Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-06-03
Salem Gasoline Supply
Sufficient for Needs If
Sane Economy Practiced

Salem and the rural districts imme-
diately surrounding II must get along
with approximately so per cent of its
normal gasoline supply during June
and until such time after July as n
necessary TO bring the gasoline situai
fion TO normal.
This is the outstanding fact brought
10 light at a session Of the Salem Auto
mobile Dealers association, at which
representatives of the oil companies
and newspaper men were present. at
the Marion hotel, Thursday noon.
So far as Salem alone is concerned
the gasoline shortage is not acute In
the sense that anyone needing gasoline
will not be supplied, it was establish
ed from reports Of the oil companies,
but shortage Of gasoline exists here
AS elsewhere and will continue until
the Standard and Union oil companies
are again supplying their local dealers
with normal supplies OF the product.
Salem and its tributary territory is
assured of about 5000 gallons Of gaso-
line day for the remainder of the
month, was the statement made by r.
o. Smelling, local manager for the As-
ISOLATED Oil company. who only this
morning completed an unofficial sur
vey of the situation as it exists hars
This represents an assurance that The
daily supply for Salem during the
month will be 26O0 gallons from the
Associated company, 2000 gallons from
she Shell company and a combined
supply Of 1900 gallons for the Stan0.
ard and Union companies. These Zig.
ures Mr.. Smelling explained, were onl,
estimates.
The discussion brought out the fa@t
that there are two principal reasons
whyrthe supply now available will not
meet the normal demands of this com
anunity: the shortage ef gasoline beng
shipped here by the Standard and Un-
zon companies, which unduly taxes the
sinormal supplies of the other compa-
mics, and the fact that motorists from
Dther sections of the valley, where the
gasoline supply is low or entirely ex-
hausted, are coming to Salem to SUP.
ply their wants
The dealers were almost unanimous
In agreement with the assertion or mr.. |
Smelling that trucks and other motor
vehicles used for commercial and in
nustrlal purposes must be given pref
erence in the sale of gas, and It is esti-
mated that full two-thirds of 5000 gall
Ions available daily are needed for
these classes OF vehicles, which in
cludes pleasure cars and motorcycles
that are used by people In pursuit Of |
their business
The normal consumption OF gasoline
In the Salem territory is near 10000
gallons. sATSW
Rough estimates place the supply
available to pleasure cars in this vi
cinity for the remainder Of the month
and until the situation improves at
1000 gallons daily, which is considered
sufficient II reasonable economy Is
praetised. sMMl
One dealer pointed out that he
shortage does not mean that pleasure
cars must be stored away, but that the !
man who Is In the habit of taking go |
mile pleasure jaunts over the week.
END must content himself with trips OF
"a third that length. IN
The concensus OF opinion at today's
meeting was that the reckless use,
waste and boarding of gasoline should
be stopped; that II the automobile us
ers will buy and use only reasonable
amounts of fuel the Salem district will
be able to get by on the present sup
ply without compelling owners Of
strictly pleasure cars to abandon use
of their machine until the shortage
has passed.
II is estimated from available re-
ports that the supply should return to
normal, or nearly normal throughouv
the state between July Is and August
/.
Several dealers expressed the s,p,-
ion that gasoline for ioy-riding pur-
poses should be absolutely refused and
that dealers should guard strictly
against allowing their customers to
hoard Juice
PORTLAND MEETING URGES