SHORTAGES: Gas Fever: Happiness Is a Full Tank

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>Some cities that are particularly close to refineries and oilfields, like Houston, or have better than average distribution faculties, like Atlanta, tend to get petroleum supplies quicker than less well-located metropolitan areas. The Midwest is well supplied by pipelines from Canada.

> States where there were plenty of independent gasoline marketers (firms that do not have their own refineries) are hurting now that many of the independents have been forced out of business because they cannot find refineries to sell to them.

The Federal Energy Office may increase gasoline allocations within the next month or two for areas that are particularly dry. Energy officials say that if service-station lines get too long, national gasoline rationing will finally be imposed. FEO Chief William Simon is still publicly opposed to rationing, but aides say that he is willing to accept it if the gasoline shortage gets much farther out of hand. The Administration will not.