The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 7, 1921, Page 6

Putting the “Gas” Back Into Gasoline - Two Million Dollars Saved to Automobile Users of North Dakota by Oi1l Inspection Law, Report Shows BY E. B. FUSSELL =1ARGO, N. D., and Moorhead, Minn,, lie on opposite sides of the Red River of the North, THE UPS AND DOWNS OF “GAS” The legislature at first attempted to meet the situation by levying a tax which discriminated against gasoline manufac- tured by the so-called “cracking” process, This diagram shows the percentage of “original gasoline” (the portion distilled at 284 degrees Fahrenheit) in gasoline sold by the Standard Oil company (Red Crown), the Sinclair Oil com- pany (Sin¢lair gas) and the Home Oil company in North Dakota during the years listed. Notice (1) the gradual lowering in the quality of gasoline from 1913 to 1919, and' (2) the sharp jump upwards taken by each of the three gasolines when the new North Dakota oil inspection law became effective in 1920. STANDARD Z a process that will extract more combusti- ble oils than the old distillation process. This law did not meet the situation. Tests of gasoline sold by the Standard in North Dakota during 1919 (the Standard sells 82 per cent of the gasoline used in the state) showed that 48.9 per cent failed to distill at 284 degrees. There was more kerosene and less “gas” than ever before. the boundary line between the two states. A bridge . across the river connects the two cities and automobiles and foot pas- sengers cross constantly. . A few years ago Fargo was “dry” and ‘“closed”; Moorhead was supposed to be the same, but a considerable number of “wise ones” knew where they could get something with a “kick” in it. There used B . North Dakota legislators had made a to be a good-s,lzed procession going east- 1913 76.2 pet mistake. Legislators frequently do this. ward across the bridge, and those who re- 1914. . esaresereTTTT 64.5 pct. The North Dakota farmers, however, were turned, much later, generally came back 1915 64.9 pet willing t(; adm}t it. WNhen thl::y v»i%rfgciflgg making wobbly tracks. in special session in November, 1919, Since national prohibition went into ef- 1916 . . o 57.1 pct. called Dr. Ladd before-them. With such fect Fargo and Moorhead are about equally 1917 59.9 net d?ta as had beerll obtained from the opera- dry. But if you are on the Minnesota - R e R R S .J DPCt. tions of the earlier law they enacted a new side you are apt to see a Moorhead auto- 1918. . prreeE T 54.3 pet. law. The new law establishes three classes . mobilist preparing to cross the river into of 83501111?- Fargo—and if you ask him why he is 1919. . pee—eee————— = 51.1 pct. P ROVISIONS OF NORYE i likely to tell you that he is going over to 1920, . 64.6 pet. | DAKOTA “PURE GAS” LAW “tank up” cn something “with a kick in . it.” If you ask him what it is he will HOME g Class 1 gasolines are those sold for ' iaugh and confess it is “gas.” : 1915. . T 68.6 pct household pfrposes. These gasolines must “Gas” can be purchased in Moorhead. S 8 ] i have a residue of not more than 6 per cent It can be purchased there for nine-tenths 1916. . 64.3 pct. at 284 degrees. In other words, class 1 of a cent less than the same brand costs 1917 65.8 pet gasoline must be 94 per cent “gas” and not in Fargo. And yet, the “wise” automobile .. R R O SR rr] .0 PcCt. more than 6 per cent kerosene. It is free owners have discovered, from experience, 1018, . o 53.9 pct. from all tax. i “hat the Fargo ‘“gas” is somewhat differ- Class 2 gasoline must contain not- less vat—it has more “kick” in it and it is 1919. . EEEE S SO 56.5 pct. than 3 per cent and not more than 15 per worth more than the extra nine-tenths of 1920. . e 63.7 pct. cent distilling at 158 degrees. It must a cent per gallon that it costs. contain not more than 36 per cent residue Why is it that the “gas” bought west of SINCLAIR at 284 degrees. In other words, it must the Ped mver sceme to b geg 1917, | o S 64.0 pet. | be at least 64 per cent pure gas°li“e($‘d and “pep” in it than the same brand o ki ; ) must contain enough “light ends” (dis- “gas” bought on the other side of the 1918. | e 64.3 pct. tilling at less than 158) to start a motor river? Is it true that it is worth more to . on a cold day. This gasoline carries a tax the automobilist ? 1919, . E e 58.9 pct. of one-fourth of a cent per gallon. Before answering these questions, in 1920. . T 62.9 pct. Gasoline which failed to meet the class which every automobile owner is inter- ested, we must find out what gasoline is. Gasoline, kerosene, lubricating oils and other commodities are all made from crude oil. The crude oil-is heated gradually. It begins to “boil,” that is, to turn into gas, just as boiling water turns into steam. But after crude oil reaches the boiling point it can be heated still more. This is because crude oil is a mixture of various different oils. The first oil to turn to gas is naptha. The next oil is gasoline, the next is kerosene and what is left is principally lubricating oil. As each oil is turned into gas, in the distillation process, it is