Mineral Water and Soda – Page 2

H. & J. F. Meyer, New York

Herman & John F. Meyer, partnered together in a mineral water manufacturing and bottling business in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan from 1869 to 1876. According to 1880 census records both Meyer’s were born in the Hanover Region of Germany; John F. in 1833, and Herman in 1836, and I suspect that they were somehow related, likely brothers. That being said, they apparently took very different paths to their 1869 partnership.

Herman Meyer can be found in the New York City directories as early as 1852-53, partnered with John F. Rottman in the soda water business. The partnership of Meyer & Rottman was listed at 566 Greenwich Street (1853 – 55) and later at 94 Thompson Street (1855 – 60). By 1860 the partnership apparently ended when Meyer apparently headed north to work on Rottman’s farm in Rockland County. This classified advertisement puts Meyer there as late as 1865. The ad, announcing that the farm was for sale appeared that year in the March 20th edition of the “New York Herald.”

At the same time, back in New York City Rottman continued in the soda water business where he was listed individually as late as 1865-66, now with an address of 100 Thompson Street.

Meantime, John F. Meyer found himself in Augusta, Georgia where he likely arrived sometime in the early to mid 1850’s. His oldest son, William, was born there in 1857 so he had certainly settled in Georgia by then. During his time in Georgia Meyer served as the proprietor of a soda water manufacturing and bottling business under his name. His advertisement appeared in the 1859 edition of the “Directory and Business Advertiser” for the City of Augusta.

Meyer’s listing in the same directory indicated that he both lived and worked at the same location at 99 Broad Street.

In 1865 -66, John F. Meyer was not listed in Pughe’s Directory of Augusta (the next directory I have access to) suggesting that by this time he had made his way north to New York City where, in partnership with George W. Ruther, he apparently took over Rottman’s business at 100 Thompson Street. The Meyer & Ruther partnership was listed at that address from 1866-67 up through 1868-69 at which time the partnership apparently dissolved.

Enter Herman who, with Rottman’s Rockland County property apparently sold, was back in New York City where he and John F. Meyer formed the partnership of H. & J. F. Meyer, the name embossed on the subject bottle.

The Meyer’s business originally listed an address of 96 Laurens Street in the 1869-70 directory, later listing 139 South Fifth Avenue from 1871-72 up through 1875-76. Almost certainly located just south of Washington Square Park, that section of Laurens Street was renamed South Fifth Avenue in 1870 so it’s likely their change of address did not represent a physical move. (In the 1960’s, South Fifth Avenue in this area was renamed again, and is now called LaGuardia Place.)

In 1876, a notice dated February 2nd announced that the Meyer’s partnership had been dissolved. The notice was published the next day in the “New York Daily Herald.”

Census records in 1880 suggest that Herman went on to be a “barkeeper” while John F. continued as the sole proprietor of the soda water business, relocating it to 55 West 18th Street in 1879-80 and later to 528 (sometimes 530) Washington Street sometime in 1888 0r 1889.

In 1900 The NYC Copartnership and Corporation Directory began referring to the business as “the firm of J. F. Meyer,” and naming the principals as “Wilhelmina (his wife) and George W. (his son) only,” suggesting John F. had passed away, likely sometime in the late 1890’s. By 1906, only George W. was named as a principal. The business remained listed in this fashion in the Copartnership and Corporation Directories until 1915 after which I lose track.

The bottle I found is an 8-ounce pony with an applied blob finish. It certainly dates to the 1869 to 1876 period of the H. and J. F. partnership.

Sterling Bottling Works, D. C. Petty, Greenport N.Y.

The Sterling Bottling Works operated in Greenport Long Island from 1897 up through 1920. During this time the company exhibited two different spellings of the word Sterling on their embossed bottles. Some like the subject bottle spelled it “Sterling” while others, like the one pictured below spelled it “Stirling.”

Recognizing that both versions were embossed on bottles of similar age, type and design it appears that both were generally accepted at the time.

The company’s initial proprietor was a man named David C. Petty who was born in Good Ground (Hampton Bays) Long Island in the mid-1850’s. The son of a bayman, according to census records, Petty was still living in Good Ground (Hampton Bays) with the occupation “fisherman.” in 1880. Not long after he would find himself in Greenport, Long Island where he managed several different business enterprises up until his death in 1914. This likeness of him accompanied his December 22, 1914 obituary found in the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle.”

Another obituary, this one in a local newspaper called the “Suffolk Weekly Times,” described Petty like this:

The deceased was a familiar figure in the business life of this village. He was a large man, with a heart of the same size. He was a cheerful giver and during the long winter months made many firesides happy with the necessities of life.

As far as I can tell, Petty’s presence in Greenport got its start when he acquired the Greenport grocery business of Clark H. Raynor. A story in the May 4, 1878 edition of the “Suffolk Weekly Times” announced that Raynor had started his business at around that time.

Mr. Clark H. Raynor opened his new store on Front St., near First, on May 1st, with an extensive assortment of Fancy Groceries. In connection with the grocery business, he will keep an Ice Cream Saloon and lunch room in the rooms adjoining the store.

Five years later an October 6, 1883 item published in the “Suffolk Weekly Times” reported that Petty had purchased the Raynor business and the following Spring another “Suffolk Weekly Times” item, this one in their April 26, 1884 edition, announced that he was opening for business at that time.

David C. Petty having purchased of Mrs. C. H. Raynor the Bakery, Ice Cream Saloon and Restaurant, No. 30 Front St., Greenport, will take possession on May 1st, and will open it to the public with a new stock of Confectionery, Fruit, Cigars, etc. Fresh Bread, Pies, Cakes, etc., every day. Ice Cream, in its season, by the plate, quart or gallon.

A Sanborn Insurance map, dated December, 1890, located what is almost certainly the saloon, bakery and restaurant on the northwest corner of Front and First Streets.

In 1887 a series of D. C. Petty advertisements published in the “Long Island Traveler” made it clear that by then Petty had added “Mineral Waters of All Kinds” to his menu. At this point, whether he was simply selling them or manufacturing and bottling them as well is not clear.

By the mid-1890’s Petty, apparently no longer involved in the Front Street operation, took over the Greenport mineral water business of John Lellmann. The announcement appeared in the April 16, 1897 edition of the “Long Island Traveler.”

The Greenport Bottling Works which for years was carried on by John Lellman is now being put in order and will be run by D. C. Petty

More on Lellmann and his bottling works prior Petty’s involvement can be found in another post on this site. John Lellmann.

An 1897 Sanborn map located Lellmann’s mineral water busines at the south end of the block bounded by Main, Centre, First and South Streets (lower right-hand quadrant).

This close-up shows it was set back from Main Street with access to the street via an alley.

As early as 1898 New York State’s Factory Inspection Report was referring to Petty’s mineral water business as the Sterling Bottling Works. That year, the company employed 4 male employees all working a 60 hour week.

