Me again, haven’t been getting much time to do any can/jar removal from our basement these days with snow removal time fast approaching and trying to get all our costumers set up!! But I did hop down the other day because the kids wanted to make ‘night lights’ out of glass jars with twinkle lights added. And this little cutie was sitting right on top!
These tablets must of been so tiny compared to what we take these days for ‘weak and impaired digestive powers’ ! I love the wording– Amy
I believe that it was the people of the community that builtour history, and not politicians. Pat O’Connor told me a story on Old Ottawa And Bytown Pics and I believe it should be documented. Thank you Pat for telling me this story of people that matter and should not be forgotten.
By Pat O’Connor
My uncle John Meyer dodged railway cops and dug a tunnel 60 ft long by hand into the landfill under the CN tower and mined it for ginger beer bottles while it was being built in the 1970’s.
He drove down from Barrie every night snuck into the site and dug all night. The railway cops even took a shot at him. He was the number one trapper in all of Ontario, they built a monument to him at the Minesing Swamp when he died. He was a hell of a man. He started Scuba diving in the early 1960’s pirating wrecks in Georgian Bay and was probably part of the impetus to ban it. He used to drag me and my uncles out to dig dumps for crocks and bottles when I was 10. He taught me to search with a rod for outhouse holes on abandoned homesteads for bottles. He was a legendary ginger beer bottle guy.
Copy of a newspaper clipping from the Innisfil Scope in 1974 entitled: “Historical Society views antique bottles.” The article details a presentation made by John Meyer, a Barrie scuba diver and bottle collector, to the Innisfil Historical Society to discuss his collection. The article mentions how the members were intrigued to hear that soft drinks were made as early as 1835, often with cork or rubber stoppers. Also included is a photo of Mr. Meyer holding one of the bottles from his collection and talking to Mrs. Robert Kell of Gilford. The photo was taken by Society member Jean Saunter. click here.
Click here— Pat O’ConnorIt is a typo. His family was invited to the ceremony. The monument should have had the name of his brother Peter Meyer who died in 1962 in a car accident. He was the real legend who opened up the Minesing to trapping. John was his little brother.
Copy of a newspaper clipping from the Barrie Examiner in 1974 entitled: “Innisfil Group Views Display of Old Bottles.” Written by Brian Baker the article outlines a presentation made by John Meyer, a Barrie scuba diver and bottle collector, to the Innisfil Historical Society to discuss his collection of antique bottles recovered from Lake Simcoe. For his collection of more than a thousand bottles, it is noted that each bottle represents at least two or three dive attempts. The bottom of the article is unfortunately missing, but it does include a photo of Mr. Meyer (right) with Roger White, a fellow scuba diver, standing behind a portion of the bottle collection.Click here
Hi Linda, my name is Amy Thom, my husband, Wes Thom, and I bought a place on Ramsay Conc 8. Our summer kitchen is now a play area for our kids. When we looked through the floor boards on one side, it revealed years of ‘recycling storage’ and many many old cans/bottles/ointment containers! Today when looking through , I found this receipt and was wondering if you had any info on ‘Almonte Cold Storage’. Thanks! Amy
Memories..The largely attended funeral service for the late Lester Boyd Jamieson who passed away on Friday, February 14th, 1975, was held on Sunday afternoon, February 16, at Almonte United Church. Mr. Jamieson suffered a heart seizure and passed away a short time later. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Robert McCrea of Almonte United and Rev. Ray Anderson, a former minister of the Almonte Church. Interment was at the Auld Kirk Cemetery. The well-filled church was a fitting tribute to one who had served his church as an elder for some 50 years and as clerk of the session for 35 years. Mr. Jamieson was born in North Dakota on October 23, 1890, and came to Canada as an infant. He was a son of the late Robert Jamieson and his wife, Sarah Dworkin. He received his early education at the school at Hopetown and later learned the art of cheesemaking at Kingston dairy school. He was married at Watson’s Corners in 1912 to the former Mary Euphemia McDougall, and for the next 13 years resided in such places as Perth, Prospect, Malakoff and Clayton, following his trade as a cheesemaker. The following 28 years were spent farming on the farm outside of Almonte where his son Boyd now resides. After moving into Almonte, Mr. Jamieson was for three years in the Registry Office, followed by some time in the Almonte Cold Storage plant. In later years, he worked at refurbishing old furniture at the Pinecraft shop. Besides his wife, Mr. Jamieson is survived by a son, Boyd, of Almonte; two daughters, Mrs. Eileen Russell of Kingston, and Mrs. Beryl Riddell, Cardinal; a brother, William, at Hopetown, and two sisters, Mrs. Clara Miller of Timmins and Mrs. Percy Currie of Radisson, Sask. He was predeceased by a son, Lionel. Pallbearers at the funeral were Ross Craig, Larry Command, Weldon Kropp, Wilbert Monette, and nephews Melville Dowdall and Mac Dowdall.
