test sasolene
'sn"