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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1982)
6 national Battalion/Page 7 March 8, 1982 Warped By Scott McCuiiar New council keeps states abreast of railroad’s demise nDealers say trend won’t last Surplus gas drops price tors ace United Press International A gasoline surplus in the Southwest has driven prices at the pumps down to less than $ 1 a gallon in some areas, but dealers and suppliers are not optimistic the competitive price trend will continue. Reported prices range from a low of 96.9 cents in St. Louis to 99.9 in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Colorado to a few cents more than a dollar in Louisiana and Kansas — num bers that have not been seen at the pumps in almost two years. “Based on what we can see, the lower price is because of de creased consumption because of conservation, more fuel effi cient cars and the decontrol of oil,” Larry Boccarossa of the Arkansas Petroleum Council said. “We’re seeing more supplies of crude oil and gasoline. It looks like to me this is creating more competition in the market.” The low prices first appeared in Texas near Houston late last month when a Channelview truck stop lowered its price to 99.9 cents and reported record ( Vai business. con but when gathe reneH a i Fn )iay| fig ag let. law my here use iou: V Then in Cedar Hill, south of Dallas, two brothers who antici pated the coming low prices forged ahead at their small gaso line-selling grocery by dropping their price to 99.9. Bill Ligon, managing director of the Texas Service Station Association, said the low prices are only sales promotions. Ligon said wholesale prices dropped two to four cents a gal lon this week, and he expected prices in Texas to keep going down until May. He predicted prices will go back up when the surplus is gone. “I think in June they’ll be going back up,” Ligon said. “At the pump, branded gas will probably get down to about 51.05, and unbranded down to about 98 cents to $ 1. “I sure don’t think it’s going to stay this low unless dealers want to sell it for less they they are paying for it. The guy I talked to last week who was selling it for 99.9 was selling it for 3 cents a gallon less than he was buying it for. He just did it about four days. “When they get this surplus eaten up, you’re going to see the price going up again.” A spokesman for a group of Oklahoma stations charging “When they get this sur plus eaten up, you're going to see the price going up again,” — Bill Ligon, managing dire ctor, Texas Service Sta tion Association. 99.9 cents a gallon said they were not losing money at that' price. Wyatt Phillips, vice presi dent of marketing for Quik Trip, said the company dropped the price to 99.9 at 10 of 39 sta tions in Tulsa and two in Miami, Okla. “We saw it going below a dol lar and we wanted to be first,” Phillips said. Janelle McCammon at Cities Service Co. said the company lo wered prices at four of the 10 Tulsa Quik Mart stations. “It was in response to the competition,” McCammon said. In Oklahoma City, Gary Beel, who operates 10 Gas-n-Go sta tions, said operators are in a bind because of an immense oversupply. His stations are sell ing regular at about $1.03, but he figured he only makes about one penny per gallon. “We’re not making any money, we’re losing money,” Beel said. “The pressure is on us. We just can’t physically sell the surplus. If you bought the biggest gas hog you could find it still wouldn’t guzzle gas like it did five years ago.” A1 Carroll, spokesman for the Bayou State Retailers Associa tion in Shreveport, La. said he has not heard of any prices be low $1, but some are as low as $1.04. Carroll said he saw competi tive trends favoring indepen dent dealers. “The independents can sell at a much lower price than the branded dealers can because the oil companies do not have the mechanics to move in their accounting departments as fast as the independents do,” Carroll said. “I think it’s turned into a cat and mouse game. If the inde pendents move first, the majors are going to move and force them on down just to see how low they can go.” In St. Louis, prices ranged from $ 1 to $ 1.03 per gallon ear lier this week, but Thursday 12 Mars Oil Co. stations began sell ing regular leaded gasoline for 96.9 cents a gallon. Mars stations in Denver lowered their pump price to 99.9 cents. It is the first time since Sep tember 1980 that gas prices in St. Louis have been below $1. “We had a very large supply and we decided to pass the sav ings on to our customers,” said Herbert Wolkowitz, Mars presi- Tuesday: LUNCH SPECIALS — FRIED CHICKEN — 2.95 HAPPY HOUR: 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.