Around the same time it was announced that the Brooklyn brewer, William Ulmer, who apparently owned much if not all of that block, was planning to build an ice plant there. The January 19, 1899 edition of the “Brooklyn Times Union” made the announcement.

AN ARTIFICIAL ICE PLANT

Greenport – It has now been positively decided that an artificial ice plant will be constructed at this village by William Ulmer. It is to be erected in the rear of Mr. Ulmer’s property situated on Main Street and known as the Greenport Bottling Works. The buildings on this piece of property have been torn down to make room for the new plant. Bids have been asked for and work will commence as soon as the contract is awarded.

The ice plant, with Petty serving as manager, opened in the Spring of 1900, with the initial advertisement appearing in the June 30, 1900 edition of the “Suffolk Daily Times.”

A 1902 Sanborn map located the ice plant directly adjacent to Petty’s bottling works.

By then Petty was also managing the “Ye Tavern,” which was likely located within the same block. It could possibly be the saloon shown on the above map that fronts on Main Street and is located adjacent to the alley access to the bottling works.

So as the dust settled, with Ulmer’s ice plant, the mineral water bottling operation and tavern all under Petty’s management its not much of a stretch to conclude that at some point he began bottling Ulmer’s product. This had likely occurred by 1909 when that year’s Sanborn map, shown below, now included a building labeled “Beer Storage” in the bottling works/ice house footprint.

This conclusion is further supported by this photo of a D. C. Petty delivery wagon that both advertised and apparently delivered Ulmer’s Cabinet Beer. The photo is part of the Hartley Collection of the Southhold Historical Society.

Petty continued to manage all three businesses until he passed away in December 1914 after which they were acquired by John J. Burns. The ownership change was reported in the March 27, 1915 edition of the “Suffolk Weekly Times.”

John J. Burns has bought the entire business interests of the late David C. Petty in “Ye Tavern,” the Hygeia Ice Works and the Hygeia Bottling Works and has taken possession of the big business. Mr. Burns has a force of men at work this week making important changes and improvements including better accommodations in the horse stables, new machinery in the bottling works and enlargement of the office with an outside entrance. Mr. Burns’ friends wish him every success in the enterprise.

The 1917 Sanborn map confirmed the ownership change, listing the bottling works under the Burns name.

Burns ran the operation for several years before ultimately putting the ice plant and bottling works up for sale in December, 1918. This item announcing the sale appeared in the December 20th edition of the “Suffolk Weekly Times.”

John J. Burns has decided to dispose of the Hygeia Ice Works and the Stirling Bottling Works and offers the business for sale. It is one of the substantial business properties of the place and should meet with a ready buyer.

The following January classified advertisements began appearing in the “Suffolk Weekly Times.”

It took took a year or so but the ice plant and bottling works were ultimately sold to F. E. Barth, another long time Greenport businessman and bottler. The announcement appeared in the April 23, 1920 edition of the “Suffolk Weekly Times.”

F. E. Barth has purchased the Hygeia Ice Plant, which hereafter will be known as the Greenport Ice Co. Many modern improvements are being made in the plant and patrons will be given the best ice service ever had in Greenport. The mineral water department is also being enlarged and many improvements made that will meet any demand in this branch of the business. The plant will be under the management of Frank L. Barth.

Operating as the Mineral Water Department of the Greenport Ice Company they continued to manufacture and bottle mineral water for a time as evidenced by this bottle that was recently offered for sale on the Internet. Its embossed:

GREEENPORT HYGEIA ICE CO.

DISTILLED WATER USED

409 MAIN ST.

GREENPOINT L.I.

Its not clear when exactly the company ceased the manufacture of mineral water however, as late as the 1950’s, the company was still in the beverage business serving as a local distributor for both Hamms and Schmidt’s Beer. This Hamm’s Beer ad appeared in the May 4, 1950 edition of “The (Riverhead) County Review.”

The subject bottle is a Hutchinson-style bottle that includes D. C. Petty’s name in its embossing. This dates it between 1897 and 1914 when Petty was associated with the business.

W. H. Hallock, Commack, N.Y.

Wesley H. Hallock according to census records was born the son of a Long Island clergyman in August, 1872 (1900 census). In 1895 he and his brother, J. Frederick Hallock, opened a general store in Commack, Long Island under the name Hallock Brothers. The store’s opening was announced in the “Commack” column of the May 25, 1895 edition of “The Long-Islander.”

The Messers. Hallock Bros. have opened a general country store in the building recently erected by Jas. F. Lewis for that purpose. The new building is a very handsome structure.

Less than five months later the October 12, 1895 edition of “The Long-Islander” reported that the store had been completely destroyed by a large fire.

The business portion of this village was completely wiped out by fire between the hours of 12 and 1 Sunday morning. The fire started in the store of Hallock Bros., part of which is used as the village post office, and it soon spread to the hotel of Henry Beatty, the only public house in the place. This was soon in ruins and the end wall is all that is now standing. The fire originated in the basement of Hallock’s store, but the cause has not been ascertained. The firm has met with a severe loss, as they carried no insurance. They had only recently started in business and it is a question whether they will be able to resume. They rented a portion of the store for the post office and quite a quantity of stamps was burned up, but the mail matter lost was small, as on a Saturday evening nearly everybody called for their mail. This place has no organized fire company, so there was no means of fighting the fire except by organizing a bucket brigade. This was done and soon all the cisterns nearby were emptied, and then there was nothing left but to watch the fire burn until there was nothing left to feed it…

In spite of his loss, a month later this November 30, 1895 item in the “South Side Signal” announced that Welsley Hallock had just gotten married and was committed to rebuilding upon returning from his honeymoon.

Wesley Hallock was married on Thursday. After the honeymoon Wesley will “pull himself together” and build a new store in place of the one burned some time ago.

And rebuild he did, apparently without the support of his brother. No longer called Hallock Bros., advertisemnts for W. H. Hallock’s new country store began appearing as early as June, 1896 in “The Long-Islander.”

The store offered a wide variety of items but the ad suggested that ice cream was their primary focus stressing in large capital letters “ICE CREAM BY THE QUART OR PLATE.” Three years later another advertisement in “The Long Islander,” this one in the September 2, 1899 edition, simply said “WHOLESALE AND RETAIL MANUFACTURER OF MINERAL WATERS & ICE CREAM,” suggesting that by then Hallock’s store was now serving primarily if not exclusively as a confectioner.

In 1902 a May 19th “South Side Signal” story announced that Hallock was adding a building next door to serve as a catering hall/party facility.

W. H. Hallock who bought the North schoolhouse, has moved it onto his ground, adjoining the store, and is fitting it up as a village hall, to let for socials and entertainment, as Burr Homestead Hall is quite a distance from the center of the village.

In announcing his 1911 seasonal opening in the May 19th edition of “The Long-Islander.” Hallock referred to his business as an “ice cream saloon.”

