How did early adopters of the automobile fill up their cars?
score:37
The first cross-country automobile journey was run by Bertha Benz in 1888.:
With no fuel tank and only a 4.5-litre supply of petrol in the carburetor, she had to find ligroin, the petroleum solvent needed for the car to run. The solvent was only available at apothecary shops, so she stopped in Wiesloch at the city pharmacy to purchase the fuel.
The mentioned Ligroin was a cleanser. Still today some variants of petrol are used to clean things. So I guess it was a similar situation in the US, you had to look for drug stores to get petrol.
The "first gas station" is mentioned in the German Wikipedia (including a picture of the pharmacy and a plate as first gas station.
Upvote:-1
The first dedicated gas station is established in St. Louis in 1905. A year before the Ford Model T was introduced. Automobiles already existed before Ford, but they were largely rich people's playtoys. The first Service station in 1907 and the first drive in gas station in 1913. So more likely vehicles had gas brought to them like many delivered products.
Upvote:4
Not to disagree with other answers, but to add:
They didn't.
The early adopter of automobiles (pre mass production) were all wealthy and almost always had a chauffeur on staff. This is more than a driver as we may think today, but someone who also knew and could work on the engine, and really, most any other part of the vehicle. These chauffeurs were also responsible for fuel. Although it may have been acquired by another servant responsible for purchasing in general.
Even if they want to drive themselves, the car would be prepared for them.
As for where the chauffeurs got it - see knut's answer (imo) although jpa's also adds useful/relevant info.
disclaimer: I'm sure there are exceptions, and maybe even a period of wider adoption prior to gas stations becoming commonplace that disproves my answer - but in general
Upvote:7
Referring to "The Complete Motorist", by AB Filson Young (1904 edition)
"Petrol and paraffin oil should be kept in a separate building; the roughest little cabin will do as long as it is thoroughly ventilated; but these storesshould on no account be kept in any building adjoining either motor-house, stables, harness-room, or the living quarters of the servants"
(presumably, in order of importance!)
If petrol is stored in the ordinary two-gallon tins, any rough outhouse that can be locked up will serve the purpose; but if it is desired to store petrol in bulk, special tanks will have to be constructed and a special licence obtained".
So, you generally filled up at home, and either re-filled your 2-gallon tanks at the dealer, or had a delivery to your specially built storage. But:
"But with the present facilities for obtaining petrol at short notice few motorists would find it necessary to store it in such large quantities"
So, even by 1904, this was going out of fashion in favour of filling up on the road. Even though valve seat grinding was something the driver was expected to do as routine maintenance.
As for who could afford a car, expenses are quoted as £84 a year, affordable by a country doctor, and indeed £50 cheaper than his previous horse and carriage! (Petrol was 1 shilling per gallon, for a 25mpg car, doing about 5000 miles a year on mainly local journeys)
Upvote:19
From Wikipedia:
The T engine was built as a gasoline engine. While not engineered specifically for multifuel ability, its simple, robust design allowed it to successfully run on a variety of combustible fuels including benzene, ethanol, or, with various available after-market attachments, kerosene.
Of these, distilled ethanol would have been commonly available for human consumption, disinfectant and lamps. Kerosene was a common fuel for lamps. Benzene was also commonly used for cleaning purposes until 1920s when it was discovered to be carcinogenic.
More post
- 📝 Evolution of United States' world role?
- 📝 When was drinking water recognized as crucial in marathon running?
- 📝 Earlier U.S. law enforcement raids on lawyers' communications
- 📝 What is the history of this coin? By Mandate of Heaven) Emperor of the Great Qin", Nurhaci - 1616-1626
- 📝 Why did the Portuguese colonies stay united whereas the Spanish ones split up?
- 📝 What is the oldest quote or poem in known history?
- 📝 Can anyone find the letter of Tsar Alexander II to Rostovtsev dated October / December 25th, 1859?
- 📝 Why did the San Marco Marine Brigade adopt the winged lion of Venice?
