Keystone

 

Elkhorn Bottling Works

1915—1917

In 1915, the Elkhorn Bottling Works began putting out ads in regional newspapers for an experienced bottler to join the company, as far as Cincinnati (“Wanted”, 1915). This was in October. The same ads reveal the manager of the firm to have been Aaron Totz of Keystone. Someone must have successfully applied, as two months later Elkhorn Bottling Works announces it will begin shipping soft drinks on December 15th (“We Desire”, 1915). Come 1917, the company again searches for a new experienced bottler (“Wanted”, 1917). By September of that year, however, the company stops appearing in Dun & Bradstreet, so I presume that it could not find a bottler and closed (Mercantile Agency, 1917).

Keystone Bottling Co.

1907—1930

As of 1904, C.W. Elliott & Co. existed in Keystone per The American Bottler (1904). C.W. Elliott does not appear in any Dun & Bradstreet listings for that year, which is strange to me due to their thoroughness. Nor do they appear in 1905 or 1906. In fact, they only appear to be in the Dun & Bradstreet listings around 1900 (Mercantile Agency, 1900). C.W. Elliott & Co. then relocates to Northfork at some later point and, funnily enough, K.B.Co. becomes based out of Northfork rather than Keystone.

K.B.Co. became an absolutely dominating force in the soda industry of southern West Virginia. Shortly after its founding, it bought out all of its local competitors, including Flat Top Bottling Company of Welch, Kimball Bottling Works of Kimball, Williamson Bottling Company, and Bluefield Bottling Company. The company says this themselves in 1911, claiming it took over the independent bottling plants the year prior (“To Manager”, 1911).

C.W. Elliott passed away in 1913 to the grief of his many communities. Keystone Bottling Co. continued successfully for many years following his passing. In 1930, the company changed its name to the Northfork Coca-Cola Bottling Company (Lee, n.d.), marking the end of the company in name.

Since it would be expected for K.B.Co. to be listed under Keystone, I will list their bottles without a town or branch bottler here.

References

C.W. Elliott & Company (1904, November 15). The Pureoxia Company Palatable Water Still [advertisement]. The American Bottler.

Lee, J. III (n.d.). Bluefield Bottling Company. Tazewell-Orange. http://www.tazewell-orange.com/cokeblfd.html

To manager of bottling works. (1911, October 3). Bluefield Daily Telegraph, 5.

Wanted. (1915, October 24). The Cincinnati Enquirer, 34.

Wanted. (1917, September 11). The Cincinnati Enquirer, 14.

We desire to announce… (1915, December 12). Bluefield Daily Telegraph, 3.