The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-08-18
Railroad Rates Forcing
Adoption Other Means
of Oil Transportation

Inc inconsistency ana cXOrDltance OF
the rates being charged by the rail-
roads for the transportation of petro-
leum products has forced the oil men
to seek a means of movement which
will permit them to transport with
out suffering loss in finance and
trade. Such action is not most de-
srous To those engaged in the petro-
leum industry, for 1t entails consid.
cradle expense, and even though
eventual results will bring them a
much greater profit than would any
movement over the railroads at the
present time, nevertheless the tight
ening OF finance has prevented many
Of the refiners and others from build.
ing other means of transportation
and as "A result the smaller plants
have suffered great loss of trade. and
will so continue to suffer until rail.
road rates are righted.
survey of the situation as re-
CARDS resorting to transportation
other than the railroads reveals con
clusivelyv that the railroads have lost
a great volume Of tonnage of petro.
leum and its products which they
formerly carried; that action Is being
taken at the present time and plans
are being developed for the future
which will greatly increase this di-
version OF traffic to less costly means
of transportation.
The chief development in this di-
rection Is a greatly increased use of
transportation by water on the ocean,
rivers. canals. and lakes. \ large
number of bulk stations have been
established on the navigable rivers
far into the interior, and on the At
lantic and Gulf coasts These bulk
stations are supplied by boat and
barge. From them petroleum pro-
ducts are delivered to other bulk sta
tons by greatly shortened rail hauls.
supplemented, IN all territories. by 1
constantly increasing use OF motor
trucks.
experimenting the use OF water
transportation there has been "a great
increase in short haul transportation
by motor truck. Deliveries In this
manner are being made for distances
ranging from 95 to 60 miles. Com
panies which have been using the
motor truck emphasizes the fact that
the reduced costs of purchasing. op.
Grating and maintaining trucks will
tend TO increase the present disparity
between costs ot trucks and short
haul rail deliveries.
Pipe lines are being adapted to tho
transportation Of refined oil. one
such line now transports refined oil
from rcfineries In Western pennsylva.
mia to the Atlantic scaboard. Further
extension OF pipe line transportation
Tor refined oils from the interior re-.
iinerios is a great possibility of tho
future.
Suffering most NJ tho present time
"n account uf the high frrigh ratos
for petroleum products are inland 70.
fmcrvs such as arr located In Ard
more. and which depend solely upon
the railroads by means of which to
market their products and which can.
not construct pine lines OF engage
other means ot transportation at the
present time. In the statement VI
Favcttc u, poN prominent member
NJ the petroleum industry who recent.
~ presented the situation before the
leading railroad executives ~ the
county. the status " the Atdmurc r,,-
fincrs is clearly described. Mr. BOWS
statement contains the following.
shippers Of petroleum pruducts which
rely almost wholly on the railroads
FOR transportation. II they are to sell
their products and offer the railroads
their tonnage. must have lair COM
pctitivc relation ~ transportation cos,
hs compared with those which can
Use other and cheaper means Of trans.
portaticn In other words. 1t is to the
interest NJ the railroads themselves TO
adjust their rates sn as to maintain
"a fair competitive relation based on
the oil transportation situation Rs Ii
actually exists and which is uniuue
among all the important commodities