# Philo M. Clark soda bottle



## jskirk (Mar 21, 2012)

I picked this up from a friend of mine today, it is a 

  Philo M. Clark
 Indianapolis, IND.

 the makers mark is

 F.A. & Co.

 This looks like a bottle from around 1860-1870 are these common or would this be worth getting tumbled?  Thanks  Jay


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## jskirk (Mar 21, 2012)

Pic


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## jskirk (Mar 21, 2012)

pic


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## botlguy (Mar 21, 2012)

The only thing I can tell you is that the F A & Co stands for Fahnstock Albree & Company. I believe that spelling is correct. They also made Historical Flasks so they were in business early.


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## appliedlips (Mar 21, 2012)

Not real common, but one of the most available Indy squats. Worth getting tumbled.


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## surfaceone (Mar 21, 2012)

Hey Jay,

 Nice one, sir. There's a bit of information on ole Philo, but the dates are dovetailing oddly. It appears you could start a collection of Clark's from multiple towns:

 "PHILO M. CLARK, manufacturer and dealer in soda water, cider, ginger ale, etc. Business established in 1880, by the present proprietor. The works are now producing daily some 300 dozen bottles of all kinds, four wagons being constantly employed in distributing. Mr. Clark was born In Northampton, Mass., August 9, 1835. His parents moved to Wisconsin while he was still an infant. In his early days, he learned telegraphing, and opened an office in Waukegan. In 1857, he moved West and settled in Kansas City. During the Wyandotte Convention he operated the telegraph wire - the first in the city. In, 1859, he engaged in the manufacture of soda water in Memphis Tenn., and two years later settled in Louisville, Ky. He had in operation six factories at different places. After the fall of Vicksburg engaged in the same business in that city. In 1865, returned North, and after locating in Cincinnati for a short time, moved to Oil City, Penn., making this place his headquarters, and operating some half dozen factories in adjoining towns. In 1869, he sold out his manufacturing interests, and engaged in real estate business in Oil City, laying out and selling two additions to the city, building an inclined railway, and making other extensive improvements. The panic of 1873 placed him where he had commenced, and the following year he moved to Kansas City, Mo., engaging in the manufacture of soda water and other occupations until he established his present business." From.

 "...n 1858 Mr. Clark and his brother-in-law, Mr. Kump, established a large bottling works at Memphis, Tenn. They were very successful but at the outbreak of the Civil war they closed the works and left for the North. During the two years in Tennessee they had cleared some $20,000; and as it was contrary to the Confederate orders for any Northerners to take money with them, when leaving they were puzzled as to what to do with it. Mrs. Kump concealed it in a hand satchel, which she used for a pillow on the train and it was never discovered. Mr. Clark went to Louisville, Ky., and opened a bottling works; he also established the same business at New Albany, Jeffersonville, Lexington and Indianapolis, and was thus enabled to supply soda water to the soldiers of the Union army during all the years of the war. In 1865 he sold out his interest in the bottling business and went to Oil City, Pa., where he again established soda water works and made good money during the oil excitement. He bought land in Oil City and laid out four additions. In 1871 he bought 200 acres of land on the summit of a mountain; platted it all into fifty-foot lots, which he sold at auction for $365 a lot and cleared about $44,000. At a cost of $25,000 he built a double incline railroad to carry people up and down the mountain, and the place became famous as "Clark's Summit." During the panic of 1873 the price of oil dropped from $4 a barrel to forty cents, and as Mr. Clark had sold the lots on time payment, he was caught in the slump of values and had only about $10 clear on the investment. He returned to Kansas City and took a position as traveling salesman for a cracker factory...

 In 1877 he returned to Kansas City and again engaged in the bottling business until 1880. That year he extended his business and established a soda water factory in Kansas City, Kan., which he ran until 1885, when he went to Bonner Springs. In partnership with some other men he bought 300 acres of land at Tiblow; platted the ground out as town lots; erected a hotel and other buildings. The honor of naming the town was given to Mr. Clark and he chose the name Bonner, in memory of Robert Bonner, the editor of the "New York Ledger," and the town was called Bonner Springs..." From.

Tod @ Sodas and Beers needs a photo.

 The Fahnstock, Albree & Co. was Pittsburgh. "F & A.............Fahnstock, Albree & Co., Pittsburgh, PA (c.1860-1869). See next entry.
 F.A.& CO..........Fahnstock, Albree & Co., Pittsburgh, PA (c.1860-1869). Glass researcher Dick Roller (Standard Fruit Jar Reference, 1983) reports that this glass manufacturing firm was listed in the Pittsburgh city directories from 1861 through 1869. However, Julian Toulouse promoted the belief that they were in business only for about 2 years (1860-1862), renting the factory of Lorenz and Wightman. I believe it is very probable they were in business during almost the entire decade, since bottles and jars seen with this maker's mark are relatively plentiful. Roller also states the actual location of their glass manufactory was the Eclipse Glass Works, Temperanceville (SW Pittsburgh), PA. Evidently they made glass at both locations at times during their existence." From.


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## jskirk (Mar 21, 2012)

Wow great info  Thanks I couldnt find that.  So how do I get this tumbled?


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