Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-06-04
Owners Can
Prevent Gas
Famine Here

Fdnllne Here
Whether Or not gasoline for pleas
ure cars is to be seriously restricted in
Salem and the territory tributary to It
rests entirely with pleasure ear owners
This, in a nut shell, is the result of
findings in an investigation of the stu
alton made here today.
Supply Cut in Half.
Salem's gasoline supply today is
about so per cent of the normal con-
sumption and win remain cose around
this figure until the latter part of jury.
according to present indications. Out
OF this half-normal supply commercial
trucks, tractors, spraying machines.
other motor driven farm and orchard
implements and passenger cars used
for strictly business purposes must be
served first. The surplus will go to
pleasure cars.
While it is impossible to state ex-
actly what portion Of the $500 or 6coo
gallons available here daily under pres
ent conditions will be for sale to pleas
ure drivers "a rough estimate places
the amount at 1900 gallons per day, or
sufficient to allow the owner OF every
pleasure vehicle a reasonable mileage
out of mis- machine for recreational
purposes.
Economy Is Necessary.
Eighteen hundred gallons of gssn-
line is sufficient to propel the pleasure
cars of Salem and vicinity in the neigh
borhood of $1,000 miles. But that
daily mileage does not allow for sense
less joyrides and unthinking waste of
motor fuel, if all of the PLEASURE car
owners in the district are to be pro-
vided with gasoline in reason amounts.
Think of the other fellow" has got
to be the solgan of motorists here if
ESSENTIAL industries are to be protected
and pleasure cars kept in operation.
Blame for the present shortage is
placed squarely on ahe shoulders Of
the Standard and Union oil compan-
les Despite the pleas of the compan-
les that they would be able to fully
supply the Oregon market If the SC
gravity test law was withdrawn, and
the subsequent action of Governor
Olcott in announcing that violation
of the So gravity test provision would
be allowed to go unprosecuted. the
Standard and Union companies have
failed completely to relieve the short
age in any manner.
For the present month the gasoline
allowance Of the Salem agency of the
Union oil company is but one fifth Of
its normal supply, according to the
local manager, and this condition is
expected to last throughout the
summer.
The local manager of the Standard
station also reports that their sup
ply for the month of June is but one
fifth of normal. He is unable to give
any assurance of when an improve
ment in the situation may be expect
ed.
Both the Union and Standard COM
panies are giving first preference 10
trucks, tractors and commercial ve-
hicles and will continue to do SO they
With these two companies supply
ing only a fifth of their normal daily
output an abnormal strain has been
put ON the Associated and Shell COM
panies and they are unable to fill the
gap, despite the fact that the Associat-
ed is receiving its normal supply and
the Shell people are distributing so
percent more gasoline today than they
did a year ago, according to Chas r.
Archerd, local manager for the Shell
Both of the latter companies are
caring for commercial vehicles direct,
the Associated filling the orders of
trucks at their supply yards, while
the Shell company is handling this
class of trade from its retail station
on State street.
The needs of the farmers, both as
to fuel to run their necessary machin-
cry and for the cars they use in go
ing to and from town on necessary
business, are being given first consid-
Grafton. Other commercial cars are
next TO be cared for and the remaining
supply is to go to pleasure cars.