Evening star., 1941-08-04
Capital Curfew
On Fuel Boosts
Gasoline Sales
Operators Feel
Ickes Plan Won't
Cut Consumption

Washington's first gas curfew,
which ended at 7 am. today, has
brought about Is per cent increase
of sales over Sunday, according to
a survey made today by the Retail
Gasoline Dealers, Inc.
On the basis of reports from so
key stations throughout the city,
the association has found that Sec
retary of Interior Ickes' plan to
cut down the consumption of gas
oline in the East has hiked, rather
than decreased, sales.
One station located in the North
east section of the city reported
almost a hundred per cent increase
in it's sale of gas yesterday as COM
pared to an average Sunday In
August, according to the report.
While most stations were inclined
to characterize the rush as FIRST
day furry" many operators ex-
pressed the opinion that the 1ckes
plan would contribute little to cut
ting down fuel consumption.
Virtually All Comply.
Far heavier than usual Monday
morning sales were indicated today,
as reports showed that virtually all
of Washington's service stations are
complying with the 7 pm. to 7 am.
peacetime 'blackout."
A few motorists here and num-
ber of croSs-country automobile
travellers were caught of guard by
the curfeW.
Perhaps the most embarrassed OF
these was Fred Yules, an employe
of the District division of the Amer
lean Automobile Association, which
has been advising its members for
several days about the nightly clos
ings Mr.. Yules, it seems, was re-
turning early last night from a trip
South when his gasoline supply ran
short at Four Mile Run in Virginia.
He called his Offices emergency road
service and truck was dispatched
to tow his machine to his home.
Gasoline is available only to COM
mercial vehicles and in cases in
volving public health or safety.
One Traveller Surprised.
The whole thing came as COM
plete surprise to one man en- route
from Georgia to New Haven, Conn.
He pulled into an Alexandria, Va,
service station about tbs pm. and
said the words that were the order
of the day from Maine to Florida
in the II States affected-"fill 'er
up"
You're Is minutes too late he
was told. The station attendant
said it took another Is minutes to
convince the traveller that there
really is night curfew program in
progress at the suggestion of Federal
Petroleum Co-ordinator Ickes.
Gases of real or professed ig-
norance were rare, however. More
often than not motorists admitted
sheer forgetfulness and said they
could come back after o'clock in
the morning with little difficulty.
Marine Is Caught, Nearly.
But not the Quantico marine. His
plight caused quite stir at large
service station near the old Wash
ington Airport. A few days ago,
the marine obtained a furlough,
drove to Washington in a borrowed
jallopy and caught a train for New
York. He read about the impend-
ing gas sale ban beginning last
night, but didn't get back to Wash
ington in time to do something
about it. The gauge on his car
perched on zero as he drove prayer
fully across Fourteenth Street
Bridge early last night.
I've got to get enough gas to
get this buggy back to Quantico,"
he told a service station man across
the river. IF I don't make it, I'll
be A. w. o. L., and if 1 don't get
this car back tonight, I'll be in a
jam sure enough
Sorry, we've got orders to close"
the station man said. Il can't do a
thing about it" At that point a
motorist headed southwark from
Philadelphia, who had just an
nounced his intention of returning
to Washington for the night be-
cause of inability to replenish his
gasoline supply, spoke up:
Say, soldier, I've got or 4
gallons left. You can have all but
a gallon. All I need is enough to
get back across the river to a hotel"
Stations Close for First Time.
The city's largest service station,
which has "a gasoline pumps under
q single roof at Constitution avenue
and Third street NV, was one of
a number of 24-hour establishments
that closed their doors for the first
time in years. No cars were waiting
in line when the deadline came,
but the night manager sighed as he
ordered the closing. We've been
open every hour of the day and
night since we opened for business
in October, 1882" he said.
At Rhode Island avenue and New
ton street NE. one big station had
to keep men on duty all night, as
1t had done for the last 10 years.
This time it was because there was
no lock on the door.
AS a precautionary measure, many
motorists obtained flve-gallon cans
and had them filled for emergency
use. I'll bet I've sold as much
gas today for f1ve-gallon cans as
I have for automobile tanks" one
northeast operator said. He pointed
out that storage of such tanks might
be dangerous and added that he
wouldn't care to store such tank
either in his car or around his
residence.