W.H. Hallock has opened his ice cream saloon, and Fussell’s famous cream can be had by the plate or quart.

Directory information found in “A Historical Guide to Long Island Soda, Beer & Mineral Water Bottles & Bottling Companies, 1840 – 1870,” by George Fisher, indicates that as late as 1917 Hallock was listed as a confectioner on Jericho Turnpike in Commack.

I suspect Hallock remained in business until 1920 when an April 2nd classified advertisement in “The Long-Islander” suggested he was shutting it down. The ad announced he was selling among other things “50 cases of 8 oz. soda bottles” as well as “Ice Cream Machinery, Tubs, Cans etc.

Census records in 1920 through 1940 suggest Hallock became a full-time farmer east of Commack in the Lake Grove/St. James area. As late as 1940 census records listed his occupation as “Proprietor of Road Stand.”

The “Northport Journal” reported that Hallock passed away tragically in August of 1943

Friends of Wesly H. Hallock of St. James were shocked to learn of his sudden death Thursday evening, following an automobile accident, and extend their sympathy to his family. Mr Hallock was a long time resident of Commack…

More detail was provided in this item found in the August 6, 1943 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle.”

A Wac and a 71-year old man were killed and another Wac was seriously injured last night when an army mail truck and a light delivery truck collided at Yaphank and Horseback Roads, Brookhaven Village.

The dead are Wac Junior Leader (Corp.) Marie Craig, 37, of Memphis Tenn., who was pinned beneath the overturned mail truck, and Wesley H. Hallock of St. James, who was crushed in the cab of his quarter-ton vehicle. Auxiliary (Pvt.) Elsie Robinson, 38, of Lincoln Neb., is in the post hospital with a broken leg and several fractured ribs.

Miss Craig was riding with Mrs. Robinson, carrying post mail to the Patchogue railroad station. Police said Hallock was driving alone.

The bottle I found is a mouth blown 8-ounce hutchinson style soda that likely dates it to the earlier days of Hallock’s ice cream and mineral water business. It quite possibly could have been in one of the 50 cases of 8-ounce bottles he would later offer for sale.

J. H. Grieme, Stapleton, S. I., Weiss Bier.

John H. Grieme, according to 1880 U. S. census records, was born in 1846 in Hanover, Germany. He apparently arrived in the United States sometime in the early 1870’s, where he spent much, if not all of that decade in Chicago, Illinois working in the saloon business.

As early as 1873 he was listed with the Chicago address of 585 State Street and the occupation “bartender.” The following year he apparently partnered with Adolph Kahl and acquired an ownership stake in the saloon at that address. That year, the firm of “Grieme & Kahl” was listed there with the occupation “saloon.” The partnership was apparently short-lived and between 1875 and 1878 Grieme was listed individually as the saloon owner there.

What became of the State Street saloon is unclear but by 1880 Grieme had moved to New York City where census records indicated he was a “saloon keeper,” living on Manhattan’s lower east side. In 1885-1886, the NYC directory located what was likely his saloon at 522 East 5th Street. Later, in the late 1880’s, still working in Manhattan he moved further north to 184 East 109th Street.

At some point, likely sometime around 1890, he relocated to Stapleton, Staten Island where the October 15, 1893 edition of a monthly publication called the “American Elevator and Grain Trade”announced that he had just erected a new brewery.

That year, the 1893-1894 Richmond County (Staten Island) directory listed Grieme as a “beer bottler,” with an address of 11 Targee Street in Stapleton.

Active throughout the rest of the 1890’s, Richmond County’s 1899 Trow Business Directory included him as the only brewer of Weiss Beer in Staten Island.

At the same time, the general directory listed his occupation as mineral “waters.”

Based on this and other sporadic directory listings it appears that Grieme’s residence, brewery and beer/mineral water bottling operations were all located between 7 and 11 Targee Street, near its “T” intersection with Van Duzer Street in Stapleton.

Right around 1900 John Grieme passed away and the business passed into the hands of his wife, Rebecca. The ownership transfer was documented on a list under the heading “Brewing Firm Changes,” published in the August 20, 1900 edition of the “American Brewers Review.”

That year, census records listed Rebecca’s three sons, Fred, William and John, all with the occupation of “bottlers,” and over the next three years both the weiss beer and mineral water business continued to be listed in Richmond County’s Trow Business Directory under the John H. Grieme name.

Then sometime n 1903 Rebecca sold the brewery to the partnership of Bahr & Krassman. who were included in a listing of “New Breweries” in the August 20, 1903 edition of the “American Brewers Review.”

Bahr & Krasman continued both the weiss beer and mineral water arms of the business as evidenced by a story that appeared in the “Richmond County Advance” on February 11, 1905.

On Monday morning last the wagon and business of Bahr and Krasman, dealers in Weiss Beer and Mineral Waters, were brought to a standstill by the slipping and falling of the horses on the ice opposite Van Clief’s planing mill, West Brighton. The horses were both lamed. They were with much difficulty gotten upon their feet and they hobbled away under the care of the driver. Other horses took their place about two hours later, and the liquids were delivered to the thirsty customers awaiting them.

Short-lived, Bahr & Krasman was only in business until 1908 when the October edition of the “Western Brewer,” included their brewery on a list under the heading “Breweries Closed.”.

Subsequently I can’t find any mention of their mineral water business either.

The bottle I found was blown in a mold with a blob finish. It’s embossed: “J.H. Grieme, Stapleton, S. I.” on one side and “Weiss Beer” on the other side. It certainly dates to the period between 1893 and 1902 when the brewery bottled weiss beer under the Grieme name.

Bottles embossed with the “Bahr & Krasman” name also occasionally appear for sale on the internet.

Hans Iversen, Cold Spring Station, L.I.

Hans Iversen, according to 1910 census records, was born in Norway in 1878. By the early 1900’s he was living on the north shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York where up through the mid-teens he wore several different hats including hotel proprietor, saloon keeper, beer bottler and mineral water manufacturer in and around Huntington.

His Long Island story began in 1902 when he took over the hotel business of a man named George Doty whose story can be found in his May 9, 1902 obituary published in a local newspaper called the “Long Islander.”

Mr. Doty was born in New York. Soon after this his father Richard Doty removed to Manetto Hill, Plainview. George learned the carriage painting business and after working at it for several years he went to the city and filled the position of conductor on the horse cars. About eighteen years ago he removed to Centreport and took charge of the Fabian Hostelry , which under his management became a popular summer resort for city people.

Located just east of Huntington in Centreport, it was sometimes referred to as the Centreport Hotel and other times as the Fabian Hotel. This description of the hotel’s 1889 seasonal opening appeared in the July 13th edition of the “Long-Islander.”

