The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-14
HERE'S MORE ABOUT
GAS
STARTS ON PAGE L

In South Dakota. where tho price
explosion" was started by tiny
flame applied by Gov W. II. Nc.
Masters. became effective Saturday,
bat was Included IN The Standards
announcement Of the general de.
crease
Tho price war" was attributed Al.
reciiy 70 McMnsterr Public ren,i
ment. which hns long been shoulder.
Ing against what officials termed
"crorhliantly high" prices and huge
stock dividends BY oil companies"
was stirred by his success IN forcing
the Standard oil company 10 capltu.
late. His method was simple. After
tho Standard refused his demand for
cut from tho 20 cents then charged
In South Dakota. ho ordered tho
Mitchell. 8 d. state highway depot
70 sell 10 the public az 10 cents. lie
ALSO started plans 10 dump half a
million gallons on the market thru
state filling stations
Aftcr day OF this tho STANDARD
met the isccnt price. Independents
and other companies followed. North
Dako,n. Nebraska, Iowa and other
states took their cue and wired Dc.
nands for similar general cuts by tho
Standard. their governors claiming
unjust discrimination.
Some fears wcrc expressed TIM, tho
low price VIII ~ OF short duration
u was rumorod that Gov McMastnrH
and independents had agreed tina, the
10000 gallons tho former IN ynid 10
have procured should DO sold at ie
cents; that then tho price 10 10 ad.
yanccd to zoe In South Dakota,
These reports caused a gasoline
spree thruout tho eleven states
Farmers. autolsts and other users OF
tho fuel descended upon filling sta.
lions with every conceivable type Of
containcr and laid in huge storage
supplies.
Mchastcrs was credited with start.
Ing the price siashiug In a statement
by directors OF tho standard OH Co,
which declared the cut was to meet
competition" and that tho price was
below cost OF production. Evidence
that neither the larger companies nor
the Independents are enthusiastic
about the hostiltIes was seen in ms.
scrtions from l.. V. Nicholas. presi.
dent Of tho independents. that a Sc.
cent cut was enormous.
ST. PAUL, Aug. il.-Gov. preus
today was offered 100000 gallons
Of oil at So cents per gallon. (. o. b.
Oklahoma. 10 he sold in tho price
war In tho Northwest,
John A. West. Chicago. made the
offer The governor refused 10 say
whether he would accept. Gasoline
Is selling here today for i4.9 to 1915
cents a gallon.
COLUMBUS. O., Aug. 14-Gov.
Vic Douahey today viii confer with
representatives OF the state Auto.
mobile association. relative to a pro.
posal that Ohio join other Midwest.
crn states in their war on high gas.
oline prices.
OMAHA. Ncb.. Aug. 1.-THE
Standard oil co. Of Nebraska todny
reduced lts retail price Of gasoline
in this state 10 i6 cents gallon,
making Nebraska the 18th state af.
fected by the price war. The for.
mer price was 22h cents. Othcr
companies met the cut
Tho reduction followed tele.
graphic ultImatum from Gov. Chas
w. Bryan TO the Standard, demand
ing the same price in Nebraska as
In South Dakota. Bryan threatened
to sell gasoline thru state stations
II his request was refused
NEW YORK. Apg 14-officiuls
OF the Standard oil Co. OF New Jcr.
sey said today that no reduction In
tho price of gasoline was contcm.
plated at tho present time In the
seaboard area.
MILWAUKEE,. Aug. While
tho Standard oil Co sold gasoline
here today AT 10 cents a gallon, II
was being distributed from n city.
owned station at IL cents.
DETROIT, Aug. i4,--GnsolIne was
reduced TO 17s cents gallon at
Standard oil filling stations here
today. Independent stations con.
tlnued TO sell Mt tho old price Of
2g.d cents.