After a few years spent apprenticing in the North, fur trade employees were sent to the Fur Training School. The School opened in the late 1940s to provide instruction in all aspects of fur buying such as grading, pricing, and more. Originally six months long, the course was later shortened to three. Beaver was always the primary focus of the curriculum but all species were covered. Graduates went on to store management in the North or to work in the Raw Fur Department or Fur Sales Division.
And in 1991, faced with dropping sales due in large part to the anti-fur movement, the Hudson’s Bay Company announced it was ending its fur business.
With that announcement, it brought to an end nearly three centuries of its connection to the fur trade.
Mum was the first brand of commercial deodorant. Containing a zinc compound as its active ingredient, it was developed in Philadelphia in 1888. It was named for the term “mum” meaning “to keep silent” as in the popular phrase “Mum’s the word” Mum was originally sold as a cream in a jar and applied with the fingertips.
Amy said:”The Mum deodorant actually still has a little in it, and you can see the marks from fingers having swiped through it!”
Rexall Milk of Magnesium
Soon after its invention by Charles H. Phillips in 1873, Milk of Magnesia became Phillips’ most popular product.
REXALL Bronchial Syrup
Remember the Rexall ONE penny saled?
MAZON
Coal tar was one of the active ingredients in Mazon. Mazon Cream is a by-product of coal processing. The skin cream does not appear to be available in the U.S. but can be ordered online ..
Medicated anti-itch cream for effective and long-lasting relief of itching and scaling of Eczema and Psoriasis.
Carnegie Drugstore- Miss McKee
The prescription bottle has ‘Miss McKee’ on it, my understanding was before the Morton’s bought the farm, it was owned by his uncle Issac McKee, they had a daughter who passed away as a child? So the prescription bottle would of been hers from when she ill? Pretty interesting! -Amy Thom
Amy, we found her.It looks like she died from Tuberculosis
1952, Thursday January 17, The Almonte Gazette page 8 Miss Agnes McKee On Tuesday, Jan 8th, Agnes Jane Isabel McKee, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Isaac McKee, passed away at the home of her parents, followed an illness of four month’s duration.
Carnegie’s Drug Store
Joan ArmstrongA lot of memories, I wish I could remember it all ….Irval motors where Don Coady is, oh – before that Snedden’s drugstore, NS Lee Hardware – across the street Peterson’s Icecream, Hydro office – McCormick’s ladies wear, Proctor’s shoe store on corner of Brae and Mill.BMO, I forgot Carnegie’s drug store before now
The Misses Hogans had a military shop somewhere in the area of Baker Bob’s today.Going past BMO all I can remember is Needham’s shoe store, Graham’s drugstore, The Superior.Of course the Pool room corner where Subway was (across from Keepsakes:Cashmere Rose)A garageLots of ???StedmansI hope someone can fill in the blanks.Oh, forgot the Almonte Gazette!
Dr. Schulte
The highlight of the year was the birth of David at the Rosamund Memorial Hospital on February 17, 1954. The doctor was Dr. Schulte, a German doctor who eventually returned to Germany. (His associate was Dr. Rolf Bach who remained a friend for many years until he died in 2010) Doug was busily teaching a class at school the afternoon that David was born. He was a wee one but the delight of family and new-found friends in Almonte. Read FAMILY TIME: 1956 – 1964 (PART 2)
NEW HOSPITAL’S 1ST BABY
On Friday, May 12th, the first baby was born in the new Almonte General Hospital. She was Katherine May Eriksen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Eriksen, nee Olive Elliott of Almonte. Dr. 0. H. Schulte was the doctor in attendance. The Eriksens also have a son Jimmie, aged two years.
