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Circa 1925. "Whistle Bottling Works." A peek behind the scenes at the Washington, D.C., bottling plant for Whistle orange soda. View full size.
There are some beautiful Whistle ads out there, this is just one.
According to the Geographic Names Information System, there are not any geographic places in Oklahoma named Cincinnati, and the only one that ever existed in Oregon was a community from 1844 - 1856 (renamed Eola).
The scale on the hand built table would seem to be for sampling the weight of filled bottles. There is a different scale to the right. It may be for determining the weight of a liquid that comes out of the spout above the small platform on the left side of the scale.
The Karl Kiefer Company machine is missing a drive belt on the right hand side.
It's amazing how little ceiling hangers for pipes have changed in the last 90 years.
I see only one small light bulb.
It looks like there might have been a sprinkler system installed in the factory. See the photo below for what looks like a sprinkler head. There are at least two of these visible coming off the large pipe near the ceiling.
The Equipment Register of Oct.,1919 lists Capitol Refining Company, reporting marks "CRWX" with tank cars of 8,000 gals. capacity numbered 201-295 inclusive. Bills for repairs were to be sent to 745 William St., Buffalo, NY.
This would appear to be some sort of cleaning solvent. The company (Flexo) is still in business today. Flexo Cleaning Products - Cleaning Chemicals, Equipment and Paper Products to Hospitality, Institutional and Industrial Customers.
The company has been in business since 1918 and based in Canada.
I hope washed out those oil tank cars before shipping ingredients for making orange soda pop.
The tank car belonged to the Capitol Refining Company. The full reporting mark was CRWX. A photo of the company and its fleet of tank cars appeared on Shorpy here.
Note the machine on right from Cincinnati O. Not Ohio, not OH, just O.
parked outside, for such a small bottling machine -- even if there were ten more of them outside the frame.
Shortening? Maybe it's to lube the machinery.
Can anybody id the tank car with "Capitol" on it?
Looks more like a machine shop than a food-processing facility. Laissez-faire capitalism at its best!
Considering that this factory turned out something that the public ingested, today it wouldn't pass a third world health inspection.
OK,that's it for me. I am swearing off Whistle right here right now!
Some info:
I did find a listing: "KIEFER (KARL) MACHINE COMPANY
Karl Kiefer Machine Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio). There is a Leader in Everything - Standing Out in its Field with Spectacular Splendor of Quality and Performance. Cincinnati: The Company, 1939.
(This Item is available at the Cincinnati Historical Society Library)
Karl Kiefer Machine Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio). Jar and Bottle Washing Machines. Cincinnati: The Company, 1910s-1920s.
(This Item is available at the Cincinnati Historical Society Library)
Karl Kiefer Machine Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio). Pressure Filling Machines. Cincinnati: The Company, 1910s-1920s.
(This Item is available at the Cincinnati Historical Society Library)" From.
He seems to be a dead guy "Karl 16 Apr 1931, Cincinnati, Hamilton Birth: 28 Jul 1868, Worms, Germany Age: 62 years 8 months 19 days Male- Married Address: 920 Lexington Ave Occupation: Manufacturer Cemetery: Cremetory Spouse: Adele W. Kieger Parents: S. Kiefer, Babette Rheinsteim"From.
Whistle is still being produced...I just hope they've mopped the floor a few times since this photo was taken.
it's making me thirsty, for something that's not Whistle orange soda.
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