Posted 9 years ago
bottle-bud
(159 items)
I am not sure what happened between 1918 and 1929 as Giessow disappeared as well as the Schafer brothers. But in 1929 Paul Yaeger teemed up with Walter & William to form the Yaeger & Schafer Bottling Works. City directories had them listed as the Y & S Bottling Co, at 1913 N. Sarah Street in St. Louis. In 1933 Walter & William disappear and the company is now Yaeger & Son. But still listed as the Y & S Bottling Co. I found no more listing after 1936.
I found a document stating that a James H. Gossom was doing business under the name West End Bottling Works dating April 11, 1919. This is about the time listings stopped at Prarie Street. Gossom's bottling operation was listed at 712 Hamilton in 1914, 1054 Hamilton in 1915 and at 1066 Hodiamont from 1916 to 1919. Funny that these pre-date the document I found. I once again found listings for West End Bottling Co. at 5749 Theodosia from 1938-1942. The second bottle says West End Bottling Co. and is dated 1943. The third bottle is West End Beverages and is dated 1946. Crazy but these bottles are post date what I found in city directories.
Oh Well the research was still fun!
I may not be done yet!
James H Gossom is my great-grandfather who died in 1923. I was under the impression that the cola rights were sold to coca cola shortly after his death. I am not aware of what happened to the factory. The family story is that his factory was the first to produce Orange Crush (when the weren't producing moonshine), but I have found no records to corroborate this. Most available information supports that Crush was initially produced in Los Angeles
mgossom,
Thanks for the comments, If you were to visit the Missouri state Archive website and click on the Business tab and search for the West End Bottling Works you will find the document that states that your great grandfather was doing business under the name West End Bottling Works. You will also notice that a Fred Gossom was the notary public that filed the document. Any relation to James ??
I am not sure of the cola rights, But I did find a 1920 ad in the St. Louis Post Dispatch that advertised Ward's Lemon Crush & Orange Crush being bottled by Banner Bottling Co., Union Soda Water Co., Wellston Bottling Works & Coca Cola Bottling Co. (not West End) Funny thing is Wellston B/W is listed at 5749 Theodosia the same address as West End had from 1938-1942.
I guess more research is needed.
Take Care