Elizabeth Jane Waddell McKee BIRTH 5 May 1899Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada DEATH 21 Nov 1964 (aged 65)Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada BURIAL Auld Kirk Cemetery Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
1964, Thursday December 3, The Almonte Gazette page 4 Mrs Isaac McKee Elizabeth (“Bessie”) McKee, wife of Isaac McKee passed away on the afternoon of November 21 while at her home on Ramsay eighth line. Throughout the day she was vibrantly energetic but was seized suddenly and deceased quickly and quietly. Mrs McKee was born on May 5, 1899 near Almonte, attended local public schools and Almonte High School, and lived her entire life in this area. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas and Jane Waddell. Isaac McKee, then just recently immigrated from Northern Ireland, and she was united in marriage on May 24, 1932. To them was born a daughter, Agnes who predeceased her mother. Left behind are her husband, Isaac, two sisters, Jeanette and Lillian Waddell and a brother, John Waddell. Services were conducted at the Comba Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 24 at 2:30 p.m. by her pastor, the Rev Robert More, Jr., Th.M., and former minister, Rev Dr F.F. Reade. Interment was in Auld Kirk Cemetery. The pallbearers were: Alan Burns, Earl Caldwell, Thomas Frazer, Thomas MacDougall, John Morton and Emerich Torok. As evidenced by the large turnout for the funeral, Mrs McKee will be greatly missed. Her sensitivity to the Lord working in His Kingdom was an encouragement to all. her enthusiastic labours, manifested in the country V.B.S. and on behalf of the Bible Society, are affectionately recalled by all who knew her.Child of the 80s here…it never occurred to me that sliced bread wasn’t always packaged in plastic bags this paper is in shockingly good condition to say it has to be at least 65 years old?! Amy Thom-
Jill Heinerth In this heat wave, I have to spend a couple of hours in the water each day. Looking for old bottles keeps me busy. This one says “Eclectric Oil” and was made in Toronto according to the backside embossing.
Dr. Thomas Eclectric Oil was a pain relief remedy and general cure-all created by S. N. Thomas in the 1860’s which was sold until the early 20th century.
The name is a combination of electricity and magnetic, giving the customer ideas of advanced technology which didn’t exist. The uses of electricity and magnetic forces in medicine date from the 18th century, and many patent medicine makers in the 19th century included the words magnetic or electric in the names of their remedies and devices.
There is no lightning in a bottle and this certainly wasn’t more than camphor oil, eucalyptus oil, red thyme, and specially extracted fish oils, but with advertising laws non existent at the time, companies could get away with calling any product a miracle cure for whatever may ail you.
Linda, I thank you for all your research into your local soda water bottlers.
You have a great future treasure in your town. Adin Daigle is a very keen collector of Carleton Place and area history. You also are lucky to have Scott Wallace. Please involve Adin in research projects and mentor him in research. One day this will pay off in preserving the local history for generations to come.
I have a challenge for you. I have two bottles from A. Huckels & Co. from Ottawa. I cannot find information them. He has a flag for a logo. No one has been able to tell me the significance of the flag. Perhaps you can unlock this secret?
I hope you join our hobby, it holds lots of history and we have some passionate collectors like Adin and Scott. You would be very welcomed.–Glen William Gordon–
Linda says: We are on this Glen– with my Ottawa historian friend Jaan Kolk
Photos of bottles by Glen William Gordon-
Jaan Kolk
Jaan Kolk—In 1901, A Huckels and Co. was at 326-328 Queen street, with about 8 employees. By 1909, Huckels and his company had moved to nearby 181-185 Lyon Street.
