My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

[dave ziegler]

I have not been feeling so good for the Last week or so but I am back now and remembering what it was like in real cold weather at Kinsey you wore your Heavy coat inside the warehouses and if you were on the Yard gang coal would be coming in by the rail car Load! Getting it out was not as easy as you would think as it froze to the sides of the car which meant climbing up and in it and hitting it with a shovel to get it loose enough to run out the bottom.

We would also be putting down salt if it snowed and plowing. Winter in the Gang was hard work but I was young and I emjoyed it anyway. I have not been to the Plant for a couple of weeks and May get there the afternoon of Christmas day. I went there last year on christmas day for a walk. I just got 3 pairs of Old Hickory Table counter top signs on the web to add to my collection and here is the picture from the web of one of the 3. I hope to write more now that I am feeling better and having some time work has been very busy which is a good thing.

I also have something I want to get at the plant to save for History very soon. I Just saw a another Old Friend from Kinsey Passed on Michael Zueno he was 80 yrs old and I did not know he was still living. In the Paper it says He was a truck Driver At Continenal Distillery Linfield for 8 years retiring in 1982.

Mike was the Guy we counted on to take us to the break room and back to our job and also to the Time clock at night. He drove the Old 1953 Dodge Flat bed and hauled Barrels when we were not going to break or warehouses or the timeclock. It was a green flat bed with a six in it and green wooden sides and we would climb on the back to ride to break and the time clock plus sometimes if the warehouse we were going was a far distance.

It was cold walking around the Plant in the winter with the air from the river coming up!

Dave Z

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Old Hickory America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

Dave....some Christmas 1969 videos -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohP5yQlo8C4

The old metal table top hockey game...no video games then!

Sound recording was still rare in those days....

I keeping looking for a bottle of whiskey......

[dave ziegler]

On my trip to Kinsey today I also found some neat paper work I found an old Bell yellow bussiness pages telephone book from 1970 and with my Flashlight I looked up Distillers and I found this page which I have blown up to be readable.

1. Yellow Pages Distillers note not only are our Numbers for Phila in there but also some by brand also and also other Famous Distillers also!

2. Old Blue print for 3-22-62 for Charter Oak Bourbon 4/5 Bourbon case Box

3. Old Blue Print for Charter Oak 2-28-65 Quart case Box

Finding things like this is exciting to me they were damp so I dryed them trimed them and scaned them into my Computer I will now put them in one of my many Binders of Paper work to save for History.

I am going to keep looking for this type of thing as long as I can. Everything is either wet or dirty so it takes time and efort to clean them carefully and save them. I have posted some Bottle house pictures on the Bottle house thread also! I took 64 Pictures today.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

Something Special is now residing in my Garage The 1966 Continental Distilling Bottling House Time Clock is now at Kinsey West my place waiting to have some cleanup and mini restoring done to it! It seems the Mice lived there for a bit but other then that it is ok and that is all cleaned out now.

When the weather gets better right now 20's with wind chill of 2 above it will wait but at least it will not be there for the younger people to break or destroy. I will post a picture of it when the weather warms up.

I also found two types of Spirits Hydrometers made in the early 1970's in Phila and saved them from being smashed! And a list of whiskey inventory for 1978 with brand names which I will post soon. I am always looking to preserve anything I can from there.

Just a note looking at my old time papers from the Plant I found out that the ocean liners we had 10 were called Paco Lines and during war times we also did stuff for the Army with them.

In just peeking at the Inventory list of the late 1970's I saw the old American Distilling brands we had such as Stillbrook and Bourbon Supreme.

I am now back to work so looking for things to save is over for now. I will be talking soon about the brands on the List and the sad ruin the place is in.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

I was visting my Friends who own a Beer distributership and They told me Look over on the counter and there stood a full 4/5 Quart 1950's Kinsey 8 yr blended whisky. I said wow where did you get that and they told me the young fellow that works there got it from his uncle who gave it to his dad and He brought the bottle of Kinsey Silver there to give to me

Also Last Week on Line I saw a pre Pro Tax stamp for sale on Line it is dated in ink 3-12-04 which means it was a tax sticker from what I see from pre prohibition. On it is a picture of someone called Fairchile so anyone who knows about this type of tax stcker please reply! I am going to post some pictures of my Bottle and a closeup of the Green $3000 tax sticker and hope to hear from anyone who knows alot about this type of tax sticker.