The season here was formally opened on the evening of last Saturday by a grand ball at the Fabian Hostelry, over whose inspiring wines presides the genial George Doty. In regard to the number of those present, the gorgeousness of dress, and the sweetness of the music, the affair of last week has never been equalled in this district. Stage after stage, carriage after carriage drew up before the house and discharged the precious freight of lovely women in grand attire and gentlemen in full dress.

Another “Long- Islander” story, this one written on May 2, 1902, just days before Doty passed away, described Iversen’s appearance on the scene.

John Wolfert has bought the Centreport hotel formerly owned by George Doty and has leased to Hans Iversen, who will conduct a hotel and beer bottling and mineral water manufacturing establishment on the premises. Mr. Wolfert has sold out his bottling business to him and will go out of the business himself.

At the time of the sale, Wolfert’s bottling operation, described in a December 12, 1896 “Long Islander” story as “a large beer bottling business” was located just west of Huntington, in Cold Spring (later renamed Cold Spring Harbor to differentiate it from another town called Cold Spring in upstate New York). While the story states that Iverson intended to conduct the bottling business on the hotel premises in Centreport, the presence of “Cold Spring Station” embossed on the subject bottle suggests that he may have kept the bottling operation at Wolfert’s Cold Spring location for at least a while. That being said, not long afterwards he apparently did move the operation to Centreport, as evidenced by a “Hans Iversen” bottle that’s embossed with the Centreport location. The bottle was found in “A Historical Guide to Long Island Soda, Beer & Mineral Water Bottles & Bottling Companies, 1840 – 1870,” By George Fisher.

Iversen’s Centreport Hotel was included in a 1904 publication called simply “Long Island” under the heading “North Shore Resorts.” That year Iversen was charging $8.00 for a weekly stay (2nd line down).

On February 18, 1905, the “Brooklyn Daily Times” reported that Wolfert sold the hotel property to a man named Archie Hall.

Archie Hall, proprietor of the Lakeside Inn, has purchased the Centreport hotel property owned by Mrs. John Wolfert, and now leased by Hans Iverson. Mr. Hall proposes building a new hotel with modern improvements on the opposite side of the road from the present hotel.

The sale of the hotel property apparently triggered a move by Iversen because soon after he was serving as the proprietor of a saloon on Huntington’s Main Street owned by a man named Bernard Friedman. Not long after Iversen’s arrival, a January 5, 1906 “Long-Islander” story, announced that Friedman was putting the property up for sale.

The sale of the late Bernard Friedman property on Main Street, now occupied by Hans Iverson, at the Suffolk hotel tomorrow morning at 11 0’clock, promises to produce some lively bidding, as it is understood that several out-of-town people have their eye on this particular piece of real estate, and the purchaser will probably have to pay well for his bargain…

Later, the May 5, 1906 edition of the “Long-Islander” announced the new owner of the property was Welz & Zerwick, a large Brooklyn, New York brewery.

Welz & Zerwick, the Brooklyn brewers, who recently bought the Friedman property used by Hans Iversen as a saloon, are having extensive improvements made in the place. The lower floor has been gutted and new beams, flooring, sidewalls, ceiling, fixtures, etc., will be put in making a different appearing place. Contractor A. L. Jacobson has the work in hand, and Herman Miller is doing the masonry.

The above story described a saloon but as far as I can tell the property also included a hotel as well. This was certainly the case by 1908 when Iversen’s liquor tax certificate indicated his business as “HOTEL”

Whether Iversen continued his bottling operation after the move to Huntington is unclear, though I’ve yet to come across a “Hans Iversen bottle that includes “Huntington” within its embossing.

By 1910 Iverson’s hotel had been found in violation of the county’s liquor laws on more than one occasion. One such instance was reported in the January 14, 1910 edition of the “Suffolk County News.”

There was considerable surprise on Monday when it became known that Sherriff Platt had been to Huntington and placed Hans Iversen, of Iversen’s Hotel, in Main St., and Frances J. Colgan of the Northside Hotel at Fairground, under bonds, they having been indicted by the last Grand Jury for illegally trafficking in liquors, presumably selling on Sunday. Iversen was one of those indicted a year ago.

Undaunted, sometime in 1910 Iverson hired on as the proprietor of a second Huntington hotel, this one located at the east end of town. The announcement appeared in the April 1, 1910 edition of the “Long-Islander.”

The frame work of Mrs. Alonzo Brown’s new hotel on Lower New York Avenue has been raised. Upon Mrs. Brown leaving the East End Place it will be taken by Hans Iversen, who will run it in connection with his Main Street business.

Iversen’s wife, Christiana, was listed as the liquor tax certificate holder for both locations in 1912 (Y.E. Sept 30, 1911).

Sometime in late 1912 it appears that Iversen decided to unload both businesses. On January 7, 1913 the “Suffolk County Review” announced that he had sold the Main Street business.

Hans Iversen has sold his hotel business in Huntington to Jacob Gulde of Manhattan

Gulde was still listed as the location’s liquor tax certificate holder as late as 1918 (Y.E. Sept. 30, 1917).

Iversen apparently sold the “East End” business to William Allinger (or Alleger) sometime in late 1912, however, according to court proceedings published in the February 7, 1913 edition of the “Long-Islander,” he later bought it back.

William Allinger had purchased the hotel business of Hans Iversen at the East End, and after running it for a while had sold the same back to Mr. Iversen.

The reasoning for this quick reversal can be surmised from a story that appeared in the December 23, 1912 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

Huntington’s historic east end was the scene of a lively fracas on Saturday evening. William Alleger recently purchased the good will of the hotel there from Hans Iversen. On Saturday evening Alleger objected to acts of Harry Jarvis, and blows were struck. A hurried message brought Officer Wenzel. He arrested Jarvis and locked him up. Dr. Hendrickson took a dozen stitches in Alleger’s head, and Mr. Iversen took the license of the place, which was in his name….

Iversen’s wife was still listed as the liquor tax certificate holder in 1914 (Y.E, Sept 30, 1913) but not in 1917 (Y.E. Sept 30, 1916) In fact, I don’t see the location listed in the tax records at all that year. What became of the business and , for that matter, the Iversen’s after 1913 is unclear.

The bottle I found is a champagne style beer that was blown in a mold and exhibits a tooled blob finish. In addition to Iversen’s name and the Cold Spring Station address, the bottle also features a monogram of an anchor and chain. It certainly dates no earlier than 1902 when Iverson acquired John Wolfert’s Cold Spring bottling business.

On a final note: In addition to running his various businesses, Iversen was also active in the area’s harness racing scene, owning and racing several horses. A September 11, 1908 “Long-Islander” story told of one race involving a horse named “Black Bean.”

The match race for $100 a side between Hans Iveresn’s “Black Bean” and Frank Kennedy’s “Black Hal” on the Morris Busch track at Woodbury yesterday afternoon resulted in a victory for Iversen’s entry. It was the best two in three. Hal took the first heat and the black mare the next two and race, the fastest time being 2:17 1/2. Nelson Varney drove the Iversen mare and Mr. Kennedy his own horse. Black Hal had raced five hard heats at Islip Monday, and the race Thursday was too soon after the other effort for him to make a good showing.

