Cobweb Express

What A Gas!
by Mel McFarland

One thing that has really changed over the years is the gas station. As I travel I like driving through little towns, on what are considered, the back road. When you get off of the interstate it is often like going back in time. Here and there you see things long forgotten, like old gas station buildings.

Here in Fountain one of the first built for the purpose was Clyde Bitterkauffer's service station, Howard E. Anderson and Arthur E. Orcutt had garages, Olen Cossel and J. F. Cunningham, also had their own service stations. Most of these stations and shops were located on or near Main. Joe Collins had his livery stable, but also worked on a variety of vehicles. W. E. Marshall's blacksmith shop worked on wagons, cars and later just gas welding. P. O. McGowen's shop offered tire repairs as well as new and used tires and tubes. On the corner of Main and Iowa sat Mountain Tire and Gas. A few of these were traditional gas stations, a little building with a covered entry wide enough for cars of the day, and perhaps three pumps, regular, ethyl and maybe kerosene. Perhaps you remember that each company had unique designs. A Standard station did not look like a Phillips 66 or Skelly. There were also many unique little companies that are now long gone, like Flying A, Frontier, Bay and Kicking Mule.

I have seen a picture of the old style station on the corner of Main and Missouri. Today that spot shows not a hint of anything like that. Here in Fountain they were over on Santa Fe when the paved highway was built in the 1930's. When the Interstate was built, there were others down on the other side of Fountain creek, at the exit. But, then came the "Oil Crisis" in the 1970's. Gas stations became dry cleaners, donut shops, and all kinds of things.

The look of gas stations changed in the '90's, with many companies merging and others just going out of business. Now gas stations are part of convenience stores, or the other way around. You can even buy gas at some grocery stores. The prices seem to keep climbing. Remember your first $1 gas? then $2. Lately the jump past $3 seems to be heading for $4. Driving for entertainment was common through the 1950's. Today, looking at the price of gas, and the prospects of Summer soon to be here, ah, them was the days! Maybe just a cool drink in the shade on the back lawn!

CONTACT THE WRITER • MCMIDLAND@YAHOO.COM

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