The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-16
GASPRICE WAR NOW GAINING IN MOMENTUM
Efforts Made To Keep Cost
 In States Where Reduction
 Made And Lower It In Those Where Cut Has Not Been Big OIL MEN TRY TO MAKE BEST OF THEIR PROBLEM
Public, After Its First Buying
 Spree, Continues To Lay Up Large Quantities Of Fuel. Quotations Vary Greatly

CHICAGO, August 15-The great gasoline price war continued to gain momentum Wednesday, as efforts went forward through various agen- cies, official and unofficial to keep the rriee down in states where price slashing has already been effected and to force similar cuts in other states less fortunate.
 The motoring public of the middle west aft9r it's first buying jag of Tuesday continued to buy heavily and to lay in private stocks of gaso- gine, while some oil men admitted that present prices were likely to continue for some months to come and that after a readjustment in the crude oil market, refiners and mar keters would be able to operate at a profit
 There seemed to be more of a tendency among oil men to make the best of the situation and to try to operate on the low price basis until the present oversupply of crude oil is exhausted.
 New Drop May Come.
 Already the increased volume of sales has helped ameliorate the con dition of independents, who have de- clared they face ruin, and in St. Louis it was even predicted that a further 2-cent drop would soon bring the price per gallon down to 139 cents. D. H. Cohen, president of the Puritan oil company of that city, op- erating 70 filling stations, said this might be expected in a rew days.
 The price-cutting movement spread to the east when companies along the Atlantic seaboard announced reduf- tions of from one-half to cents A gallon. while the 66 cents cut of the Standard oil Company of Indiana re- mained in effect in 12 states, esti- mated to be saving consumers SI,- 100000 a day.
 Ten Cents in Dallas.
 Gas" sold in Dallas, Tex, Wednes- day for as low as 10 cents gallon, while. according to reports to the United News. some remote regions of California were still paying as high as 50 cents-in spite of the fact that the tremendous surplus of crude oil is attributed to the new wells of that state. Prices paid in other states in- ciuded; Oklahoma, 17 cents; Kansas and Missouri. 15.9 cents; Louisiana 16.5 cents; Michigan, 16.S cents; New 1ork and New Jersey 23 to % cents; Kentucky Florida, Mississippi, Geor- gia and Alabama, 21 cents; Illinois, Iowa, " lSCOnSiltt NOINh anu A'S U eA Dakota 14 to IT cents; Oregon tin- eluding 8 cents taX), 2I cents; Cali fornia. from 12 cents in Los Angeles to 50 cents in remote regions Colo rado, 19 cents; New Mexico, 22 cents wyoming, 1S1s cents Minnesota. l6.9 to 1S6 cents; Ohio. 22 cents Penn syIvania, 22 cents; New England states, 22 cents; Indiana, lS.2 cents.
 o O Q
 CurtaiI Production.
 Meanwhile, in Oklahoma producing centers, refiners are attempting to meet the situation by curtailing pro- duction. Many refineries have cut their daily runs approx imately in half A few large independents closed down the first of August. be- for the war began
 Governor Vie Donahey of Ohio early in the day appealed to Presi- dent Coolidge for cheaper gas for hls state, charging that the big oil com : hines were discriminating against Ohio by charging 16 cents for gaso- line in the bordering state of In diana against 22 cents across the line. e.. Do kota. who inaugurated the big war when he ordered a state supply sta tion to sell gasoline for 10 cents, hSs d:savowed any intention to call OH tba war" but says if the producers and distributors will continue al nresent prices, the state will not at- tempt to compete with them. Mean while believing that 16 cents IS fair price at which profit can pc made. he will try to make certain ol jt bIy an investigation already under way.