Evening star., 1948-02-09
Fuel Oil
To Amusement
Places Studied
Decision on Asking
Wartime Powers
Expected Today

Unless there is definite improve-
ment in the fuel oil shortage today
the Fuel Oil Co-ordinating Com
mittee may ask the Commissioners
to ban deliveries to non-essential
users, Committee Chairman J.
Thomas Kennedy announced.
The decision on whether the
Commissioners are asked to invoke
wartime conservation powers will
come from a committee meeting
later today.
Nothing less than the arrival of a
100000 gallon barge, followed
closely by another, will relieve the
situation, Mr.. Kennedy said. He
favored asking the Commissioners
to act unless there was assurance
such supplies were en- route.
Tankers Due In Baltimore.
A spokesman for the Commits
sioners said they had been giving
some consideration to curtailing non-
essential oil use, but had made no
decision.
It was learned from A. j. Wolken
of the Senate Small Business Com
mittee staff, that 1,050,000 gallons Of
No. oil billed for Washington will
arrive in Baltimore tomorrow by
tanker.
Part of e,500,000 gallons obtained
for the Washington and Baltimore
areas by the committee, the ship
ment will go to the Petrol Corp,
supplier of 1000 homes in this area.
How soon the oil can be towed up
the icy Potomac in two barges, or
shipped overland in trucks is prob
lematical. Mr.. Wolken said the
shipping responsibility now rests IN
the hands of the Petrol Corp.
Pressure is Eased.
Another allotment of 1,050,000 gal
Ions for Washington will arrive in
Baltimore February II, he said.
Some of the pressure was softened
last night with the arrival of ESQ.,
900 gallons for ESQ Standard OIL
Co., 80 per cent No. 2 fuel oil and
the remainder kerosene. A COM
pany official said some of this would
be made available to other dealers
if the emergency called for it.
ESQ also expected the arrival
Wednesday of 650000 gallons OF No.
6 oil, for apartment houses and
buildings. Stocks of this type oil
are low, but the danger OF a COM
plete drying up is not imminent.
Pivotal point of the general pic
ture was how quickly continuous
flow of oil could be restored to the
Petrol Corp, whose tanks have been
virtually dry since February l.
Status of the first half-million OF
the s,5oO,OO0 gallons obtained by
the Senate committee remained
mystery. Mr.. Wolken said 1t was IN
Baltimore and that about half OF 1t
was earmarked for truck delivery to
Washington.
Even though as much as 100000
gallons may be supplied by truck
in day, provided trucks are avail
able, Mr.. Kennedy said that would
not be enough to relieve the i'm
mediate pressure.
| barge LOau Neeucu.
Petrol must have a barge load OF
500, 900 gallons, followed by another
Just like It," he said. 81. P. Steuart
& Bro, one of its outlets here. will
be completely out of oil today"
The Commissioners learned from
M. E. Andrews, Assistant Secretary
of the Navy, that 100000 gallons Of
Diesel oil. scheduled to arrive today
or tomorrow, will be the last the
Navy will be able to furnish the
District.
| Mr.. Kennedy said Corporation
| Counsel Vernon E. West has in
| formed him that the wartime
"brownout" powers would enable the
Commissioners to eliminate deliv-
cries to n-essential users If they
thought the situation sufficiently
critical.
This would mean that the enter
tainment field and other enterprises
considered non-essential would give
up their oil to homes.
The committee may also recon-
mend restricting home deliveries to
emergency allotments, Mr.. Kennedy
said. He told of some dealers still
supplying $50 or 200 gallons at time
to homes despite the pinch.
Drain on the Co-ordinating Com
mittee's emergency stockpile had re-
duced it to about $1,000 gallons Of
No. 2 oil and 10000 gallons Of kero-
sene, Mr.. Kennedy said.