Jaan Kolk This is pure speculation, but given that the flagship ( 😉 ) product was “German Seltzer”, the flag in the trademark may have represented the National and merchant flag of the German Empire, 1871-1918, which was three stripes: black, white, red. From the 1901 city directory:
Jaan Kolk—The company was established in Ottawa in 1894. Here is an ad from the Citizen, June 29, 1894
Jaan Kolk A note from the Citizen, Sept. 27, 1895 on the display at the Exhibition
Jaan Kolk–In 1912, The A. Huckels operation was taken over to become the Ottawa branch of major beverage producer J.J. McLaughlin Ltd. (of Canada Dry Ginger Ale fame), retaining the same 1082 phone number. From the Citizen, Mar. 29, 1912
Jaan Kolk—I could not find much mention of Alexander himself in the papers, except for this incident you might find amusing, Linda: Alexander was assaulted by Johnny “Dixie” McDowall, “America’s oldest newsboy.” From the Citizen, Aug. 25, 1910
According to a research book the A. Huckels & Co. were one of Ottawa’s larger bottlers and operated from 1894-1911 and then seem to disappear. Their bottles were also smaller from the typical soda water bottle possibly 6 ounces or 7.5 ounces in size. The Huckel family was well known in the Ottawa area and when I get a chance I will write about Benjamin and the tragedies he went through.
Alexander Huckels was of German descent and as Jaan Kolk said given that the flagship product was “German Seltzer”, the flag in the trademark may have represented the National and merchant flag of the German Empire. Mr. Davis was noted as one of the managers of the company.
Huckel’s was once located at 326-328 Queen Street in Ottawa-328 Queen St. E. has been vacant for more than a decade. It was extensively damaged in a 2009 by a fire that was blamed on faulty wiring.
Our community Carleton Place archaeologist Adin Wesley Daigle posted this photo on Facebook and said it was his favourite bottle. Not being a bottle collector I still had to agree and decided to investigate one R. E. Irvine from Ottawa. The bottle was great so I figured it must have a story!
The only thing I could find out was that R. E Irvine was served a lawsuit in 1910 from the Sanitaris Co. in Ottawa. Well I knew who Sanitarius was as I had written about their affiliation to Diamond Park Mineral Water. Irvine bottled beer and other beverages like Lithia water. Lithia water is defined as a type of mineral water characterized by the presence of lithium salts which he got from the Diamond Park and sold by Sanitarius. Natural lithia mineral spring waters are rare and between the 1880s and World War I, the consumption of bottled lithia mineral water was popular as well as the Mineral Water spas outside Pakenham. ( Diamond Springs and Dominion Springs).
Mr. Irvine also owned the local Ottawa Livery and Boarding Stable in Ottawa– but that is another story. Actually, it could be a series of stories from the vast amount of postings in the Ottawa newspapers.
As well as the waters business, R.E. Irvine purchased a high-end livery and riding stable in 1906. From the Citizen, April 26, 1906: Photo Jaan Kolk and information.
Diamond Park Mineral Water was world famous in its day, and it was located near Arnprior. Among the components in the water were salt and sulphur and the water was said to have curative powers dealing with rheumatic problems, hangover headaches and an aid in flushing the kidneys. Diamond Park Springs was located on the edge of Pakenham Township in the late 1800s, but was flooded by Ontario Hydro when the dam was put in place at the head pond. At one point there was a 12-room hotel on site and proved to be a popular spa in its day. The plant was later sold to Sanitaris Ltd. who continued bottling water from their plant at the corner of John and William streets behind the current LCBO in Arnprior.
Sanitaris Natural Mineral Water Building, Arnprior, Canada–Date: 1914 Location: John Street, Arnprior, Ontario, Canada
By 1910 R. E. Irvine looks like he was no longer running his namesake company and was letting someone else run it. (Morel Bros. Aerated Waters?) Sanitaris was taking him to court for the disappearance of “empties” as we kids used to say. Irvine said that they had been returned — Sanitarius said he or his successor had not. Needless to say Mr. Irvine’s company was on the hook for a grand sum of $480 unless all was returned.
Jaan Kolk said: “Irvine was a businessman, who came likely came to Ottawa for a business opportunity and left for a better one”. (I don’t think the minor legal disputes were of any importance.)