Pictures 1 through 3 are of my Full 4/5 Bottle of Kinsey Silver 80 proof I can tell by the type of Cap it is a late 1950's bottle

Picture 4 is the rare tax sticker stamped Kinsey Distillery, My Pre pro wooden whisky case from Kinsey has this type of sticker on its back side.

I will be back to writting regularly again I have been sick but felling much better now.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Even as I write about Kinsey there are people who know only how to destroy it and an Owner who is in my Mind a really Rotten Person. He bought it to let it rot for loss claiming and now it just sits. I hope I never meet Him. When I think back to how good a condition the Place was when he bought it in 1982 everything still working well and He shuts everything off after his high lease Prices finish Publicker off, lets people steal all the wiring so nothing can be powered up and just pays a fine now and then and leaves it rot. But it can be expected of him as He is not new to doing rotten things of this type, I looked his name up one time on the web and read some of the Rotten things he has done in his life in the Ny Papers.

What it all goes down to is some people are takers and some people are givers and He is a taker. If only some one Good had bought the Plant from Publicker and worked with them on the lease back of parts of the Plant had spent some money putting Elevators in the warehouses in place of the barrel ones I truley think Publicker might have made it in the Home products and antifreeze Bussiness. The big mistake was selling it to this person! They should have kept on looking for people to lease parts to they almost had a couple of warehouses leased to Oscar Mayer to be made into frozen & refrigerated food lockers I found the paper work but at the Last minute Oscar Mayer pulled out and the rest is sad History.

Everytime I go to Kinsey My Heart is sad but on the positve side I remember so many things from the past names and happenings just come back to me.

Forgive me for blowing off a bit of steam built up from seeing Kinsey in such sad shape since fall 1986.

I wish everyone could have had the great experiance I had working for Publicker Industries for my Personal Hero Si Neuman those were the days.

And Thankfully I can still walk there from time to time and relive the past!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/product-compint-0001189209-page.html

http://business.highbeam.com/company-profiles/info/1189209/continental-distilling-corp

Rockefeller Center

> listed as a "chemical company" "manufacturing" "distilling equipment"

[dave ziegler]

Hi Jono from what I can see The Continental name went separate ways from the Publicker Name which became Publicard its last years. Both Companies had just a couple of People working for them and I could never get any thing much out of the Continental name after they closed Publicker in Phila. But I do know that for a little bit they called the company Publicker Distillers at the end and I have whiskey cases with that on them.

, My Best guess was someone bought the Continental name and does small time Distilling equipment however looking on the web both companies were in the same place so I guess the same person did have them both. Publicker for awhile till they were forced to pay for the cleanup in Phila after the Company they sold the site to for next to nothing with legal written promises for them to clean it up blew the place up and went into Bankrupsy. While That was going on Publicker Industries bought a Flashlight company, Bright Star Flash light Company and then sold it when they had to pay for the Cleanup.

They Then got into the smart card Bussiness and changed their name to Publicard. In 2007 they left the stock market and have come out of Bankruptsy and I forgoten what they are called now but it is strange name.

They have about two employees and the Chairman when they were Publicard was Antonio L. Delise.

Since It was also listed in Rockafeller Plaza they most likely have been run by the same Man as two different small not doing Much Companies.

All I know is what a sad thing when Mr Neuman died and the People who took over by Hostel takeover just destroyed the compy by leaving the Distilled Spirits bussiness and the Medical parts of the Industrial Alcohol bussiness and tried to Be P&G which we all know what happen it ended and 5000 people lost their jobs. When Si Neuman died Publicker / Continental Distilling / Kinsey all died with him!

I was over there about two weeks ago and it breaks my heart to see what Vandels do to the place ripping doors off cuting Pipes smashing things. Kinsey Distillery died when Si Neuman died and it can never return.

Yet in my Mind I can still See Nurse asking me questions the first day I started there and her talking about drinking Coffee with Bourbon for her health. I can still see Charlie Seipler doing burn outs with his Model A Ford Frame with a 100 Horse powerflat head Ford V8 buggy.

Charlie traveled all over the plant painting anything that needed painting even some of My Silver Explosion Proof Pilot Light boxes and switches! It was Charlie that painted all the Warehouse signs and anything that needed being kept up.

