# CRASS ACL BOTTLE



## lepew62 (Jul 21, 2010)

I found an ACL bottle in the river today. The lettering is in good shape considering it sat in the river for a while. It reads CRASS, then below that in script it reads delicious beverages. It does not have an indicator of bottler or origins.Looks to be a 10 oz bottle. Anyone know anything about it. Thanks for the help people, have a good one.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jul 22, 2010)

lepew62 ~  ... Is your first name Pepe?  I'm a Baby-Boomer too from 1952!  Lol  []

 Seriously now ... I was involved in a thread a while back that discussed the "Crass Bottling Co." but right at the moment I can't find it. Although I do have this photo from the thread of a Coca Cola bottle cap by the Crass company. If/when I locate that old thread I will post it;  providing someone doesn't beat me to it.

 SPB


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jul 22, 2010)

Found it!  Hope this helps. []

 SPB

 James E. Crass (1867-1930), was born in Mayfield, Kentucky, and founded the predecessor franchise group to the Central Coca-Cola Company, Inc. Orphaned at an early age Crass was sent to live with an older half-brother, John T. Crass, a contractor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His brother built the Lookout Incline and Lula Lake Railway in the late 1890s in Chattanooga. When of age, James E. Crass worked for his brother as an agent for a new cable line in the area. Crass saved money from his jobs and at the urging of Asa G. Candler, owner of The Coca-Cola Company, he purchased a small Coca-Cola bottling plant in Charleston, South Carolina in 1899. Within the next year Crass quickly outgrew the small plant and moved to Richmond, Virginia to build a larger plant in a more expansive bottling territory. Syrup in his territory was acquired from the Coca-Cola Company (Thomas) of Chattanooga, Tennessee who held the exclusive rights to sell the syrup to other bottlers in Crassâ€™s area. Crass grew his Coca-Cola conglomeration into 42 franchises in Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania among other states. James E. Crass was married to the former Emma Leimenstoll of Ohio. They had four children: James Edward, Lottie, Ada, and Nellie. At the time of his death in 1930, Crass was one of the most successful owners in the Coca-Cola franchise network and even produced his own brand of soda. In preparation for the future of the company Crass had taken on his son-in-law, and former Coca-Cola Company sales manager, as an employee. Walter L. Sams took over the management of the Crass plants upon Mr. Crassâ€™s death.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jul 22, 2010)

lepew62 ~

 To see numerous variations of Crass bottles, just go to the top of this page and click on the "Search" option. Then at the top simply enter the word Crass ... click on "Ok" and you will find more discussions and photos than you can shake a stick at!

 SPB


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