Jaan Kolk our favourite historian found this:Robert Irvine, mineral waters 359 Wellington, boarding at Butler House, is listed in the 1901 Ottawa City Directory, The business seems to have peaked around 1909, when it was at 200 Bay Street. Still there as Irvine in 1911, it was shown as Morel Bros. Aerated Waters in 1912. Here is an Ottawa Journal ad from May 18, 1909. (above)
After researching — no mention of the case was made in the media again except for this one above Jaan Kolk found from 1900. This Ottawa Citizen note from Aug. 25, 1900 on a suit over Irvine’s use of the name “Hygeia Water” mentions he was formerly in Toronto. So what was Hugeia Water? J.J. McLaughlin started out professional life as a druggist and eventually focused on what started out as a typical pharmacy sideline, making soda water, which he initially called Hygeia Waters, the Hygeia, being a play on the word hygiene. McLaughlin’s Hygeia Waters were based on a Belfast dry ginger ale recipe. The name was rebranded as the much more successful Canada Dry.
Meanwhile, the case from Sanitarius stated that “judgement was reserved”. Most often, the judge will reserve judgment which means that the judge will take some time – days, weeks, or even months – to consider the matter before issuing the judgment and it is usually written though it may be delivered orally. In this case Irvine had left from the Ottawa area, but if you looked hard enough you would see what happened. By 1910 the ads for the Irvine Company had stopped in the Ottawa Journal and The Ottawa Citizen and Irvine was now– wait for this– in Vancouver.
May 1909- Ottawa Citizen
In May of 1909 it looks like R. E. was preparing for a future elsewhere. First there was a massive auction sale at his home on Slater and Bay. In June of the same year he transferred some land from R. E. Irvine to R. Irvine Ltd. In 1910 R. E. Irvine had bought and was running Cross & Co. in Vancouver. The business had been under various ownerships. Originally founded by Mr. Cross D. Gavinit, as Vancouver Soda Water Works in 1896. Then purchased by the late J. J. Banfield, who remained owner until he sold his interests to the late R. E. Irvine. R.E.’s son E. L. Irvine bought the business from him in 1917.
Early Circa. 1915-30s British Columbia Soda Siphon / Syphon Seltzer Bottles – Cross and Company Vancouver BC
In an ironic twist like every trade or profession, Irvine’s venture into the Cross & Co soda water business had its troubles just like Sanitarius did with the R. E. Irvine Company in Ottawa. One of the chief problems was maintaining the bottle supply. Bottles cost the company 7 cents each, and since a deposit of only 5 cents a bottle is charged, a loss of 2 cents was sustained on very bottle not returned.
“When the public consider these figures it will realize the benefit, both to the consumer and to ourselves, of returning all empty bottles,” Mr. Irvine said. “For every bottle returned the customer reduces the cost of his thirst-quenchers by five cents. For every bottle not returned we lost two cents.” The loss on bottles was so heavy that Cross & Co. had to purchase $3000 worth annually to maintain its supply. Is this what happened to the R. E. Irvine Co in Ottawa or, was it just for a better opportunity as Jaan Kolk said?
One thing is for sure Mr. R. E. Irvine never set foot back in Ottawa until 1918 and the couple was described in the news as having been residents of Ottawa until 1910 and of course Sanitarius never got their money for the empties.
After years of speculation the truth finally surfaced ik Almonte one day in July in 1971.
The conservationists moved in Wednesday and walked off with one of the largest caches of bottles ever made in town.
“It’s incredible,” one elderly onlooker chuckled while enviously eyeing a 20-foot line-up of botties on the riverbank, “Not one darn beer bottle among ’em. ” The bottles, along with truck-toads of assorted junk including rusting wheels, mufflers and decaying pipes, were pulled from the river under the Almonte Bridge Street Bridge.
Thousands of bottles were reclaimed from the river Wednesday and today, but most SWEEP workers believe the public will not take heed of their example and keep the Mississippi free of garbage. “It would probably take a serious epidemic as a result of polluted water before people would realize rivers aren’t supposed to be used as garbage dumps,” said 22-year-old Candy Storks, foreman of one of the Sweep crews.