Meanwhile Frank Kurtus, and Shory ( Harreson Tyson ) and Lou Steffy did all the plant Maintance and Dicky Pfieher kept all the cars and trucks running a thankless Job for sure.

Everytime I walk by the old Maintance Barn I think how cold it must have been working in there. All My memories Of Kinsey are fond to me and I think It was a blessing that I was not there at the end as It would have killed me seeing what was happening. Another sad thing long time Enginer Joe Trish was over in Scotland when Publicker sold the Plant there and when he came back they were gone and he needed just a little time to be able to retire and the guy that now owns and has ruined the Plant hired him and only gave him minimum wages till he could retire Ludy told me about this a couple of weeks ago when I went to visit him. Joe was the Best Enginer Continental Distilling ever Had what a sad thing to find out from Ludy that this is what happen to him. Anything Big built at Kinsey or Contiental Joes drawings and plans were there. Even the two Half Million Gal stainless tanks in mid Plant had their setup done with Joe trishs Plans. My big plant blueprint of Plant piping was drawn by Joe.

Such was the Story once Si Neuman and The Family were gone from control of the company.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Three weeks ago on a rainy Sunday afternoon I walked through what is left of the 1966 State of Art 1966 Bottling House and took some more pictures here are some of them.

1 Candy machine with what was candy bars rotted to pieces

2,3,4. All that is left of the state of art Laboratory in the Bottle house.

5,6,7,8.Here are some pictures of the Tanks at the far back of the incoming lines right next to the explosion proof power room. I had never climbed this one and finaly did.

9. Row of Explosion proof switches near front side of the incoming line area.

10. Electric Line control box

11. All That is left of the Modern Line A-1-F which was early computor driven and could do 40,000 bottles a day and box the bottles too!

12,13,14. Looking at the sorting lines where the girls sorted looked for leakers and label work.

15.The above case line boxes traveled it to the back where it would go under for the bottles to go back in it.

16. An old safety Sign that states not to be a Pig in your work area for safety.

17. At the end of Second shift the girls would put the chairs up on top of the line till the next day for sweeping. I can just imagin them sitting them there not knowing they would never come back that final last day.

18. looking down through the plant at the ruin of it all.

Every time I go I feel so dam sad seeing what has happened to the Most modern Bottling House in the whole world back in fall of 1966.

For me Kinsey is dying and there is nothing I can do for this dear old friend. I remember all the Great people that worked there, 600 of us and my heart is sad. I will continue to try and get picture I have not taken in area's and writing about my Old Friends and Kinsey

Dave z

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It Seems All The Nicest People drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well today the first thing I want to include on this thread is an old Picture My Dad took of Me at 23 years Old with the last Car I bought working for Continental Distilling at Kinsey. Taken one day when I got home from work with a Poloriod Camera

1. Me and My 1970 Chevy Nova named ( Nova Cane ) on the plate and on the car. Front plate has a Hyperdermic dripping Blood and the words Nova cane.

I bought this chevy in late 1970 while I was still at Kinsey after it and leaving Kinsey it took years to get another Newer car. We really made good money there and going to work was always good working at Kinsey. In the time I worked there I had a 1955 Chevy that I put a 283 in and Hurst shift, a 1963 chevy, My fastest Car I ever owned my 1967 Buick Grand Sport 400 CU IN 425 HP 4 speed Hurst and My 1970 Chevy Nova.

it was hard work but it was working for a great company with great Products and I loved testing our products!

Seeing it like it is and I just heard another horror story about people going Vandelizing and stealing in there it just breaks my heart as I know Kinsey will never make a come back the wreaking Ball is somewhere in the future so If I can with the Pictures I have posted and the things I have written keep its memory alive I will be most happy.

There I was 19 years Old fresh out of school going to work for the worlds Largest Distiller at the worlds Largest aging Whiskey stored plant in the world with the Worlds largest Bottling House ------- Those Where The Days -------

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest Peolpe Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

It is always Hard for me to think of Kinsey being gone but it is never going to operate again and this winter has really hit the buildings hard I expect more roofs will come down. Yet I can still remember getting the first car I ever had that did not have more than a 100,000 miles after working at Kinsey less then a year. My 1963 Chevy 2 dr Bel Air had about 30,000 miles when I got it and I took the first weeks vacation I ever had driving it to the Old Atlantic City and seeing Publicker below going over the Walt Whitman bridge I felt so proud to work for them.

