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| History's Mirror posted "On This Day: September 5, 1885 The first gasoline pump was invented and sold by Sylvanus Bowser in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Originally designed to hold one barrel of gasoline, the pump featured marble valves and a wooden plunger. At the time, it wasn't intended for automobiles—those hadn’t been invented yet—but instead for kerosene lamps and stoves. Bowser later enhanced his invention with safety features and added a hose to directly dispense fuel into early automobiles, revolutionizing fueling methods. The term "bowser" even became a common reference for vertical gasoline pumps, though it's now mostly used in Australia and New Zealand for fuel trucks. Many early pumps included a calibrated glass cylinder on top, allowing the desired quantity of fuel to be pumped into the cylinder first before gravity-fed dispensing into a vehicle's tank. |
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| Satellite, the Bowser factory demolished in Spring 2017. Note Bowser Avenue on the west side. |
They already have a big vacant lot north of this site with a barb wire fence. I guess the city enjoys the aesthetics of barb wire fencing.
A video explaining that the first pump was invented in Fort Wayne, IN and by the early 1900's it was the "gas-pump manufacturing capital of the world." (source)
Daniel Gould My ex father in law worked at Tokheim in Fort Wayne, which I think is now out of business, but it was still going big time in the seventies. Wayne pumps also made gas pumps, which later became Dresser Wayne and moved to Maryland. Low cost makers like Gilbarco and Dresser wayne drove them out of business. Fort Wayne had many huge industries which are now largely forgotten, like International Harvester, Dana Corp. Magnavox, and General Electric. The first refrigerators and Televisions were made in Fort Wayne. International Harvester made most of the "deuce and a half" military trucks during WWII. Dana made the first four wheel drive axles commonly used in Jeeps and other vehicles, and pioneered the first cruise controls ever used. Harvester made the first SUV, the International Scout. It preceded the Ford Bronco by many years.
Daniel Gould Fort Wayne was also home to Freuhauf, the largest manufacturer of semi trailers in the world (now defunct I believe.). They owned the semi trailer market.
Dennis DeBruler US Rubber disappeared when I was a kid. Its plant was then used by IH to make the Scouts. I notice that Rea Magnet
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| Greg Michell commented on James T. Billings share of Rusty's posting Journal Gazette, 11 Feb 1917 |
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| Becky Osbun posted Advert from the Automotive Trade Journal, Sept. 1921 issue. The 1st gas pumps were built in the 1880's by the Bowser Co., followed in 1898 by pumps that could pull fuel from an underground tank. (My grandfather, Charles Bolinger, retired from Bowser's in the 50's.) View an impressive collection of Bowser memorabilia: https://www.youtube.com/results… |
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| Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted Sept 5, 1885 The first gasoline pump was invented and sold by Sylvanus Bowser in Fort Wayne, Indiana |
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| Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted A crane operator working to tear down the historic former S.F. Bowser pump company office building in the 1300 block of East Creighton Avenue. Two other buildings formerly on the site already had been demolished. (News-Sentinel file photo) David Redding My Dad worked there when it was Phelps Dodge’s main offices. I was only in it once. It had beautiful woodwork. Ted Garvin Police precinct was in there at one time. Adam Joseph McKenzie Ted Garvin they where the last to own it and you wouldnt believe the money they threw away in the demo. The company I work for handled the asbestos removal. The ammount of personal materials left in the building, i.e. desks, chairs, motors, all kinds of reusable items demolished. What a waste. Jared A. Ditaway A brand new YMCA is there today. |
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| Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted |
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| Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted Early 1900's S.F. Bowser Gas Pump Company |
A video explaining that the first pump was invented in Fort Wayne, IN and by the early 1900's it was the "gas-pump manufacturing capital of the world." (source)
Daniel Gould My ex father in law worked at Tokheim in Fort Wayne, which I think is now out of business, but it was still going big time in the seventies. Wayne pumps also made gas pumps, which later became Dresser Wayne and moved to Maryland. Low cost makers like Gilbarco and Dresser wayne drove them out of business. Fort Wayne had many huge industries which are now largely forgotten, like International Harvester, Dana Corp. Magnavox, and General Electric. The first refrigerators and Televisions were made in Fort Wayne. International Harvester made most of the "deuce and a half" military trucks during WWII. Dana made the first four wheel drive axles commonly used in Jeeps and other vehicles, and pioneered the first cruise controls ever used. Harvester made the first SUV, the International Scout. It preceded the Ford Bronco by many years.
Daniel Gould Fort Wayne was also home to Freuhauf, the largest manufacturer of semi trailers in the world (now defunct I believe.). They owned the semi trailer market.
Dennis DeBruler US Rubber disappeared when I was a kid. Its plant was then used by IH to make the Scouts. I notice that Rea Magnet
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