Owen McShane, 85 Pacific St., Brooklyn, 1888

Owen McShane was born in 1846 and spent his entire life in Brooklyn, New York. He served as a mineral water manufacturer and bottler in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill section from the late 1870’s up through the early 1900’s.

He first appears in the Brooklyn directories as a “bottler” in 1879 with a home address of 77 Congress Street. Over the next several years he was predominately listed as a “bottler” living at various addresses that included 44 Willow Pl. (1883 – 1886) and 36 Atlantic Avenue (1887).

Then, in 1888 McShane was first listed as a “bottler” with an address of 85 Pacific Street (the address embossed on the subject bottle). By this time, he was certainly in business for himself, recognizing that his bottling notice appeared periodically in several May, 1889 editions of the “Brooklyn Times Union,” and “Brooklyn Citizen.”

McShane’s business remained on Pacific Street until 1892 when he began listing the business at 140 Harrison Street.

The catalyst for this change occurred in April of that year when McShane purchased the building at 424 Henry Street and began listing it in the directories as his residence. Located on the southwest corner of Henry and Harrison Streets, the purchase was announced in the April 11, 1892 edition of the “Brooklyn Times Union.”

S. G. Fox & Co. have sold for Joseph O’Brien to Owen McShane the three-story and basement brick dwelling, 26.5, x 55 x 125 on the southwest corner of Henry and Harrison Streets for $11,000…

The above item suggests that McShane’s purchase not only included the 26.5 x 55 building on the corner but the vacant land extending another 70 feet up Harrison Street for a total of 125 feet. I suspect that it was on a portion of this vacant land that sometime in 1892, McShane built the two-story structure at 140 Harrison Street that would house the business.

Both buildings exist to this day and their configuration serves to support this suspicion. McShane’s former residence at 424 Henry Street is still on the same corner, though it should be noted that Harrison Street was renamed Kane Street in 1928.

The building that housed the business, now 140 Kane Street, is situated about mid-block.

The two buildings are separated by a fenced-in vacant lot and it makes sense that this lot was utilized by the business as well. The lot is pictured below with 424 Henry on the left and 140 Kane on the right.

The above views are all courtesy of “Google Maps.”

Over the next 14 years McShane continued to list his residence at 424 Henry Street and the business at 140 Harrison Street. Certainly not a large operation, a New York State Factory Inspection Report, dated January, 1899, indicted the business had three employees, all working a 60-hour week.

McShane and his business both remained on Harrison Street up through 1904 after which, in 1906, the Brooklyn business directory listed the firm of G. & L.W. Fischer & Co., a blueing manufacturer, at the 14o Harrison Street address.

Whether this was the end of McShane’s bottling/mineral water business is not clear. While I can no longer find his business or residence listed in the Brooklyn directories, 1910 census records indicate McShane was still living in Brooklyn, on Bedford Avenue, and the census continued to list his occupation as “mineral water manufacturer.” He passed away in November, 1916.

More information on the building at 140 Kane Street can be found on a website called the “Brownstoner,” where it was featured as the “Building of the Day” in a January 5, 2012 post. http://brownstoner.com/architecture/building-of-the-day-140-kane-street

The subject bottle was actually found on e-bay but was certainly dredged, and likely from local waters. It’s embossed with the 85 Pacific Street address dating it between 1888 and 1891. Embossed on the back of the bottle is the 1888 start date along with the monogram described in McShane’s 1889 bottling notice.

the letters “O. S.” in a monogram, with the letters “Mc” within one of the loops of the letter “S” in the aforementioned monogram.

Recently, another McShane bottle offered for sale on the internet exhibited the 140 Harrison Street address utilized between 1892 and 1904.

Hachman & Hulle, 423 West Street

Hachman & Hulle was a New York City bottler that operated under that name from approximately 1862 to 1875. The business was typically listed in the NYC directories as either a soda or mineral water manufacturer however, several examples of their bottles found on the “sodas and beers.com” web site suggest that the company also bottled porters and ales. http://sodasandbeers.com/SABFindBottleByFirm.aspx (Use a second “n” on the Hachmann name in the search bar.)

The roots of the business date back to a German named John H. Hachman (sometimes Hachmann) who was first listed in the 1862/1863 New York City directory with the occupation “soda water,” and an address of 163 Perry Street in what is now called Manhattan’s “West Village.”

Within a year Hachman had partnered with Henry Hulle and the business of Hachman & Hulle was initially listed at the 163 Perry Street address. A year later, Hachman & Hulle moved around the corner to 423 West Street.

In 1866/1867 John H. Hulle replaced Henry Hulle as Hachman’s partner and the business continued to operate under the Hachman & Hulle name until 1875 when the partnership was dissolved. The dissolution was announced in the March, 1876 edition of the New York City Copartnership and Corporation Directory.

By this time, Hachman had moved the business to 48 Horatio Street where he continued to operate it under his name until 1884 when he moved again, this time to the east side of Manhattan at 334 East 31st Street. The business was listed there as late as 1898/1899.

Census records in 1900 list Hachman’s wife, Wilhelmina, as a widow, suggesting that he passed away sometime in 1898 or 1899. As far as I can tell this signaled the end of the business.

The bottle I found is a mouth blown pony with a blob finish. It exhibits the 423 West Street address dating it between 1864 and 1875.

T & W (Taylor & Wilson) 141 Franklin St., N. Y.

T & W was the trademark of a New York City company called Taylor & Wilson. A manufacturer and bottler of mineral water as well as a bottler of ales and porters, the firm operated under that name from approximately 1860 to 1880. The roots of the business however date back a decade earlier to a man named Monroe (sometimes Monro) Battell.

As early as 1850 Battell was listed in the New York City directories with the occupation “soda water’ and an address of 116 Wooster Street. Sometime around 1852 he moved the business to 127 Reade Street and partnered with James B. Haight and John Taylor forming the business of Haight, Battell & Taylor.

As early as 1852, this June 26th advertisement in the “Poughkeepsie Journal” announced that Haight, Battell & Taylor’s “Sarsaparilla and Soda,” as well as their “Bottled Porter, Pale Ale and Cider” were being sold as far as 100 miles north of New York City in Poughkeepsie, New York.

A year later, Haight left and the business continued under the name of Battell & Taylor until 1859 or 1860. At that point Battell left to pursue an interest in photography (daguerreotypes) and Taylor partnered with Thomas B. Wilson and together they established Taylor & Wilson.

Around this time a story in the July 20, 1863 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times” made it clear that one of their primary clients was the United States Army.