Working at Kinsey gave a young man good credit which I was able thankfully to keep through my life. We were a family at Kinsey and days went by just fine even though we worked hard we were very proud to work for Publicker. I have yet to ask anyone who worked there if they liked it as they all did! And if our products were still around I have confidance that people on this site would Love Our Bourbons and Ryes.

Our products were sold all over the world and well liked so it is hard to think they are gone. I never in all my younger years dreamed something like this would happen to Kinsey and Continental Distilling.

To Me Old Hickory Bourbon will always be my Favorite Bourbon!

Dave Z

==============================================

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

Dave, looking at your photo above, I wonder what you would whisper in your younger self's ear if you could time travel - besides not quitting Kinsey and stocking up on Old Hickory?

[dave ziegler]

Thats fairly easy Jono I would whisper be thankful for the Job you have as you will do worse leaving as the grass is not greener on the other side! When you are young you listen to the wrong people sometimes and you make moves you regret the rest of your Life it is part of growing up. And many years I made alot less and I spent 18 years driving truck at a Place I hated more then words can say. I had some great news last spring they Pottstown Plating went out of Bussiness and I lifted some Old Hickory in joy for that.

But even then good came out of it 3 years after being downsized there I got my wonderful job I am at now and it is a wonderful job with great people I am proud to work for them and at my age I am at just the right place.

Working for Publicker was a great thing and the fact that I am still friends with Ludy all these years later shows the kind of people I worked with. It is the people who made Kinsey and Continental Distilling great, they were hard working people who were always thankful for what they had not what they wanted.

And It was the Leadership of Si Neuman that made Publicker Industries the Power house it was from 1933 till 1976 when he died suddenly.

The heart of Kinsey and Continental died when Mr Neuman died like the Song

"The Day The Music Died" ------- "It was the Day That Kinsey Died"

It was the day That Kinsey died a sad and terrible death even though she sits there she is just a rotting place that only memories can speak of. There are times I feel so driven to just get all the story of this wonderful Distilling and Chemical Company out. In the Long term things worked out for me My First Job was Awesome and now at 62 1/2 Years Old My Last Job is awesome. But I offten wonder why I ended up driving for the plating company it was family owned and Union and both looked out for themselves and as a worker you were a pawn. In 1979 I made way less driving a truck then I would have made at Kinsey I would have been better going down with Kinsey for sure.

At Publicker and as a company Person the company Mailman I am blessed! There are only maybe a couple of the old timers left from Kinsey so I now am the Oldtimer and I intend to keep telling as much as I can about Kinsey.

As For the Old hickory if I had it to do now I would have stocked up with Plenty of Old Hickory both the 80 proof and the 86 proof 10 yr plus some BIB and a couple of bottles of that rare 20 yr stuff that back in 1968 I saw the barrels that were used for it in Old warehouse E one of Jacob G Kinseys first warehouses.

Publicker Industries was a Prolific Company and a Company That was very Proud to be American owned and operated.

Here is an a statement from a Late 1940's Brosure put out By Publicker just before they went on the stock market, I am lucky enough to own, it is the only one known to exsist.

" The search to produce a better product

never ends at Publicker. Our skilled craftsmen

constantly seek new methods of impoving the age-

old art of Distilling. They combine the native skill of

generations of distillers,enriched by the exciting

discoveries of ever-advancing science.

We are justly proud of our reputation for distilling

beverages of the highest quality:

proud, too, of our never-ceasing efforts to impove

them.

Here, then, on the succeding pages, is our story.

It is America's story, too, because America always

builds for the future with the best of its past and present."

The book continues with artist pictures of the Kinsey plant Linfield, Continental Distillery Phila and the publicker Chemical Plant in phila plus mentions that we have Cooperage plants in Marcus Hook pa and St. Louis MO. it talkes of the Patience needed to make Great Whiskies.

It speaks of our Advanced Research lab in Eddington, Pa. and Our Chemical Plant in Westwego La.which I have never been able to find out much about. And it talks about how proud they are to be making more then 1/3 of the worlds Medical Alcohol. And Finally it speaks with pride of Old Hickory, Charter Oak, and County Fair Bourbons. BIB Rittenhouse Rye, Our straight whiskies -- Old Hickory, Charter Oak, Hallers 89,Planters Club, Hallers deluxe and Linfield whisky.