-12:00 p.m. Are You Sure PI’ Faithful Will Get You Home In One Piece? If not, let us check her over — we’ve got a complete staff of mechanics ready to get your car or truck back into top shape! Service Specials This Week: FRONT-END ENGINE TUNE-UPS ALIGNMENT 4 cylinder «42<x> $1695 6 cylinder 8 cylinder . 48 oo . *54°° (Chrysler and some Ford (Autos with point ignition systems $8.00 autos $19.95) higher) Wheel Alignments Brake Work Engine Tune-Ups Electrical Trouble- Shooting Air Conditioning Service Goodyear Tires Special Prices Good Through Sat., March 13 CLOSEOUT SALE ON RADIAL BLEM TIRES (Appearance Blemished Only) For Example: 235-15 Custom Poly Steel Radial ST a on Reg. SI 25.00 /4 175-17 Custom Poly Steel N.W. SEOOO Radial Reg. S86.60 04. 195-60X14 Eagle GT O.W.L. Racing <nO00 Radial Reg. $144.15 30 SALE PRICES WALL-TO-WALL! Over 100 To Choose From — All Sizes, Styles! Offer Good While Supply Lasts. jnl University Tire and Service Center 3818 S. College <s aux*. Nortu 846-1738 of Skaggs) dent. “We like to do a lot of busi ness. What else can 1 tell you?” United Press International OKLAHOMA CITY — Rep resentatives from a dozen states affected by the shutdown of the Rock Island Railroad have formed a coalition to keep in formed on new developments in the railroad’s liquidation. Delegates from 12 of the 13 states affected by the bankrupt cy formed the “Rock Island States Council” Friday on the closing day of the meeting. The council will consist of a gov ernor’s appointee from each of the states. The council, the idea of Kan sas Gov. John Carlin, will be charged with keeping members abreast of developments in the railroad’s liquidation. Also Friday, Oklahoma Cor poration Commissioner Jim Townsend, a tormer locomotive engineer and state rail planner, delivered a strong address on the need for the railroads. He said the nation’s railroads are vital to defense and their de mise could spark another acute energy crisis. Anniversary and other special models arriving weekly Judge the patentability of scientific and engineering dis coveries made by R & D engineers, inventors, and scientists world wide as a Patent Examiner in Washington, D.C. The Patent and Trademark Office offers unique career opportunities with • Challenge and responsibility • Career growth • Outstanding career Federal Government service benefits For more information about a career as a Patent Examiner contact: Manager, College Relations 178-202, Personnel, CP2-9C05 Patent and Trademark Office Washington, D.C. 20231 Call toll-free: 800-368-3064 (703) 557-7626 Wash., D.C. area An Equal Opportunity Employer m/f • U.S. Citizenship Required See Us At The Post Oak Mall KEyboARd Center Inc. POST OAK MALL College Station, TX 77840 Layaway Piano Rental Piano Tuning The Texas A&M University Chapter of the Honor Society of PHI KAPPA PHI is not for everyone! Phi Kappa Phi at Texas A&M University provides a dimension of academic excellence unlike any other campus endeavor. Its members embrace the precept that recognizing and honoring individuals of academic excellence and noble character are privileges to be cherished and that those acts serve to encourage others to set high goals in their scholarly pursuits. Selected junior, senior and graduate students and faculty members who have demonstrated superior scholarship and character will soon receive invitations to join the Texas A&M Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. New members w ill be initiated, the outstanding junior from each college will be recognized, a $750 scholarship will be presented and the Chapter’s nominee for a $4,500 national Phi Kappa Phi fellowship will be named at a banquet on May 4, 1982. Check your mail carefully to see if you are one of the few chosen from your academic discipline for membership in this honor society. Let the love of learning rule mankind. Phi Kappa Phi Chapter Officers President Lela H. Edwards Vice President J. George H. Thompson Secretary James L Boone, Jr. Treasurer Robert D. Powell Public Relations Officer Nell W. Page Owner Lonny Scasta