- 📝 What is the backstory behind the White Sun of Angola?
- 📝 In the election of 1800, why did Burr end up with as many electoral votes as Jefferson, rather than one fewer?
- 📝 In which estate were the soldiers prior to the French revolution?
- 📝 Did the Netherlands join the anti-Japanese oil embargo later than US? If so why?
- 📝 What was the basis for valuating large territorial purchases by USA?
- 📝 How were Muslim Turks treated in Byzantine Empire?
- 📝 What rank did cadet branches hold in the peerage?
- 📝 (How) did the Republican Romans refer to previous decades or centuries?
- 📝 Who suppressed the Book of Jubilees and why?
- 📝 Was The Great Game a war?
- 📝 Was a medical ship sunk during the evacuation from Dunkirk?
- 📝 After the American Civil War, which states had the most problems with rejoining the Union?
- 📝 When State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) start to be practiced widely in ancient times?
- 📝 Why couldn't Germans and Finns capture Leningrad?
- 📝 When did dueling with weapons become socially unacceptable in the western world?
- 📝 Are there any old paintings (medieval period onwards) that actually depict the female genitalia rather than just leaving the pubic region empty?
- 📝 Why was East Pakistan never divided into multiple provinces?
- 📝 How controversial were "updates" of churches in the past?
- 📝 Does government play a genuinely significant role in history, or is it simply a tool for interest groups to apply force on their behalf?
- 📝 Did Alexander the Great win or lose against Porus (before the eventual 'fleeing')?
- 📝 Japan is known for being isolationist, so what cultivated its history of interventionism in the 20th century?
- 📝 When did the word "Holodomor" appear?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How did early adopters of the automobile fill up their cars?
- 📝 How did the ancient Romans count with their fingers?
- 📝 How did the Bolsheviks fund their government?
- 📝 In the early 1900s, how did US politicians treat black dignitaries from other countries?
- 📝 How quickly could the Roman legions march? How did it compare to their cavalry?
- 📝 How much of an impact did the Roman emperors' civil wars have on their decision to debase the coinage?
- 📝 If salt was scarce and expensive, how did people "salt the earth" to ensure their enemies would stay defeated?
- 📝 How did ancient armies keep the route of supplies to their battlefield?
- 📝 How did residents of Estonia and Latvia prove that their family settled in the country prior to 1940, in order to become citizens in 1989?
- 📝 How did lecturers magnify their voice in the days before amplification?
- 📝 What was the program of the Mensheviks in their later years? How did they hope to achieve it?
- 📝 How much did the culture of Anatolian Gallic settlers differ from their kin in Gaul?
- 📝 How did the way commanders ask their troops to deal with the immediate death of their comrades vary by country/culture during WWII?
- 📝 How did people cut their nails in the past?
- 📝 How did agricultural productivity change in Italy with the fall of the Roman Empire and through the early Middle Ages?
- 📝 How did the Greeks and Romans move between their destinations?
- 📝 How long did it take to copy a Bible during the early propagation of the Christian faith?
- 📝 How did people 'park' their horse and buggy in early 20th century cities? How was theft prevented?
- 📝 How did the Scottish lowlands get their Gaelic name?
- 📝 How did people clean their teeth in the past? (Greco-Roman to medieval age)
- 📝 How did Jews feels in the Confederate States of America and what was their political position?
- 📝 How did women's roles and rights change during the early Republican period in China?
- 📝 How did member states of the Holy Roman Empire justify only including part of their land inside it?
- 📝 How did the Faroese heat their houses?
- 📝 In the Middle Ages, adultery was strictly condemned by the Church. How did Kings justify their extra-marital affairs?
- 📝 Did early American settlers have to buy their land from the government?
- 📝 How did the white minority in South Africa see their situation in the apartheid times?
- 📝 How often did ships stop at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the early 1800s?
- 📝 How did laborers travel from China to Malaya in the early 19th century?
- 📝 How did Islamic finance under the early Caliphates profit or take loans if charging interest wasn't legal?
