George Whitney spent several years
experimenting before a company was formed to make his steam cars, and few were in fact made under the Whitney name. After the Stanley brothers had sold their
patents to Locomobile and Mobile, they began making cars of Whitney pattern
under the name Stanley-Whitney or McKay (from McKay Sewing Machines, a company owned by Frank E. Stanley). The original Whitney was a very high, tiller-steered buggy powered by a 2-cylinder vertical engine, and using a fully
automatic boiler.[1]
The September 12, 1899 issue of Motor Age describes the Stanley-Whitney Steam Carriage as being made byGeorge E. Whitney. The Everett Motor Carriage Company of Everett, MA apparently made a few of these carriages, perhaps under license from George Whitney. However the Everett firm decided "to confine their attention to boilers and engines for motor carriages," changing its name to Milne & Killam.
John A. Conde Collection.
G. E. Whitney Motor Wagon Company folding brochure.
On April 30th, 1898, Whitney received this English patent, No. 6947.
In 1962, the Atlantic Auto Advertiser featured the Whitney Motor Wagon. Its illustrations are drawn from the Whitney brochure illustrated above.
John A. Conde's File Folder. John A. Conde Collection.
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