The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-04
City Motorists Obey Seven O'Clock Curfew
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main open at night will be trans fcrred from one station to another, eventually giving all a chance.
 There appeared to be no serious complaints against the gasoline curfew. Objections were heard, but they were not loud or particularly numerous.
 Station managers today said 1t would take a few days for them to determine how the closing order will affect their business. They expect that there will be drop in trade, even though many car own CTS will purchase additional gas In the daytime.
 Plans Discussed
 Mir. Gaughan, returned from a was dealers association represen- Satives at Boston, said that plans were discussed for contest to de- termine which of the New England Otates can save the most gasoline.
 The local association, he said, will erect a large billboad, with a ther- mometer showing Connecticut's gas oline consumption in comparison with that of other states.
 Raymond Bedell, of Middlebury, accompanied MT. Gaughan to the session at Boston.
 New England Report
 Boston, Aug. 4.-(UP)-Many ot New England's 30,Oo0 gasoline deal CTS reported today that their sales volume increased heavily during the hours preceding the first night "blackout" of filling stations under the conservation program.
 Failure of the ban to reduce gaso- line sales did not alarm conserVa- tions, however. They said this was a natural reaction to the innovation. Isolated cases of stranded motor ists were reported after the tlrst curfew on gasoline sales was sound ed at T o'clock last night. In most cases, motorists who had prepared against the "blackout" assisted their less cautious road-fellows by donat- ing gasoline from their tanks.
 Police prowl cars of two Boston precincts were among the first to stall because of emptied tanks. Calls by their drivers to headquarters for assistance brought only information that even police were subject to the T D. m. to T a. m. ban. In an attempt to avert the threat of compulsory rationing. Executive Secretary Frederick H. Moore Of the New England Gasoline Dealers AS sociation called a meeting of rep resentatives of the six states to form an emergency committee to put over the voluntary conservation pro gram.
 Plan Will Succeed
 Moore said he was confident the plan would be a success provided the public got behind it as III the aluminum-for-de defense campaign.
 One of the first victims of the curfew was Brig-Gen. Charles H. Cole. A Yankee Division veteran Of the World War and chairman ot the Massachusetts state arbitration board. It was just 30 seconds past T D. m. when he drove up to Law renee Schofield's filling station m Weymouth.
 "Sorry, general" said Schofield, a reserve lieutenant.
 Cole took it with smile.
 When Vincent Crown, Fitchburg filling station proprietor, refused to sell gasoline to a woman motorlst' she protested vigorously and ne had to produce newspaper story to convince her that the curfew was in effect.
 .'Drat that Hitler" cried the wo- man as she drove off.
 At Manchester, N H., station attendant reported that shortly be- fore T D. m., man drove up ln an expensive car, filled the tank with 20 gallons and purchased 45 addl- tional gallons in cans.
 IT States Comply
 New York, Ag. 4.-(UP)-Gasollne stations in IT eastern states from Maine to Florida complied general ly in the first test of the govern nnent's T D. m.-7 a. m. curfew, re- port showed today. but dealers doubted if any gasoline had been saved.
 Night sales were suspended vol untarily by eastern seaboard deal CTS for the first time last night, at inc request of Secretary of the h. terior Harold L. Ickes, oil admins trator. The curfew applies only to eastern states, where transportation difficulties arising from national de- fense and British aid threaten to cause an acute shortage of petro- 1eum products.
 Only scattered stations in the af- fected area remained open after ' D. m. yesterday. But motorists bought so heavily before the closing hour that filling stations reported sales increased from 10 to 50 per cent over last Sunday. Few cars were stalled along the highways during the night by a lack of fuel.
 Not Fair Test
 Dealers pointed out that the first day was not a fair test of the cur few, It was a warm, clear Sunday which brought out thousands Of motorists. Dealers said their usual order was fill Ter up," instead of the customary request for five gall Ions of $1 worth. As a result, they said, many motorists probably have enough gasoline for the next few days.
 Some believed the voluntary cur few would be succeeded by compul- sory gationing, perhaps after Labor Day.
 A few service stations remained open to supply commercial vehicles, taxicabs and automobiles in emer- eency service, all of which were ex- empted by Ickes. Others refused to close until their competitors did so and some said the official request