Gasoline was originally a waste product. They were dumping it into the water supply because they hadn't found a use for it. They put some scientist on it and the first thing they came up with was turning gasoline into vasoline, petroleum jelly. Then they invented the internal combustion engine in combination with a spark plug for using gasoline as opposed to the diesel engines of the time which don't use a spark plug.

They also did their best to destroy public transportation, especially the electric kind. I wouldn't be surprised if they had something to do with the concept of zoning laws which makes cars required for living in the suburbs.