RECENT active interest in the use of commercial butane gas as a fuel for highway-transportation equipment, particularly on the Pacific Coast, indicated to Mr. Barnard the advisability of resurveying the field of possible substitutes for gasoline, especially as regards butane.
Since rapid developments in the conversion of truck fleets to use butane as fuel took place in the West, Mr. Barnard considers the possibility of the general use of butane in this class of service.
After going into detail regarding the chemical properties and performances of butane and gasoline, as well as their economic aspects, Mr. Barnard concludes that an attempt to supply butane under the conditions necessary for highway units eventually would result in a final cost to the operator-on a gallonage basis-higher than that prevailing for regular gasoline. He states that no very widespread use of butane as a fuel could occur without increasing the demand to a status at which the cost would be prohibitive.