Also straight Ryes Conestoga,and Rittenhouse and Our Famous blend of Only Straight Whiskies and they all had to be 7 years old " Old Classic" I was never lucky enough to try that one But Ludy said it was good stuff.

This is what Publicker / Continental Distilling and Kinsey were all about I Am Dam Proud I worked For Them.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

A couple of weeks ago between all the snow we have gotten I took a walk at Kinsey and got a few Pictures in Warehouse's C and M.

Here are the pictures

1. If you look closely you will see Eagle Beak was here written my old friend Warren Eshback He took delight in being called Eagle Beak and always said, me and Jimmy Duranty the nose knows! He had a really big nose.

2.,3.,4., These are stainless tanks sitting in Warehouse C behind the Bottling house.

5. Rye Mash Barrels still sitting in Warehouse C it was here I got Fricky and I our Barrels to restore they are going bad now but I was able to get the Historic Society one a bit back to have original for Limerick/Linfield's History.

6.One of Many Venting and Heating systems in the warehouses for tjhe right aging of Whisky this one in warehouse M first floor.

7.8. looking across the first floor in warehouse M once there were racks 6 tiers high against the ceiling 22 foot high.

When I get to Kinsey my mind goes back in a sort of time travel and I am there talking to my long gone friends. They and Kinsey may be gone but I will never let them be forgotten.

I can still see old Bonda driving his 1951 Pylmouth Cranbrook around the plant showing incoming trucks where to go and having a shot as he did. I can hear Charlie Seipler burning rubber with his Model A frame 100 horse power buggy. And ringing out at night feeding the fish in the Old Number 1 fermenter in the old DSP-Pa-12 giving them loaves of wonder bread!

"Those Were The Days My Friend I Thought they'd Never End Those Were The Days"

Dave Z================================================

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

No matter How many Bourbons I try they never seem to be close to Our Bourbons. Example Old Hickory 10 yr 86 proof its smell and pallet are different from any Bourbon made today and for me much more flavorful.

The 10 Year old stuff like the 20 old special aniversary stuff at first came from Whiskeys that were for the most part in our oldest Wooden and brick warehouses and the first of the Explosion proof ones built during WWII years. As a young man I remember those old date barrels and offten asked about them and was told they are for special Bourbons for Old Hickory and the Rye ones for Rittenhouse Rye. I saw stuff dated for the early 1950's in old warehouse E out front beside the Old Bottle House on the river bank and many were distilled at the Old DSP-PA-12 in Linfield!

How the years have gone by, but thankfully I was young and remember these things better then I remember what happened yesterday! Those old Warehouses were really Hard to get barrels out of the racks. You would if they were on one of the upper second on up tiers run them all the way across from one side to the other because the Freight Elevator was at the far end from the road side of the warehouse. You could only put so many barrels at a time on the elevator. I remember well someone sneaking one to many on and I found myself crashing to the bottom running the Elevator down.

In some of them you could just get a lift to pull on the wooden board floor to get a few tiers up safely. And there were only two ways to get up to the racks ride the freight elevator to some of the main levels or climb a tiny Ladder made of wood to each upper tier. And you better not have much weight on you so you could fit in walkways for each level.

I hated climbing that Ladder and gladly ran the Freight Elevator if given the chance. They were faily cold and damp warehouses and Jacob G Kinsey had built them back in the pre pro days and just after Prohibition built the last one Warehouse H which is shown in my arieal shot from 1936 being built.

Kinsey was always a special place and before Mr Kinsey bought the Land it had the oldest home in Limerick behind what became the Plant the old

William Evans Home down near the river, later to be Mr Kinsey's Home when he first came there. Many Company boss's lived in it such as Ed Zucca, Holman Thomas Bryant, and William Theodosis. When Kinsey reopened in fall 1933 Jacob G Kinsey stayed in the yellow house out front, later in Continental Distilling days too house the Plant Nurse and George Dill another Company Man.

Mr Kinsey would travel from his home in Philadelphia during the week to Kinsey and then back to the Parkside section of Philadelphia later in the week.

