Oil Stations
In 1914 Brewster received a wholesale oil station. A site was secured east of the elevator. There were two tanks holding 17,500 gallons, one for gas and one for oil. A wagon shed and pump house were built. Ed OLSON, drayman, had charge. At a meeting of the C and C seven years later, Standard Oil agreed to put in a temporary station at once across from the elevator. In the next three years, Terrance MCCALL, Ernest PINZ, Merle SORENSON and Melvin CLARK worked for Standard. In 1926 Joe WEY was local agent, replaced by Emil LUDTKE replaced by Phillip MCNAB.
In 1927 a Brewster Standard Service Station was opened to the public. Mr. Hans CARSTENSON had the station and Wm. HOGAN ran the truck. In 1933 Chas. HUTAIN was the bulk agent. In 1935 L.P. HANSON leased the Standard Station. Shorty LEACH worked there also and leased the station in 1936.
In 1930 the mayor of Brewster received a special letter of appreciation for the name of Brewster painted across the top of the Standard Bulk Plant roof from the Aeronautical Department.
Following Chas. HUTAIN, the Standard “truckman” was and still is Al VICK. However, Al took time out to go to the army and Walt SCHNORMEIR and Warren WILSON were bulk agents.
In 1946 when Al returned from Uncle Sam’s employ, the Standard Station and bulk plant was reopened. Francis WEINANDT purchased the station and his father, Tony WEINANDT, ran it. Al VICK became truck man and is yet in 1958. However, R.A. RILEY purchased the station in 1948. Francis WEINANDT built a new Standard Station along side his hardware in 1957.
In 1925 OBERMOLLER Bros. constructed a new filling station known as the Brewster Independent Oil Company. Albert LANGSTEN was their truck driver.
In 1927 this station was sold to the Ellsworth Oil Company, R.A. RILEY to be manager. Skelly products were sold here and also at EBERT’S garage. In 1930 the directors of this concern known as the Farmers Merchants Oil Company held a meeting in the A.L. WELLS Insurance Office. Here they decided to build a new station and move the old one to Adrian.
In 1931 this station was robbed and the safe was found about a mile north of town. Employed at the station also were Chester MILLER and Walter BAUCHLE, later Wm. HOGAN and Fred WEY.
In 1933, during the blizzard, to clear the driveway at this station, twenty-three truck loads of snow were hauled away.
In 1935 R.A. RILEY was made Division Manager. Chester MILLER manager at Brewster, Henry WEAVER assistant manager and Wm. HOGAN and Fred WEY truckers. The old station building was moved to the south end of the lot to be used while the new building was under construction. The new station was a 24 by 36 building with an enclosed grease rack and office quarters, the outside was of white stucco.
In 1936 Ole RILEY resigned after ten years with the Farmers Merchants to open his own station. Henry WEAVER was made senior attendant, Russell OLSON, assistant, also Roger HAGERMAN, Fred WEY kept the bulk plant. MILLER and Wm. HOGAN resigned. The next year Henry WEAVER took over active management of the station and has been there for over twenty years. In 1951 Henry completed an addition to the station making more office space and a larger addition to the work room on the east side.
Employed at the WEAVER station at present are Henry, Bob and David WEAVER. Clair NUSSER has run the truck since 1955 when he purchased it from Fred WEY, who had run it over twenty years.
In 1936 R.A. RILEY started an oil station at the KAUFMAN Building. In 1943 he changed over to become Nobles County Co-Op Station handling Mobilgas and Mobiloil. In 1948 RILEY purchased the Standard Station and built a large new station nearby. Rudy BERREAU had charge of the construction. In 1955 Ray BERREAU bought half interest in the station. Presently employed are Ole RILEY, Ray BERREAU and Arvid BERREAU. Donald BERREAU is the truck driver.
In 1935 Tony EBERT opened a new Texaco station north of the depot. This is Tony’s twenty-third year in the Texaco business.
Other stations whose duration was for a short period were Webb Oil Company, operated by Kenneth HARTE in 1931 and a Texaco Gas Station by Harry KRAFT in 1933.
Nobles County Genealogy
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