Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-04
GAS SITUATION SEEMS
IN HOPELESS MIDDLE
frico Predicted at 40 Cents Per
Gallon by August, but This
Is Nero Guess,

Rchmond automobile dealers be-
hevo that no one Is in F., posi,,o, -,
ms time to predict what the price of
s"S''Htc is going to be in August.
! report went out last week that by
inns stage OF the season motorists
WIZ pc aShed 10 pay 40 cents a gallon
ior the stun that makes the wheels
20 around. This may turn out 10 he
M Gaze, as every one knows that ths
trend Is inward. Hut for n man 10
TOOK ahead nix months and tell what
~. market Is going To do is almost
W. VI ,hc question. oil men in this
c.tS Say Ihos. who were sounded
OUT on tho subject sa; when i. comes
~ 'ri!shg the price OF gasoline SIX
,''hths hence one guess Is liable to
De as good az the other.
"ndi'loha are likely 70 change
"tth!h Inc next few months. ard gas-
o!!hc ma: not be as extensive ~
som" ARE wont to believe Since the
Hrs' OF the year tn. increase per
ihonth haS s,ccI "a little more than Il
ccht gallon. Around tire FIRST Of
January gasoline was selling for %
cents gallon. 1t Is now up 10 90
cents gallon. At this rate Of ad-
vance some speed Will have to be
pichcd up In order to reach the high
price guessed at for August. There
is shortage In crude oil. and this
shortage Is not easing of any al this
time However, one OF tho leading
OIL men In town states that things
may take change for the better
within q short time.
Motor-car manufacturers have been
cooperating with oil men in an eff
tort 10 conserve fuel and keep down
the prices. Since the automobile in
dustry ~ organized to keep Il stric:
watch over the gasoline market. any
radical increases In the price or gas
oiinc are apt TO meet with some keen
opposition. while the prices have
been increasing. the grade Of gasoline
has been decreasing. The poor grade
OF gasoline liz the cause OF much
study on the part OF the engineering
departments OF the various !nanufac-
turs-s
The tack OF real explosive power
In the present grade not only in
dmccs poor mileage. but causes rapid
carbonization. Necessity IL the
mother. OF invention, and motor-car
manufacturers are taking steps TO
meet this situation. Many cars are
now being equipped with prcheaters
and raporiz.rs. which no, only give
higher mileage. but help TO keep the
motor free from carbon. The time
~ coming when cars Will give
greater mileage than what they are
doing a; the present time.
While gasoline Increased / cent a
gallon here last week. in New York
the increase was cents gallon. II
Is said that motor-car owners in and
around Ncw York have been paying
all the way from 81 10 81 cents gall
lon. this being mere pronteering.
since the wholesale price !s 4 trinc
more than IS cents gallon The
National Automobile Chamcbr OF
Commerce has been dcvoting cons!d-
cradle attention TO gasoline prices.
and the necessity OF protective meas
ures are urged.
while the conserving In gasoline
was strongly urged during the war.
and was sufficiently adhered to 70
show ap2reciable results. II Is said
that less care has been shown since
the signing of tho armisticc. and a
strong plea Is being sent out by tho
Automobile Chamber OF Commerce TO
prevent waste. II the mileage ca
pac!,y OF gallon Of gasoline could
be doubled. the future would be i'm
mcnsclv relieved. This is primarily
an engineering problem. and mem