The firm of Taylor & Wilson have a large Mineral Water establishment…who supply the army with mineral water, porter, etc., to the amount of several thousands of dollars a month…

As far as I can tell, Taylor and Wilson sold to civilian merchants called sutlers who in turn supplied U. S. military installations throughout the country. In this series of advertisements found in the March 16, 1862 edition of the “New York Daily Herald,” Taylor & Wilson touted their bottled Porter, Ale, Lager, Cider, Sarsaparilla and Lemon Soda to sutlers who were serving no less than four separate Union facilities: General Sherman, Port Royal Department; General Burnside’s Headquarters; Porter’s Mortar Fleet in Key West and Ship Island Station in the Gulf of Mexica.

The Civil War years must have been good to Taylor & Wilson as evidenced by the fact that their bottling operation was running 24 hours a day. In fact, according to this classified advertisement the company was willing to pay double to those who worked the 10 P.M. to 6 A.M. shift. The ad appeared in the August 11, 1863 edition of the “New York Daily Herald.”

Sometime in late 1862 or early 1863 the company moved their operation to 139 – 141 Franklin Street. Their property, located in the block between Franklin Street and West Broadway, was depicted on the following plan found in New York Supreme Court records, “Henry Welsh vs. John Taylor.”

The court records indicate that initially their facility consisted of a single building that occupied the large, roughly square parcel facing Franklin Street. Later, in 1873, a four-story brick warehouse that encompassed much of the two back lots and the rear end of the alley was added.

The property was owned jointly by Taylor and Wilson until October 9, 1877 when, according to the court records, Wilson released his interest in the property to Taylor. Two years later, by 1880, the partnership was no longer listed in the directories, all suggesting that it was dissolved sometime in the late 1870’s.

Taylor continued to be listed individually as a mineral water manufacturer at the 139 – 141 address up through 1883. At that point he apparently relocated to 64 N. Moore Street where he was listed until 1888.

The subject bottle was blown in a mold, is pony sized and embossed “T & W” on one side and “141 Franklin St. on the other side.

As early as 1860 Taylor and Wilson’s bottling notice, published in the April 26th edition of the “New York Times” makes it clear that while continuing to use bottles embossed with the trademark “B & T (Battell & Taylor), the company had also begun to use bottles that were embossed with the T & W trademark and the 127 Reade Street address.

…Some of the bottles for said mineral and soda water are stamped and marked B & T., and others stamped and marked T & W.; and said bottles so used by us for porter and ale are stamped and marked T & W., No. 127 Reade-St., New York, and on the opposite side XX porter and ale.

Recognizing the subject bottle includes the embossed address of 141 Franklin Street, not 127 Reade Street, it certainly wasn’t included in the initial batch of bottles produced for Taylor & Wilson in 1860. This almost certainly dates it between 1862 or 1863 when the business moved to Franklin Street and the late 1870’s. It doesn’t exhibit an “XX” so it likely contained mineral water or soda.

The entire April 26, 1860 “Bottling Notice” appears below.

On a final note: Today, Varick Street has been extended and it now runs through the Franklin Street intersection, terminating at West Broadway one block to the south. This now puts 139 – 140 Franklin Street near the southwest corner of Varick and Franklin . The building located there today is a 10-story building built in 1915 so it doesn’t date back to the time frame of the Taylor & Wilson business.

John Lellmann & Co., Greenport and Sag Harbor, L. I.

During the early to mid 1890’s John Lellmann ran a bottling and hotel business in Greenport, Long Island along with a branch of the bottling business in Sag Harbor, Long Island. Though short-lived under the Lellmann name, successors to the business were active in Sag Harbor up through the early 1940’s.

Lellmann got his start, not on Long Island, but in New York City as evidenced by this item found in a March 4, 1893 story published in the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

John Lellmann, previous to coming to Greenport was proprietor of a bottling works in Houston Street, New York, and of a saloon and hotel in Elizabeth Street

Born in Germany, circa 1839, he had certainly arrived in New York City by 1870, when he was included in census records with the occupation “liquors.” Later, New York City directories serve to confirm the information presented in the above newspaper item. In 1877/78 up through 1883/84, he’s listed with the occupation “beer,” at 251 Elizabeth Street and later, 1885/86 through 1888/89, as “waters” at 110 East Houston Street.

Subsequently he headed east to Greenport, Long Island where he acquired the bottling business of John Yack; the sale confirmed by a story on Yack published in the March 6, 1891 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

For a number of years he (Yack) was proprietor of the Greenport Bottling Works, which he recently sold to John Lellmann of New York.

Yack’s bottling business was almost certainly conducted in concert with a boarding house/hotel on Main Street that also included a saloon. As early as 1872, the “Sag-Harbor Express” reported that Yack had applied to the Board of Excise for a liquor license.

An application was received from John Yack for license to sell ale and beer, but he was not willing to pay $30 and the Board had no authority to grant one for a less sum.

Whether the issue was resolved at that time is unclear but it had certainly worked itself out by 1875 when Yack was granted a liquor license by the Board of Excise. The list of approved licenses appeared in the June 12, 1875 edition of “The (Sag Harbor) Corrector.”

The Southhold Board of Excise met on Tuesday and granted licenses as follows: John Yack, Greenport, Ale and Beer…

Yack renewed his Greenport license as late as 1889 then, likely sometime in 1890, he sold the hotel to John Lellmann. This 1891 business card advertisement, specifically naming Lellmann as proprietor of the Main Street House, appeared in several May/June editions of the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

At the same time he acquired the hotel, Lellmann also acquired Yack’s Greenport Bottling Company. An 1897 Sanborn Insurance Map located both the hotel and bottling operation in the block bounded by Main, Centre, First and South Streets. This close up shows the hotel fronting on Main Street (left side) near the corner of South Street (bottom) and the bottling works in the back yard behind the hotel.

Shortly after settling in Greenport Lellmann established another bottling works in Sag Harbor, near Bay and Main Streets. The announcement appeared in the April 10, 1890 edition of the “Sag Harbor Express.”

The Greenport Times says: “John Lellmann, of the Greenport Bottling Co., has established a branch office at Sag Harbor.” By the way, what is he to bottle? Remember it is dry times here now, as it was voted at the late town meeting to have no license.”

It was around this time that I suspect Lellmann partnered with Sag Harbor businessman John Emmel. According to Emmel’s March 15, 1918 obituary in the “Brooklyn Daily Times:”

Mr. Emmel lived in Sag Harbor since 1882 when he came here from Carlstadt N. J., to work in the Fahys watch factory. Later he successfully established a mercantile business and then became associated with the late John Lellmann of Greenport in the bottling business with plants in Greenport and Sag Harbor.

A long time Sag Harbor resident and businessman, it’s likely Emmel ran the Sag Harbor branch of the business while Lellmann looked after the Greenport operation.

