Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-02
March Was Exceptional Month From Point of Dealers Say
er and may be expected to come down

er and may be expected to come down
any day.
incidentally ] have II on pretty
good authority that oil producers, like
men In other lines, have been quick
10 take advantage OF the situation
and to temporarily advance prices
Just because they could. In fact
am told that in order to uphold prices
ana FOR speculation purposes, very
large proportion OF the oil wells OF
THIS country are actually plugged"
they are not pumping. Nor are
these wells controlled by Standard
Oil. They are independent FOR the
most part. Right now there are
three hundred thousand barrels of
crude petroleum in the big reservoirs
on the hill at OH City held for 50 per
barrel, and spectators aie paving
that and more. There's "war brides"
for youl
"Of course that condition cannot
last. In fact there liz evidence that
II Is about over. Producers nave been
taking the long prices of late at a rate
That viii surely readiust matters.
But you say, could not the pro-
dncers keep prices up by cortinua-
tion OF those tactics? The answer
Is that in normal peace times. just
as soon as gasoline IN this country
approaches 20 cents per gallon. Rus
san and Asiatic Oil come in in floods
on, like water soon finds its level
economically as well as physically.
Some will recall! that Just before
the war broke out, people on the Pa
ciiic coast points got the cleanest gas
oline they had had for years In
short, just as soon as the price of
gasoline reaches n certain level It be-
gins to flow back this way-and to
stop competition before II gets
serious, our distillers cut prices That
was the real reason for the various
price-cuttings in the past not the
supposed war" between the trust
and independents. Only the war pre-
vents that now.
There is an impression abroad
that the supply Will some time run
out. ! cant see it that way.
"For example, just consider this:
Whereas. formerly Only per cent
Of the crude oil was available for
gasoline, TODAY, because of improved
methods of distilling and improve
ments of carbureters and motors. 65
per cent OF all crude oil is rendered
suitable for engine consumption. And
new wells by the hundreds are being
opened up every day, and better pro-
cesses OF distillation. Oil experts tell
me that the need for kerosene
carbureter has passed-that they
now know how. and it only remains
to install the equipment. to break up
the kerosene molecules into gasoline
molecules, to render all that is now
sold for less than their value as COM
pared with other commodties-but
that is the whole story
Nov let us consider it from an
other angle-that of the automobile
user. He need feel no concern over
the present condition If he was sat
isfied with that which obtained, say
three years ago.
He is getting more miles per dol
lar today than he got then despite
the difference In price-even at war
time prices. And 1t may be ncws to
him. but 1t is n fact, that he is get
ting more miles per gallon out of
the low-test fuel today than he got
from his high-test gasoline then. And
there is less waste from evaporation,
etc.
Reason of course is the tremen-
dous improvement in carbureters,
motors, and in automobiles general
ly. Why, we use to think nothing
of 1t when our motors spit and
and back-fired on starting
in cold weather-with real gasoline"
too. Who ever experiences that trou-
BILE now? Why cold weather is the
same as warm to a good automobile
motor nowadays.