June 30, 1944 

   “WHITEHORSE, Y.T. – The retail price of gasoline in the Yukon territory will be increased from 40 to 75 cents per imperial gallon effective tomorrow, it was announced today by the United States’ Northwest Service Command.

   Prior to launching the Alaska highway construction the price was 75 cents, army officials said. Freight congestion over the White Pass and Yukon railway during construction resulted in American army officials selling gasoline from their storage tanks for local consumption at 45 cents per gallon.

   With the railroad, which is operated by the army, now in a position to resume hauling tank cars, the decision was made to reestablish the price at 75 cents.”

In October 1942 the United States Army’s 770th Railway Operating Battalion took over the White Pass and Yukon railway. They greatly enlarged and updated it to supply construction material for the Alaska Highway and Canol pipeline projects. Using the Bank of Canada’s inflation calculator and then converting Imperial gallons to litres, gasoline at 45 cents per gallon would cost $1.75 per litre today, and at 75 cents per gallon it would cost $2.91 per litre today.

(Roseburg News-Review – Roseburg, Oregon)