Those were the exciting days of Distilleries with Prohibition and the Mobs threats gone and Mr Kinsey at 75 trying to start over at 75 years Old but 6 years later at 81 He went bankrupt and Continental Distilling a division Of Publicker Industries came along in Spring of 1940 to save Kinsey and make it an even greater Place!

Then even more exciting days lay ahead the Days of Mr Si Neuman and Publicker Industries the most prolihic and amazing Distiller in History.

Dave Z

=====================================================

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

On Sunday afternoon the weather was so Nice I took a long walk through Kinsey. While walking I took a trip behind some of the Explosion Proof warehouses to see and take pictures of the two explosion proof warehouses never built!

Working in the Yard gang we had never really gone into that part of the Woods but people I know who are doing some tree removal there unearthed something amazing. While cutting trees they discovered two area's of 1 inch bundles of 18 rods per bundle sunk down in the ground about 4 to 5 feet in cement of these rod bundles. There were 42 sets at each site 18 rods per bundles, one bundle for each piller in the warehouse if built. This locked everything to the ground to make a better Explosion proof warehouse. The spoke to an old timer who had actualy helped doing this in 1948. I took pictures of the rods some stick out up to 3 feet Plus, others 2 feet.

I will post my pictures in the next day or so plus some other pictures I took of the Plant on my other threads. So these would have been warehouses V and W had they been built and also would have held 999,999 barrels as the other 14 did!

The rods are so well made that they are rust color but not rusted! No matter when you go there you never know what piece of History you will find. This would have made a third row coming from the Steer pen area going front and I am still amazed at this find. I worked there and never knew this story of the Warehouses never to be built!

Dave Z

=================================================

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Today I am going to post most of my Pictures from the past Sunday including the bundles of one inch rods in the woods where Continental was going to build two more Explosion proof warehouses.

There were 42 sets of 8 rod bundles per building some more rods per bundle in some, layed out to go into the large pillers that were in each of the buildings to make them as strong against explosion as possible sunk in cement about 5 to 7 feet down in the ground.

I also have some pictures in the Old grain prcess building and of other buildings. It was a beautiful day walking there on Sunday with nice breezes coming up from the river and bright sun I intended to stay just an hour and stayed 3 hours!

There was much damage from vandels and the long winter weather and it is a sad thing to see. Here are some of my pictures starting with some of the Old Bottling house.

1.thru 7. Looking down through the Old Bottling House both from the back and from out front in the Case packing room and the packing room itself.

8. All that is left of the fallen down second floor of the Old Bottling house.

9. Cathionnic and anatonic tanks Old bottling House.

Note in pictures that Rod bundles are differant hight's I have no idea why but do know these were to go through the floors and start the 42 pillars per building.

10 through 21 all pictures of the Rod bundles found up in the woods on the ridge above Warehouses 38 and T warehouse. They would have been warehouses V & W.

I still have more pictures to post and will later this week.

Dave Z

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Join The Swing To Kinsey The Unhurried

Whisky For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

Here are a few more of the Pictures I took last Sunday,

1. The Old Water treatment tank in the Old Kinsey Bottling house.

2. An Old Whiskey Blender sticking out of the tank they blended Liquors in the Old Bottling House.

3 & 4. Old falling down racks in the two Oldest Warehouses in the Plant built in 1892 by Jacob G Kinsey wood and brick warehouses A & B.

When I started there these were not used much becuase of how hard it was to rack barrles and to take them out of the racks, but there was some Vintage Wiskey in them. You Had to on the upper ones stand on the edge of the wooden walk way and put a Hook from a chain lift on each side of the head and get the chain tight then lower it that way. Unlike the other wood Kinsey Warehouses that had turn of the century Frieght Elevators. It is sad to see these Historic Buildings falling down. But such is life new one day gone the next.

I plan if it is just raining lightly Sunday doing some more inside exploring, and I will post the rest of my Pictures next week and any new ones from Sunday.

Dave Z

====================================================

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon.

[dave ziegler]

I am also tonight posting some pictures of my collection of Explosion proof pilot lights and switches from Kinsey here are some of the ones I have in my work office on a side cabinit and on my desk lit and unlit. I am having the company Electrcian make me up 4 or 5 more sets and I then will have about 23 differant sets of differant explosion proof switches and pilot lights from Kinsey to save for History!

