The Rochester Gas Engne Co. was formed sometime at or before 1897 and was best known for building marine engines (however, some advertising and articles suggest that they also made stationary and automobile engines). In the beginning, their factory was located in Rochester, NY at 693 Driving Park Ave, but they later relocated
their facilities to 110 Platt Street. They specialized in three port
marine engines in various cylinder configurations with horsepower ranging between 2½ to 100 HP. They additionally advertised small boats using their engine designs.
Information Sources
- An 1897 advertisement for a boat has been seen for sale in the internet.
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American Electrician Jun 1900 page 316
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The Complete Guide to Stationary Gas Engines by Mark Meincke, 1996 page 159
- The 1904 issue of Cycle and Automotive Trade Journal states:
Rochester Gas Engine Company, of Rochester, N. Y., has reorganized,
with J. S. Graham, president, J. J. Leary, vice president, and W. J. Graham,
secretary-treasurer. Messrs. J. S. and
W. J. Graham have been manufacturers of machinery in the city of Rochester for
many years, under the name of the Graham Machine Company, and have recently
disposed of their interests to the A. T. Hagen Company. Increased facilities for the building of
marine, stationary and automobile engines in large quantities have been completed.
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LAUNCHES AND MARINE GAS ENGINES. Rochester Gas Engine Company,
Rochester, N. Y.—An attractive catalogue illustrating and describing the
Rochester gas engines for launch service and some of the launches made
by the company. The Rochester engine is a two-cycle machine, and up to 6
h.p. is made with a single cylinder; 7 h.p. and 12-h.p. engines have
two cylinders, so that the crank shaft receives two impulses every
revolution, and 18-h.p. engines have three cylinders, giving three
impulses per revolution. The engines do not reverse, but a reversing
clutch is interpolated between the crank shaft and the propeller shaft.
The launches are built in sizes ranging from 16 to 25 ft. in length.