posted 23 August 2005 12:13 PM
We watched a documentary the other night about these men driving across the United States in 1903. It is a fascinating story. When they needed more gas, they bought it from stores; often in remote locations than had never seen a car. So, why did the stores have gas? What was it used for?
From: over the mountain | Registered: Nov 2002
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Mush
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posted 23 August 2005 12:19 PM
Good question. Presumably, the gasoline engine wasn't invented solely for use in cars. Perhaps they were used for something else? Pumps, etc?
Gas burns too quickly for light or heat, methinks.
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James
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posted 23 August 2005 12:46 PM
The internal combustion engine pre-dates gasoline. Early engines ran on light distilates of crude not markedly different from kerosene developed earlier for use in lamps, etc. Gasoline as we know it was developed to meet the specific requirements of engines as they were improved.
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Cougyr
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posted 23 August 2005 12:58 PM
I seem to remember that in the early days of the automobile, when they were still expensive toys for the rich, that motive power was a choice of gas, electric or steam. At that time, neither had a distinct advantage. The first auto fatality and first speeding ticket in NYC involved electric cars. Gasolene power won out because of better marketing and because there was a gas distribution system.
I am surprised to learn that there were gas engines for other things. Railroads used steam or electric.
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Bookish Agrarian
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posted 23 August 2005 01:01 PM
Most early combustion engines were used for industrial or agricultural purposes. Many of them were replacing steam power engines that ran wickedly loud and dangerous machines. If you travel to some of the heritage shows you will see early examples of these machines and often they run on kerosene and other fuels, gasoline engines get introduced much later.
[ 23 August 2005: Message edited by: Grant I R ]
From: Home of this year's IPM | Registered: Nov 2004
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Bacchus
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posted 23 August 2005 01:17 PM
My earliest recollection of that period is history was that gas was discarded as a waste byproduct in oil production before cars
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Cougyr
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posted 23 August 2005 02:32 PM
quote:Originally posted by Bacchus: My earliest recollection of that period is history was that gas was discarded as a waste byproduct in oil production before cars
Interesting. Did they use it for cleaning?
My grandfather used to waterproof canvas tents by soaking it in a mixture of gasolene and parafin. He would warm the gasolene and melt the parafin into it. Then he would soak the tent and then hang it to dry, whence the gas would evaporate and leave the parafin on the cloth fibers. It worked very well. So, how did he warm the gas? Over a fire in the back yard. How he didn't kill himself is beyond me.
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Bacchus
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posted 23 August 2005 02:47 PM
A friend of mine's father used to use gas to wash his hands on the farm in the 40s and 50s over a fire. I agree, how he didnt explode I have no idea
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rsfarrell
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posted 03 September 2005 06:39 PM
Gas is not, actually, all that explosive -- that's mostly a Hollywood fallacy. You just have to know what you are doing -- and obviously, your ancestors did.
From: Portland, Oregon | Registered: Dec 2004
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Cougyr
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posted 03 September 2005 07:22 PM
quote:Originally posted by rsfarrell: Gas is not, actually, all that explosive -- that's mostly a Hollywood fallacy. You just have to know what you are doing -- and obviously, your ancestors did.
I suspect that they were doing this before high octane gas became common.
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Crippled_Newsie
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posted 03 September 2005 07:38 PM
It's the mixture of gas and air that can be explosive, especially in a confined space-- like a nearly empty gas tank on your Pinto.
From: It's all about the thumpa thumpa. | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 23 August 2005 12:13 PM
