Arizona republican., 1920-12-26
Rio Grande Oil Co. Establishes
 Branch Wholesale Business Here

When the property and buildings of the newly located Rio Grande oil com p2ny are put in shape for business. the Fnoenix investment of the Texas firm VIII run to well over the quarter mill Hon mark, according to l.. M. Lock- mart secretary and treasurer of the company, who has been in Phoenix getting the new business in readiness. On November 1 the Rio Grande oil company bought out the wholesale kerosene, gasoline and distillate branch or the Wilky- Wartman Oil company of Phoenix, together with the warehouse and property south of the Santa Fe tracks between Fifteenth and Sixteenth avenues.
 The Rio Grande Oil company" MT. Lockhart informed a reporter, has it's own oil leases in the Oklahoma, Loui- siana and Texas fields. We handle the oil from the time it comes out of the ground, until it reaches the retail store or station. At present we are taking oil out of the Desdemona field, in the Ranger district, and are refining it at El Paso where our central offices are located. We now, have established branches at Deming, Silver City. Co., lumbus and Las Cruces, New Mexico, Phoenix is our newest location. and we are planning to establish other branch
 
 distribute from here to all parts of the state.
 We handle only a wholesale busi- ness. and it covers gasoline. kerosene, distiIlate. gas oil or tops" and lubri- eating oils. Our gasoline. greases and motor oils are sold under the brand name of Speedway. and our distillate, gas oil and so forth are known by the trade name of Rio.
 Five years ago, the Rio Grande oil company was organized. and incor- porated under the laws of the state of Texas with a capitalization of $750,00O. The personnel consists of the six Lock hart brothers, with l.. E. Lockhart, president; H. l.. Lockhart, first vice president; A. M. Lockhart, second vice president, and l.. NJ. Lockhart, secre- tary and treasurer. Lynn Lockhart is in charge of the Phoenix office of the company.
 Will Improve Property
 Present plans for the Phoenix branch are very extensive. They in- ciude the remodeling and improvement of the warehouse and office building, grading, clearing and paving of the company grounds, and the approach from Jackson street, as well as the tearing down of the present oil tanks on the Santa Fe railroad property, and the building of new tanks on our own property.
 We are also planning to install oil storage tanks with a 50.000 gallon ca- pacity, in addition to our present ca- pacity of 75,000 gallons. There are now 1T5 oil tank cars in operation between here and Fl Paso. The company plans to keep on hand at all times in Fl Pasc 100000 gallons of gasoline and other of our refinery products in proportion in order that there may never be gas shortage in our branches.
 We have our own oil production with a constantly increasing supply frpm the ground to the retail mer- chants. Ours is strictly western or ganization, and the stock is all owned by residents of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The property investment ot the company now totals more thar st 250.000 in the west. and is increasing very rapidly. As fast as the company can put in new stations and equip ment, it is increasing its holdings throughout the southwest.
 The Phoenix investment alone vii run over 250,000 when the work oi building a garage and repair shop ana tanks. improving the grounds and ap- breaches, and reconstructing the ware house and office building is completed and all the equipment installed.
 "The present oil storage is beins moved from the Santa Fe propert! across the tracks to our own. We ex