passed through various chemicals to purify it and is then cooled, which brings it back to liquid form again. ] HOW KEROSENE CAME TO BE SOLD AS GASOLINE When gasoline was first originated, some 25 years ago, it was the trade name for the portion of the crude oil that was turned into gas after the naptha had been drawn off, and before a tempera- ture of 284 degrees Fahrenheit had been reached. In other words, the gasoline of 1895 would all boil away at 284 degrees. What was left after the gasoline was distilled off was principally kerosene and lubricating oil. About this time, however, automobiles were com- ing into popularity and needed more gasoline, and gasoline engines were being improved to such an extent that they could use a small fraction of oil that turned into gas at a higher temperature than 284 degrees. As a result the oil refineries, before drawing off the gasoline, brought their temperature higher than 284 degrees. This meant that a portion of what had been called “kerosene” before was being mixed with the gasoline. Year by year the demand for gasoline increased. The increase was generally at a faster rate than the increase in oil production. It was necessary to make more gasoline out of the same amount of oil and this was done by including more and more kerosene in the gasoline. Gradually, also, gasoline engines were improved so that they could handle more kerosene in the “gas,” though in the last few years it is doubtful if engines have improved rap- idly enough to take care of deteriorating gasoline. In July, 1920, according to a survey of the United States bureau of mines, the average gasoline sold in the United Statés for motor fuel had an average “end point” of 456 degrees—that is, the gasoline would have to be heated to this terrific temperature before all of it could be used. Even in the modern automobile engine that por- tion of gasoline that will not vaporize at 428 de- grees is generally wasted — often worse than wasted—because it leads to excessive carbon de- posits and consequent engine trouble. ] A man with an automobile six or seven years old, before engines were improved, must have an even better grade of gasoline. The North Dakota legislature of 1919, in addi- tion to providing for a state-owned bank, state- owned mills and elevators and a home building program, found time to look into the gasoline sit- uation. g 3 Tests of gasoline and oil sold within the state had previously been made for a number of years. The following table shows what the tests indicated on the variety of gasoline sold by the Standard Oil company as “Red Crown”: : *Pct. of tPct. of Year gasoline— kerosene 1018 5 limedeieinesis 76.2 - 238 1914 L5 i idviidnne 64.5 35.5 191D+ o oisne e 64.9 , 35.1 1916 57.1 429 1917 % i s v 59.9 40.T 1918 54.3 45.7 *Distilled at 284 degrees. fTResidue at 284 degrees. In other words, what was sold as gasoline 25 : years ago was all gasoline.. What was sold as gasoline in 1913 was more than three-fourths gaso- line, while what was sold in 1918 as gasoline was nearly one-half kerosene, or what is known more scientifically as “kerosene range content.” PAGE SIX. . T T RS e e T A A TR A2 2 test was classified as class 3 and sub- jected to a tax of 1 cent per gallon. The mixture of “light ends” (gasoline distilling at 158 degrees or less), “original gaso- line” (the portion distilling at less than 284 de- grees) and “kerosene range content” (the residue left after a temperature of 284 degrees) may be compared with the shavings or paper used to start a fire, the wood kindling and coal. An automobile motor must have the proper mixture of the three kinds of fuel. It can not burn kerosene alone, as a tractor engine can. If there is too much of the “kerosene range content” in the fuel it is simply wasted. £ Since the new law has been in effect tests have: been made by the oil inspection department, month after month, of the gasoline sold at both Fargo and Moorhead. This is what the tests show on the Standard’s “Red Crown” gasoline at the two cities: Y - Ll L G 3 §Y5 ®%EEFQ SE8R Ead e sas "‘mg,g K] 5 & g 5 geiz L9 B H REFS By - = U Gravity Q,;_';g Qg = a3 e gecro, 2 2 b 5 wd g'; 2o ® o g:m 83 a3 : g2 = tae i D ———*——————“ Fargo ... 58.30 12.0 . 64.6 35.4 423 Moorhead. 56.68 8.5 56.92 43.08 434 Notice the third and fourth columns of figures. These are the important ones. The Fargo gasoline contained nearly 8 per cent more real “gas” than the Moorhead gasoline—and that much less kero- : sene. The highest grade gasoline on the market (con- taining 92 per cent original gasoline) is worth. about 60 cents, as compared with 25 cents a gallon for kerosene. ! & Tht_a difference of 7.7 per cent in the “original gasoline” content of Red Crown gasoline sold at Fargo, as compared with that sold at Moorhead, makes the Fargo gasoline worth 2.7 cents more 2 gallon. ! : B The price of Red Crown gasoline at Fargo is nine-tenths of a cent more than at Moorhead. Of this difference one-fourth of a cent is attributable to the state oil tax, the balance to the difference in freight rates. On 10 gallons of gasoline, therefore,