Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Question about this thing?

Happy New Year everyone. Just wanted to find out what this thing in at an old gas station by my house is. When a group of us go cycling we usually stop here, drink some water and stretch and sit on the steps. We have all noticed this thing but no one knows what it is. So the first pic is of the grocery store which also used to be a gas station many years ago. The other 3 pics are of what most of the group think is a water pump. I think it is the remains of some type of lube or gas pump.
Here's the store:

The first pic and if you look at the above pic on the right this is in front of the bench

Another pic with my back at the bench toward the street.

The third and last pic looking down at the thing. The bench is to my left and street to the right.

I'D SAY A VERY EARLY (GAS?) PUMP OF SOME KIND.

Early Kerosene or white gas pump(?)

Looks a lot like the kero pump at a general store I go to. Ive been meaning to take a pic of it and post it here. I need kero, so I will get some next week and post it.
John

My thought is it is the remains of a commercial kerosene pump.Several of the elements are there;early measureing devices adn dispensing valve.Jack an /or DB can give you a more definitive answer!!

Appears to be a National Stores Model B 1 gal. Pg 224, 2nd book.

Looks like there are a lot of pieces missing on it.

Not really, pump handle, spicket & maybe a counter/dial [not all had one].

Kerosene is most likely it's original use.

I took this pic yesterday at a store near me. It is used to pump kerosene. Couldnt find any manufacturers marks on it.
John

I'd bet it's a BOWSER. Pump cyl. is in tank under floor or in basement.

I would have to agree. That would be cool to get the whole setup. Then the next thing is to have the room to display it. That would look sweet

I respect all of the answers to this topic as all of you are much more knowledgable than i am but did anyone actually just buy a quart of kerosene ?

you did in the depression!!!!

Even into the 50's a lot were still being used.
Most of this type were 1gal cylinders w/ a 10gal dial/counter.

Kerosene stoves and heaters were used like db said into the mid 50s, even later in areas where electricity and natural gas lines hadn't been run. My family owned a "cottage" at the base of Mt. St. Helens our stove was kerosene. Used white gas in a pinch, but kerosene much, much safer.

WWII brought us out of the depression.
R.E.A didn't start untill after WWII.
Untill then, if you didn't live in town, or near a line, you didn't have power or gas lights.
Although there were liquid storage battery power systems for houses....
Kerosene lamps is what most used for illumination.
1 qt. will keep a few lamps burning for a while.
During the depression 1 qt may have been all you could afford to buy at the time.
I would imagine the R.E.A. took a while, the mid fifties would have only been 10(+ -) yrs into the project.

Never been to Vt., but would bet there are a lot of cabins that still use Kerosene heaters & stoves [maybe as a backup to propane].

dust bowl + depression = may not be able to afford 1 qt.

These pump we are discussing were from 1905-1915, way before the depression. Up until around 1912 kerosene out sold gasoline, and kerosene main use was for lighting. G&B before they ever made a gas pump manufactured lamps that used gasoline, and at the time Standard Oil bought into G&B because of their large use of gasoline.
Take a look at page 307 of my Gas Pump Identification book, middle picture on bottom. Typical kerosene pump and typical can to carry the kerosene in back home. Many a kid during this time was sent up to the General Store with a can to get a qt. or gallon of kerosene. Customers supplied their own cans.

Jack Sim

I have found several Lubsters that had kerosene in them.

I saw an old ad in a magazine where it showed a little girl returning flour and telling the store owner that her mother said it smelled of kerosene.

chadrock00

That's why they should NOT be called "Lubsters."

Using this term only leads to confusion. Not one company ever called these lubsters, this is a term made up by some collector and picked up by just about everyone. They are dispensers, oil, kerosene, lindseed oil, molassas, etc.

Jack Sim

I have to pay more attention next time but I recall that she did not turn the handle round and round. She cranked it and I believe the stops you can see on the "ratcheted" part of the pump stops it at a set measurement...I think a quart. I wonder how the State "Weights and Measure" guys certify that.
John

I think the "bulk dispensers",that's what I call mine,were inspected by the state for accuracy and then sealed by the inspector with a wire running through a hole in the stop and on through the set screw that would have to be loosened to move the stop in order to change it's position.That wire was sealed with a state lead stamped seal.So,aslong as that seal wire was intact,the customer was assured that the stop had not been tampered with.AT LEAST IN THEORY.

At least thats how all of my restored ones seem to have worked.

DB, great pic and info,

DB, yes quite a few "camps" as they call them use kero heaters. Lots of people use them for their garage and workshops too.
Thanks for the pic, that helps explain how it works.
John

It makes me debate whether I should go next store and see if the lady that has the store up for sale would let me have the pump or at least make her an offer for it.
Thanks for all the info posted on this as I am amazed that a few short months ago we all just walked around it when we took our break off the bikes.

So, was the "Flamo" sign for Kerosene heated rooms, or propane?

Actually you'd be surprised at how much kero is still in use today for heating. It is our main source of heat when at home to supplement our heating oil and stretch those heating dollars. I almost always run into someone at the pumps waiting or getting kerosene.

Kerosene is cheaper than Heating oil ?
I always thought it would be the other way.

Don that is a cool sign. Me likey

FLAMO is LPG

If it were a Bowser(I know it is not), and IF it is original paint;

A black one is Kerosene or other.

A red one is Gasoline.

The difference is, the seals, color, & flammability..

Yes D B , at one time Kerosene was cheaper than # 2 oil . Right now , the untaxed , dyed red diesel or #2 is running about 2.38 a gallon if you bought in to a contract back in the early fall.The #1 Kerosene is about 2.99- 3.07 right now . Oh , to run a diesel truck in the winter here , we used to mix a little Kerosene with the diesel . The fuel will turn to jelly here as it gets so thick here in the cold too. Ed Shaver

IF I lived in Cold country, I'd be setting up a Waste Oil Heater. Cooking oils & used motor oil can be had for free most anywhere.