Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Bulk Plants--treasure trove..How Do I find them???

crystal ball ............ I bought a Standard/Esso Oil Directory that had every east coast station(no bulk plants) on the east coast listed in it, with the addresses....... naughty

Sanborn (fire insurance) Maps. Your public library should have them on either microfilm, or your state's collection digitized on the library's eResources page. I've found bulk plants and gas stations, plus details about tank size, number of pumps, etc., and details like night watchmen and sprinkler systems.
Very interesting resource.

I had a Georgia Oilmans Association book that was from the 70's. Got it from an old pump mechanic.....We cleaned out many bulk plants in Ga. in the 80's with it to guide us......some guys would give you the stuff back then....literally. Some would sell...some would run you off....50% chance.
Try city archives.....you can find businesses
long gone. I researched an oil bottle this way.

Chris, this is what you're looking for...old tin building, no identification, very inconspicuous. No one would ever know this was an old Mobil distributor! I'm sure no one has ever stopped here looking for stuff.

lol....the building looks correct...one thing I have noticed almost all buildings like that have a large roof vent.

Ok, so were looking for a non-descriptive tin building, raised two feet with a large vent on the top. NO Problem!

PA is rich in farm pumps, but after being in the elements for 50 years the VAST majority are worthless.

Chris -

I'll try to answer your question about what a "jobber" is/was (at least according to The Texas Company's way of operating).

A consignee received product from the company on a "consignment" basis and delivered it to customers on a basis of X-cents per gallon or pound. He used the company's bulk plant and the company carried customers' credit, but he owned his own trucks and paid his own employees.

A distributor purchased product from the company and re-sold it for a profit. Unlike a consignee, he carried the customers' credit.

The difference between a distributor and a jobber was that a jobber also owned his own bulk plant.

All three (consignees, distributors and jobbers) were, therefore, "independent businessmen". The difference was in the degree of their independence. Generally speaking, consignees replaced "salaried agents" (who were company employees) in the late '30's/early '40's. Many (if not most) consignees eventually became distributors or jobbers.

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Jim Hinds
Columbus, Indiana

A rusted to hell pump is not worthless.Most the good stuff has been gotten long ago.Even a rusted old peice of **** has parts.My Bowser was a rusted old pump...most of the sheet metal had to be replaced...but it is the only one I have seen or heard of.
What do you want, a factory crated pump delivered??

Chevelle,
What's the story on that old Mobil bulk plant. I believe it's near Jacksonville, up by you? I was passing through last year and stopped in the place but nobody was there. That's a neat old neon sign out front. I'd like to see the inside of the place. Have you been in the place?

Paul

Paul, you are exactly right. I've never been in there but have talked to the owner. He is an older guy. I think he has sold it but has retained all the signs. I don't think the signs are for sale.
Brent

I recently found an old gas station that had pumps in it advertising esso, amoco, american, standard, and texaco in it. It had been rumuged through hundreds of times since its on a bike path though. It did have pumps in it but they were all 80's pumps that arent really worth that much all most all of them had the panels taken off of them and were missing parts. BBQ chicken where could I get one of those books with all the esso stations in it on the east coast?
Robert

Robert, I could copy the pages out of mine and email them to you. It has all the states and all the stations with addresses of where they were. I just get a couple of cool pieces as you turn them up after going to all the locations and finding the stuff....... deal??? I bought the little book off of eBer baber. It's sweet. Dave

It's a deal BBQ Chicken. My e-mail address is thomas855@adelphia.net
Robert