One SWEEP worker. Aggie Thurmen believes, simply that cleanliness is a habit to which many people don’t subscribe. Co-worker Bill McDougall puts it down to the adage of not being able to teach an old dog new tricks. “The answer has to lie in the proper teaching of the young today,” said the student.
As the SWEEP program gains momentum, more communities throughout the watershed are seeking help for their areas. “It’s getting hard to keep’up with them all,” said supervisor Ross Blaine.
You may not get rich on the discovery at least not after carry out a four-day clean-up program at Constance Bay that was next, but bang around long enough under the heaving structure and you could coin as much as two cents an hour.
But what future Almonte’s bottle harvest? This year’s crop will be processed into hard cash for other SWEEP projects and the reapers are hoping for a decidedly poorer crop in the future.
Are old pop bottles worth anything?
MOST VALUABLE BOTTLES
Pepper, Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola bottles from the Hutchinson soda and early machine made era. The oldest bring the highest prices often $500-1000 or more for certain rare examples or rare cities. … The best examples of colored sodas can bring $5000-$12000 for scarce forms and rare colors
September 1925 Perth Courier – MRS. JANE LAURIE retired from business. Laurie’s Ginger Beer, in the stone bottles, was once one of Perth’s popular drinks. Mrs. Laurie passed away in a few months after retiring.
The 1871 federal census lists James Laurie, a 33 year old baker, born in Ontario, of Scottish descent. Upon James’ death, it appears that his widow Jane assumed the proprietorship of the business.”Mrs. Jane Laurie’s Bakery and Confectionery was located on Gore Street in Perth. The three-storey white brick building was erected in 1886 as a store with residence above.
Baking and candy making were done in the basement, where the bake ovens were situated. The store was elegantly furnished with mahogany shelving and counters, topped with solid walnut. Adjoining the store was a neat restaurant in which oysters, ice cream and fruit were served in season, together with bread, cakes and pastry.
A favourite lunch consisted of buns and chunks of local cheese, with a bottle of Mrs. Laurie’s Old English Ginger Beer. The Laurie business was established in 1858 and was operated by Mrs. Jane Laurie and her daughter, Mrs. Margaret MacCormack, for 67 years. Following her daughter’s sudden death in 1925, Mrs. Laurie sold the business. She died later that same year, on November 11, 1925 at the age of 90 years.-Primitive Stoneware Bottles of Canada
Jane Laurie – A Sweet Merchant The buildings in town record the name of many of the major retailers … Shaw, James Brothers, Code … but what must have been one of Perth’s unique stores is not even recognized with a plaque. Jane Laurie opened “Mrs. Laurie’s Bakery and Confectionery” in 1858. She would soon bring her daughter into the business and it would remain open for 67 years until 1925 when she sold the business. Jane was still in the store working in her 90th year. The stories she must have witnessed, the history that passed by the door to her shop: the wide-eyed, nose-pressed-to-the-window children who one year were buying penny candy and who went on to do great things for Perth and Canada. This would be a special story and a unique window on our heritage.
Mrs. Laurie’s Bakery and Confectionery, Gore Street. The three storey brick building was erected in 1886 as a store with residence above. Baking and candy making were done in the basement, where the bake ovens were situated. The store was elegantly furnished with mahogany shelving and counters, topped with solid walnut. Adjoining the store was neat restaurant in which oysters, ice cream and fruit were served in season, together with bread, cakes and pastry. A favourite lunch consisted of buns and chunks of local cheese with a bottle of Mrs. Laurie’s Old English Ginger Beer
George T. Kerr and his wife the owners of the Perth Bottling Works lived in the little white house on the corner of Cockburn Street. If you look had never heard there was a tunnel from the house to the Perth Bottling Works.
In 1928 George T Kerr began, in a very modest way, manufacturing and bottling “Old Perth” Beverages. It was the best equipped plant of its kind to be found in Canada at the time. Up to date equipment resulted in 300 cases of 24 bottles a day.
From the beginning business was good and they added other lines of refreshing drinks over the years. In 1924 George got the sole franchise rights for Orange Crush in Lanark County. In 1935 Less Smallwood purchased the business and carried on the fine line of products. Growing limited in space he moved the operation to the old Bolt Works on Lewis Street.
lindaseccaspina 