Whether or not Emmel was bottling beer in Sag Harbor as the “Sag Harbor Express” feared is not clear. That being said, Lellmann was certainly bottling and selling beer at the Main Street House in Greenport, as evidenced by this brief description of the hotel found in the October 30, 1891 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

John Lellmann is proprietor of the Greenport Bottling Works, also the Main Street Hotel. A large and expensive barroom is run in connection with the hotel.

In October, 1891, Lellmann’s Greenport hotel was severely impacted by fire. The blaze was described like this in the October 30, 1891 “Brooklyn Daily Times” story.

Fire broke out at 4 o’clock this morning in the rear of Lellmann’s Hotel on Main Street, Greenport. John Lellmann is proprietor of the Greenport Bottling Works, also the Main Street Hotel… It was in the icehouse adjoining the hotel that the fire originated. It was discovered by an old German named Koenig, who is janitor of the hotel and whose sleeping apartment is directly over the center of the fire. He was awakened and almost suffocated by smoke. He groped his way into the corridor and shouted, “Fire,” awakening the tenants. Mrs. Lellmann, wife of the proprietor, was almost smothered by smoke. John Lellmann, Jr., jumped from the second story window to the ground, severely cutting his feet with glass. He had no shoes on. Other people in the hotel also suffered from smoke.

A few minutes after the alarm was given Neptune, No. 2, Engine Company was at the scene of the fire, quickly followed by Torrent streamer. Soon the entire department was at work on the flames. Half an hour later the fire was extinguished, but not until it had damaged the saloon and bar fixings to the tune of $1,000. Lellmann carries insurance in several companies…

The saloon is a wreck and will have to be torn down and rebuilt. There were several small children in rooms over the saloon, and it is considered most fortunate that they were not suffocated or burned.

Whether the fire contributed to it or not is not certain, but within four years Lellmann’s business was apparently in such financial distress that he was forced to give up all his Greenport holdings to satisfy creditors. A notice to that effect appeared in the October 14, 1895 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times” under the heading “Suffolk County Transfers – October 12”

Subsequently, east-end Long Island native, D. C Petty, took over Lellmann’s bottling works in Greenport. The announcement appeared in the April 16, 1897 edition of the “Long Island Traveler.”

The Greenport Bottling Works which for years was carried on by John Lellman is now being put in order and will be run by D. C. Petty.

Calling it the Sterling Bottling Works, Petty went on to run the business in Greenport up until his death in 1914. More on the history of the business under Petty can be found in another post on this site.

Sterling Bottling Works

In Sag Harbor, with the Lellmann/Emmel partnership dissolved, Emmel continued to run the bottling business there. Now operating under the name “Emmel Bottling Works,” this September 23, 1897 item found in the “Sag Harbor Express,” described the business shortly after he assumed full control.

EMMEL BOTTLING WORKS

No better criterion on which to judge a city’s progress and improvement can be ascertained than by the character and number of its commercial enterprises, and in this connection we would call attention to the establishment of Mr. John Emmel, located on Bay Street. This business was founded 6 years ago by Messrs John Lellmann & Co., and has been conducted as the Emmel Bottling Works since last Spring, since which time it has grown and expanded until today it enjoys the largest patronage of any similar house on this part of Long Island. The premises are large and are particularly adapted for the purpose in hand. They are equipped with all the latest machinery and appliances known to the trade. Experienced hands and an average of 3 wagons are constantly employed and goods are delivered free of charge. Mr. Emmel is a bottler of ales, porter, lager beer, high grade carbonated beverages, mineral waters, etc., a specialty is made of extra quality ginger ale. His long experience gives him many advantages, and as he gives all branches of the business his own undivided attention and employs only reliable help he is enabled to fill all orders promptly and to quote the lowest prices in every instance. Mr. Emmel is a conscientious business man and well deserves the success he has achieved.

One of his earliest advertisements appeared in the November 19, 1898 edition of Sag Harbor’s newspaper “The Corrector.”

A year later Emmel had apparently outgrown the original Lellmann plant and was planning to construct a new facility, also in Sag Harbor. The announcement appeared in a February 6, 1899 story in the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

M’NALLY MUST GO

The Site of the Metropolitan Club Purchased by a Bottling Concern

Notice to vacate the premises has been served upon John Roach McNally, who for the past two years, has conducted an establishment on Division Street, under the name of the Metropolitan Club. His removal will terminate the war which has been waged between the neighbors, law and order organizations, licensed saloon keepers and McNally. John Emmel of the Emmel Bottling Works, has purchased the premises, and the corner property, and intends erecting a large building for bottling purposes on the site. The old houses will be torn down or moved off, and McNally has been given until March 1 to vacate the premises…

Later that month, a February 25th story in the “Brooklyn Daily Times” announced that construction was underway.

Laborers have broken ground at the corner of Division and Burke Streets for the cellar and foundation of the new Emmel Bottling Works. Matthew Clark is under contract to do the excavating and Boss Carpenter Cleveland has charge of the building. The structure will be of wood, 72 x 24 feet, two stories high, with a driveway and stable in the rear. The building will face Division Street. Mr. Emmel expects to occupy the works by the middle of April.

Amazingly, the frame structure built for Emmel’s business remains to this day and is pictured below courtesy of Google Maps.

Later that year, November advertisements for their Cider found in “The Corrector” exhibit their new Division Street location.

Well into the next decade, regardless of their many improvements, Emmel still made the point that his company had “succeeded Lellmann & Co.,” with that phrase appearing directly above their address in this July 23, 1904 advertisement published in the “Brooklyn Daily Times.”

The advertisement pointed out that in addition to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, you could even pick up a good cigar there.

One beverage that was bottled by Emmel that caught my attention was almost certainly a knock-off of “Coca-Cola” called “Koca-Nola.” It’s the focus of this April 14, 1906 advertisement found in “The Corrector.”

John Emmel passed away in March, 1918 after which, according to a March 18, 1919 “Brooklyn Daily Times” item, the bottling plant remained operational under lease to a man named Fred Wilson.

BOTTLE WORKS EXPECTS BOOM IN BUSINESS

Expecting a greatly increased demand for soft drinks after the saloons and hotels will be forced to close on July 1, 1919, Fred Wilson, who leases the Emmel Bottling Works business, has made additions to the plant. Some of the latest labor saving machinery has been installed… It serves a large territory including the Hamptons, Shelter Island and Sag Harbor.

Later that year, a November 19, 1919 “Brooklyn Daily Times” story made it clear that by then Wilson had purchased the business.

Fred Wilson, who now owns the Emmel Bottling Works, corner of Division and Burke Streets, is building a large frame structure near the bottling and storage plant. A part of the property purchased from Mrs. Emmel by Mr. Wilson includes the “old umbrella house,” a story and half brick structure, said to be the oldest house now standing in Sag Harbor….

On a side Note: Ten years later Wilson actually incorporated the historic “umbrella house” into his business, converting it into the company office. An announcement to that effect that appeared in the April 1, 1929 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle” touched on the history of the structure.

