# Western Mineral Water Co. / St. Louis, Mo.



## bottle-bud (Apr 15, 2019)

Western Mineral Water Company
1609 S. Broadway (1904-1908)
2311 S. 7[SUP]th[/SUP] Street (1909-1927)
616 Blow Street (1928-1948)
St. Louis, Missouri

                The first I find Western Mineral Water Company in old city directories is 1904, the year of a World’s Fair here in St. Louis. A good time to start a mineral water company as many thirsty travelers would be coming into town.
                This 1905 ad lists the officers of the company, location and a phone number.





The Jan. 15, 1905 edition of American Carbonator and American Bottler had a nice article on Western Mineral Water and featured photos of A.H. Spellmeyer and M.B. Bardol. 




Here are two early Western Mineral Water bottles in my collection, a bimal aqua glass dating to the 1904 era and machine-made clear glass bottle probably dating to the 1920’s.

 


1909 and a new location for Western Mineral Water Company


Around 1915 or so a Charles W. Spellmeyer replaces Michael Bardol as vice-pres. 



These men will be in charge until 1928 or 1929.


Here is an early paper label bottle for Oh-Joy, this bottle is not in my collection but I would love to have one.




1928 and the last location for Western Mineral Water is shown as well as a plug for Camel Soda. Also, from my collection is a trio of mid-1920 art deco bottles. A 6 ½-ounce, a 7-ounce and a 24-ounce. 

 


1929 and a Frank Schnellmann is now listed as president of Western Mineral Water Co. I am not sure exactly how it all worked out, but Frank is the younger brother of Louis Schnellmann Jr. who is listed as president of the Empire Bottling Co or sometimes advertised as Empire Soda Water Co. Empire is located at 515 Robert Ave just a block away from 616 Blow St. Back in 1909 Louis Schnellmann Sr. started Empire Soda Water Co. So many more twist and turns in this research business. I’ll do a write up of Empire soon.


1934 and another spot for Camel soda to be used as a mixer. I am not real good at dating seltzer bottles but I am guessing mine is late 1930’s to mid-1940’s?

 


We move on to the 1940’s and Camel is still being advertised. Here is a 1947 ad and three, quart size acl bottles. A 24-ounce clear glass dated 1947, a 24-ounce green glass dated ?, and a 32-ounce green glass dated 1940. All three are Glenshaw bottles but could not get the lettercode on the middle bottle, a clear S on the clear glass and definite L on the32.

  


1947 and I find an advertisement for Colobeer, we can connect this ad to Western by the phone number shown. I do not have a bottle or have even seen an example of Colobeer.


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## bottle-bud (Apr 15, 2019)

*Western Mineral Water bottles Virginia Dare*

1948 and Western is looking for help with Virginia Dare. Virginia Dare was franchised from the Virginia Dare Extract Co. of Brooklyn NewYork.




I have two Virginia Dare soda’s that states “bottled by Western Mineral Water Co” and a korker that simply says St. Louis.  I know of a least one other bottling company in St. Louis that bottled Virginia Dare so I am not sure of the korker. The 10-and 24-ounce clear bottles date to the early 1950’s. The korker , I am not positive. The Owens mark has a 9 so it should date to 1939 but I maybe be missing the dot, so it could be 1949.

   


I have acquired years ago three Virginia Dare bottle toppers for my collection of soda stuff. Here they are, a Grape Punch, Korker and RootBeer.

  


​
I find nothing else for Western Mineral Water Co. after 1949.
The End


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## shotdwn (Apr 15, 2019)

Another great job of research! Nice collection of bottles from this company and I love the bottle toppers.


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## Eric (Apr 15, 2019)

Always good stuff! How about a image of your collection... All your bottles seem to be mint... Do you display them all together?... if so... bet it's an awesome site.


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## iggyworf (Apr 15, 2019)

Yes! Another great job. I have commented before about your bottle's all being in near mint condition. Very nice.


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## southern Maine diver (Apr 15, 2019)

Another great peice of bottle history with associated bottles and bottle go-withs...   Thanks for posting the story.


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## bottle-bud (Apr 16, 2019)

Thanks to all for the nice comments, I enjoy putting the research I have done over the years in this format. 
I do have a bottle room and perhaps sometime in the near future I'll post some pic's
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## mrosman (Dec 18, 2022)

Hi Bottle-Bud.... in my years of collecting Orange Crush, I had a few bottles with camels... my daughter in law likes camels, so I started saving them for her. Some are from the Western Mineral Water Company and I enclose pictures.... would like your comments on how common  these are and do they have value now., and if you feel like it, would love some pictures of your camel bottles... thanks, Michael


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