New-York tribune., 1918-08-29
Mark L. Requa, Oil Direc.
tor, Puts Fifth Av. Buses
in Class Affected
No Labor Day Trips
Weekend Vacations Spoiled
by Fuel Administrations
Latest "Request"


ing cars yesterday will stand out as
one Of the blackest Of the black spots
of the great war.
Thousands of other New Workers
will recall it as the day when their
carefully laid plans for double holi-
day auto-trip next Sunday and Mon
day, over Labor Day, were knocked
sky-high by the Federal Fuel Admin
istration's request that automobiling
for pleasure on Sundays be discarded
as q war measure to save gasolene.
As if to assuage the grief Of those
most keenly affected by this request,
fuel administration officials yesterday
issued a statement estimating that
nearly 100000 gallons of gasolene
will be saved each Sunday by the non
use of motor vehicles.
Nearly 100000 Cars Affected
Fuel Administrator Garfield esti-
mated that east of the Mississippi, the
only region affected by his request,
there are about 100000 motor-driven
trucks to which the restrictions do not
apply. The estimated saving is based
on the use of an average of two gallons
of gasoene a day for each of the
3,8O0,0Q0 cars affected.
On the same basis the saving of
gasolene by New York City each Sun
day may be estimated at nearly 300,-
900 gallons. The Automobile License
Bureau of the Secretary of States Of
fee announced that. there were 136,284
passenger cars in the greater city, and
38,702 commercial cars.
The necessity of some saving meas
ure is indicated by figures compiled
some time ago by the National Auto
mobile Chamber of Commerce, 7 West
Forty-second Street. These figures
dealing with the daily national pro-
duction--estimated at 6,849 900 gallons
consumption, waste and possible saw
ings follow:
Essential daily needs for motor We
Essential % daily need for motor '''''''''
boats. stationary and traction
engines. airplanes. cleaning. etc. 2.04s,000
DAILY war needs. ................. 9o9.OO0
Total essential daily consumption 6.307 900
Surplus Left
This leaves a comfortable margin of
more than a half million gallons of
daily production over what is abso-
lutely needed for the country's indus
tries. war purposes and pleasure tour
ing. But we have not finished the
gasolene story told by the figures of
the National Automobile Chamber of
Commerce, which estimates that there
are nearly 100000 gallons of gaso-
lene, not included in the above figures,
wasted daily as follows:
Gallons
Tank wagon losses ............... 1900
Wasted at garages ............... 81 900
Used for washing ............... l08 0OC
Motors running idle 1890. 100000
41s t.1
bureters ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. III 400
Needless of ............. 897, 400
Total daily waste ..... 1901 900
In other words, according to these
statistics, the country is now wasting
% per cent of its gasolene production.
and running behind nearly 100000
gallons per day, simply because there
is daily waste of 100000 gallons.
1t was pointed out by the compilers
of these statistics that if the fuel ad-
ministration could effect gasolene saw
ing plan whereby 100000 gallons
could be saved per day, or 10,5O0,0O0
gallons per week, it would beat the
Sunday prohibition measure, estimated
to save 100000 gallons per week.
To those most severely affected by
the new ruling-the officials of taxi
cab companies and owners of sight
seeing cars-the news came like the
announcement of personal disaster.
The sightseeing car owners announced
that they would appeal Immediately to
the fuel administration for an exemp-
ton from the Sunday prohibition.
Eugene Johnson, president of the
Sightseeing Car Owners Association,
said there were about seventy-fve
"rubberneck" wagons in the city, and
that the owners counted on making
most of their money SUNDAYS. He said
Col1 q
per cent tax on all Coney Island trips.
and that 80 per cent of the govern
ment's tax revenue came out of the
Sunday receipts.
Notices To Be Posted
An official of the Black and White
Taxi Company, said notices would be
posted in all garages nstructinp
starters and drivers to accept no calls
for taxicabs on Sundays except for
essential business. He explained that
the company was common carrier
and was therefore obliged to respond
TO certain calls, such as carrying per-
sons to and from trains, and taking
physicians to see their patients.
According to Mark l.. Requa, chief of
the oil section of the fuel administra-
tion, Fifth Avenue buses are among
the vehicles which ought to suspend
operations on Sunday in response to
'he request un!eSS by 80 dong the COM
pany would forfeit it's franchises. Mr..
Requa ciassed the buses not as a pub
lie utility, but as vehicles for hire. -
Mr.. Requa said that taxicabs used as
conveyances to and from railroad sta
tons and other points also come with
IN the request OF the fuel administra-
ton.
j. A. Hemstree;, representing the
American Automobile Association. an
organization of 10000 AUTOMOBILES
owners throughout the country. said
that the association had at once issued
circulars to all its members, asking
them to accede to the request of Fu6
Administrator Garfield and to do their
utmost to save gasolene.
The United States Railroad Admins
trasion and the rapid transit Companies
are preparing for rushing business next
Sunday. Heretofore the heaviest Sun
dav automobile travel has been directed
toward Camp Upton and other training
camps in this vicinity.
Police Comms mssioner Enripht said
yesterday that he had received no in.
structions from Washington concern
ing the enforcement Of the requests to
motorists to refrain from using auto
mobiles on Sunday to save gagolene.
II instructions were received, the Com
missioner declared, they would be car
ried out strictly.