Old “Umbrella House” At Sag Harbor Now Fixed Up for Office

The old “Umbrella House,” on Division St., has been cleaned up and converted to an office for the Fred W. Wilson Bottling Works. It is the oldest house here and was occupied in 1777 by British soldiers. It bears the imprint of a cannon ball fired into the settlement in 1813 , when boats from Commodore Hardy’s fleet bombarded the waterfront.

The house is of rough, native-made brick and the shingles of the dormer roof, replacing thatch, are hand-hewed cypress.

Dennison Bros. used the building for a hat factory in 1791. It was called Morro Castle during the Spanish-American War and later used as a saloon.

The Umbrella House also remains to this day, having been preserved by the Sag Harbor Historical Museum.

The following is a link to the Historical Museum’s web site.

http://sagharborhistorical.org/organization.php

In 1922 the bottling business incorporated under the name Fred W. Wilson, Inc., while at the same time adding a second bottling plant in Patchogue Long Island. According to a story in the June 2, 1922 edition of the “Suffolk County Review:”

Mr. Wilson established his bottling business at Sag Harbor about three years ago and he built up a very large trade in the villages of Eastern Long Island. On May 22 of this year the Premier Bottling Works of Patchogue was taken over and the company was incorporated under the name of Fred W. Wilson, Inc. with a capital of $50,000.

On a side note: The Premier Bottling Works was a successor to another old-time Long Island bottling firm called Hawkins & Weeks. More on the history that firm can also be found on this web site. Hawkins & Weeks.

Fred W. Wilson, Inc. continued in business for the next 20 years or so, serving, among other things, as the Suffolk County agent for “Whistle” soda products, as evidenced by this June 23, 1922 advertisement in the “Suffolk County Review.”

Still in business in the early 1940’s, by then the company was serving as the local bottler/distributor for Clicquot Club, as evidenced by this July 25, 1940 advertisement in the Sag Harbor “Express-News & Corrector.”

Fred Wilson passed away in June, 1942. Six months before his death this item, one of many included on a list under the heading “Mortgages,” appeared in the December 11th edition of “The Long-Islander.” It suggests that the Wilson corporation may have turned the Wilson property over to the Clicquot Club Company at that time.

Less than a year later, the Ciquot Club Bottling Company of Long Island, located in Sag Harbor, declared bankruptcy, the notice appearing in the August 6, 1942 edition of the “Patchogue Advance.”

The notice stated in part:

… the assets of the above named bankrupt consisting of Bottles, Soft Drinks, Materials, Machinery, Fixtures and Real Property, will be sold at Public Auction…on the premises at Sag Harbor.

While I can’t confirm it, it’s highly likely that the premises mentioned in the above notice is the former Emmel/Wilson property at Division and Burke, marking the end of the bottling business started in Sag Harbor by Lellmann and Emmel some fifty years prior.

The bottle I found contains roughly eight ounces and is mouth blown with a blob finish. It’s embossed with the John Lellmanm & Co. name as well as both the Sag Harbor and Greenport locations. This dates the bottle to the 1890 to 1896 time period when Lellmann was associated with the business.

JUD’S, Jud L. I. Co., Mineola, N.Y.

As far as I can tell the Jud Long Island Company began sometime in the mid-1940’s with their premium beverages referenced in newspaper advertisements from 1946 up until the late 1960’s. A classified advertisement found in the March 31, 1947 edition of Long Island’s “Newsday” listed the company’s address as 44 Hempstead Turnpike in Mineola.

The company’s business appears to have been strictly local with their newspaper advertising limited to the Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk and the adjacent New York City borough of Brooklyn.

The first mention of Jud’s I can find was a line item for their Premium Root Beer found in a June 13, 1946 “Brooklyn Daily Eagle” ad for Bohac’s Supermarket.

Later that year a September 12, 1946 ad in Long Island’s “Newsday” pictured what appears to be an exact version of the subject bottle.

Several labeled examples of the bottle are included in the Long Island Antique Bottle Association’s “Long Island Beverage Book.”

Some labels read: /BOTTLED BY/ JUD LONG ISLAND CO./MINEOLA, N.Y.

Others labels read the same except except for the last line which read: /BOTTLED BY/ HAMPTON BOTTLERS/MINEOLA

Originally located at 93 Bedell Street in Hempstead, Long Island, between 1940 and 1945 HAMPTON BOTTLERS advertised themselves as the local bottler for Virginia Dare products as evidenced by this advertisement published in the February 15, 1940 edition of the “Nassau Daily Review.”

Then, in 1946, the same year that Jud’s began to advertise, classified ads list Hampton Bottlers at the same 44 Jericho Turnpike address as the Jud Long Island Company. This June 14, 1946 “Newsday” classified ad was typical.

This all leads me to believe that while legally they may have been two different entities, in practice Jud Long Island Company and Hampton Bottlers operated as one and the same.

Regardless of how it was being bottled, the following advertisement suggested that the public quickly grew to like their root beer. The problem was the public apparently also liked the bottle itself so they weren’t being returned, creating what the ad called a “Bottle Shortage.” The advertisement, published on January 30, 1947 in the “Nassau Daily Review'” pointed out that by the end of calendar year 1946 half a million bottles had not been returned.

The issue must have worked itself out and as early as 1947 Jud’s began expanding their menu beyond just root beer. By the late 1940’s, this August 25th “Newsday” advertisement points out that the company was marketing ginger ale, club soda, and several fruit flavors as “Jud’s Beverages,” all while still using the same bottle design.

In 1963 this May 29th advertisement in “Newsday” makes it clear that by then, and quite possibly earlier, the bottle design had changed, becoming more nondescript. The ad also serves to point out that by then a quart size had also been added.

Now called simply “Jud’s Soda,” the last advertisement I can find appeared in the April 3, 1968 edition of “Newsday.” At the time you could buy 12 – 12 oz bottles for 69 cents at the Nassau Farmer’s Market.

The bottle I found is machine made, 9-1/2 inches tall and 12 ounces in size, matching exactly the bottle pictured in advertisements from the late 1940’s. In fact, quite possibly it’s one of the 500,000 bottles the company was looking for in early 1947.

The base of the bottle includes a makers mark associated with the Thatcher Glass Company.

Glassbottlemarks.com describes it like this:

MCT variation: T, vaguely resembling an anchor with horizontal upper stroke, with smaller, angular M and C nestled underneath to the left and right. On this variation, the mark is often indistinct and the two smaller letters may be practically ineligible.

This particular mark was used from c. 1944 to about 1983 which aligns with a late 1940’s manufacture date for the subject bottle..

http://glassbottlemarks.com/thatcher-glass-manufacturing-company

According to loopnet.com the current building at 44 Jericho Turnpike in Mineola was built in 1946 making the Jud Long Island Company and Hampton Bottlers the original tenant. In fact, it’s quite possible they actually built the building. Here it is today, courtesy of Google Maps.