Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-08
Highways Into City Seem
Freed of Advertising by
BiCentenniaI Year.
GARDEN CLUB PLEAS
Needed BY OIL FIRM
Hope Bright for Elimination Of
Advertising on Road
ways.

The Gulf Refining Co. Of Pitts
burgh, Pa, one of the leading oil end
gasoline concerns of the country, has
decided to discontinue advertising on
billboards on highways leading into
Washington. This policy was adopted
according to q communication Just re-
ceived from the company addressed to
The Star, in compliance with the re-
quest of the committee of the National
Capital of the Garden Club Of America
and similar requests of Garden Club
members in other parts OF the country.
I'm fact" the communication stated,
eve are disseminating billboard adver-
Using throughout the country except
in cities, towns and villages"
The decision of the Gulf company to
remove its billboardS from the main
highway approaches to the National
Capital was received with enthusiasm
today by leaders in the civic movement
to improve the appearances of these ap-
proaches before the opening of the 1882
Washington Bicentennial celebration.
The company Is one OF IL leading oil
and gasoline concerns using the high
ways within a 20-mile radius Of WASH
ington for advertising their products
to motorists.
Civic Body Is Pleased.
Ofhcials of the American Civic Asso-
citation, which inaugurated the anti
billboard campaign in Washington.
were particularly pleased with the action
taken by the Gulf company. Miss
Harlean James, executive secretary,
said she believed that other oil COM
panies gradually would conform to a
policy of preserving the landscape from
obstruction by outdoor advertising.
According to the survey conducted
recently by Mrs. w. L. Lawton for the
American Civic Association, the Gulf
Refining Co. at that time advertised in
the Washington area on IS painted
bulletins, 20 poster panels and on IA
"winkerS." These are to be found on
the Marlboro. Brandywine and Fred
erick road the Baltimore pike. Lee and
Defense highways, the Columbia turn
pike and Route No. /, south Of Wash
ington, in Virginia.
While the Gulf company does not
propose to cancel any of its outdoor
contracts, William B. Akin, advertis-
in telephone conversation, it intends
to reallocate all its board on the main
highways to sites in commercial and
other zones that would be unobjection-
able.
The same policy, Mr.. Akin stated. is
being put into effect generally through
out the country. Wherever possible,
the company intends to conflne its out
door advertising to the commercial
zones in or just outside city areas.
Clubs Asked Removal.
What prompted us to adopt this
policy with respect to the Washington
area" Mr.. AtlIin said, was the many
requests received from ladies of garden
clubs who are interested in the move
ment to clean up roadside conditions
in connection with the Bicentennial
next year. We will gradually transfer
the locations Of all our roadside boards. !"
Roland M. Brennan. chief clerk Of
the District Engineer Department and
a member also of the Commissioners
4Sign Committee appointed to draw UP
regulations governing outdoor advertis-
ing within the District, was keenly in
terested in the decision of the Gulf Co.
to cooperate in this area.
In my opinion Mr. Brennan said.
"the Gulf Co. has set an excellent
tive filling stations and in refraining
from an overuse Of roadside adver-
Using"
Other Companies Follow.
A number Of the larger oil companies
are doing likewise in their manner OF
erecting filling stations and the use of
minimum amount of advertising signs
with them. Such a policy, Mr.. Bren-
nan believes, should be encouraged
More than score of Washington
hotel firms and other businesses have
agreed to discontinue billboard adver-
Using before the opening of the 1892
Bicentennial celebration A few of the
smaller oil companies also have indi-
Gated their intention to do so. The
Gulf company. however, is believed to
be the first Of the large companies to
adopt the policy on such a wide scale.
Reports that the Standard Oil Co.
OF California is returning to outdoor
advertising were denied today by ON
Gals OF the American Civic Association,
who have investigated conditions in
that State Several years ago the Cali
fornia company removed about $500
btllboards from State and county roads.