When I get into work at 6:00-AM I turn them all on and they light the place up with red I am also going to have some blue and green ones as I am making up a couple more weather proof switch sets. If I would not have saved these they would have gone to the scrap man by some Vandel. I am on a mission to save all the History of a great company, a wonderful place to work and the most Prolic Distiller back in the day!

These when I turn them on take me back to the Warehouses and the blue fums up near the sealings the the rows and rows of Explosion proof switches and lights that greeted you back in the day when Kinsey was King.

There are really no words to discribe how great a place Kinsey was to work, think of your favorite park and Kinsey was very park like with wildlife walking around the plant. Beauty was our Gardens and flower beds trees and beautiful beyond compare lawns. Mr Neuman loved Kinsey and so did I.

Dave Z

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--==--=-=--=-=-=-==-=-=-==-=-=-

Join The Swing To Kinsey The Unhurried

Whisky For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

I have now created a few more Explosion proof Light setups for my office and will post pictures of a couple of very rare ones soon. I was at Kinsey about 2 weeks ago and the vandels just keep breaking into buildings to just ruin things. I just do not understand people any more they only think of ruining something or stealing scrap it seems.

I am very proud that I was able to get the Limerick Historic Society a Complete 48 gal Whiskey barrel with the year 3-22-71 stenciled on the head for their collection in donating it Fricky has agreed to put wood scews in all the staves on the top and bottom hoops and some staggered ones on the middle hoops to keep it together for History and I can't thank him enough.

He is also going to clean the head and put some coating on the top to preserve the writting. The barrel will be as it has been all these years toned as if it is still full for display and the society will be having a big open house on Sat May 8 ! to 4 and I will be there with some of my stuff on a table and to talk to people about Kinsey and Publicker. Anyone from my area please stop by I am fairly sure they will have some refreshments too!

I may even bring a couple of my light sets. I will present the Barrel in my name with credit to Fricky for his work some Sunday afternoon in a couple of weeks once he makes it solid for History.

Once Fricky and I got our Barrels and he made them perfect it has been my dream to give the society an original one they can safely roll out at special times for History and I will continue to donate stuff from Kinsey to preserve History. I will try to get some pictures taken of the event for those far away from here.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

I am very proud to anounce that Fricky has completed fixing the 48 gal barrel I got for the Historic Society done and I will be going with Him to give it to them on Suday I will take pictures of it when I give it to them.

It is from the same lot Fricky and my Barrels come from dated May 22 1971 Distilled from rye mash. I also want to invite anyone from my area to come to the Big Open House at the Limerick Historic Society on Sat May 8th from 1 to 4 Pm. I will be there with some of my Kinsey stuff and Hope to meet some people who write on here.

I had a vacation day yesterday and I went to see Ludy. Ludy will be 92 this Sept. He was telling me about our imported Bourbon Whiskey called Old Treasure. It was distilled in Belgium and shipped to Linfield where it was bottled.

It was made of Only 12 Year old Straight Whiskeys and I am lucky enough to have been given a pint of it and I find it awesome. Ludy told me that Bill Theodosis who was the Plant manager when I stated in 1966 and died a couple of weeks later having a bad heart attack, had traveled there in the very early 1950's.

He was sent there to get the Distillery going as Publicker built it and owned it. Ludy said Bill sent him many post cards and wrote regularly to him.

He also Said Bill Theodosis was a better Union man then the Union Boss's ever were he was a wonderful Company man who believed in doing right by the workers.

I also found out what some devises I found in the Plant were the last time I went in by showing them to Ludy. I will take pictures and post them of the dvises.

Turns out they are made to put over the Valves once a Tank is filled so a Government Man can put a seal wire and lead type seal on the valve so no one can take any whiskey out as they fit over all different size valves and were made for alll sizes.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well I finally got a chance to take pictures of the Government Valve Locks, thanks to Ludy telling me what they were as I admit I did not remember them.

1. Government Locks for Tank Valves you would put a wire through the loops and then the government Man would put a seal on different Sizes for each type of Valve.

7. Out front where the drives come in after over 25 years Flowers still bloom in the flower bed out front that I used to work on when I was in the yard gang!

6. The Grain Drying building on Left and the Old 1892 Barn that served as the shop for Maintaince all the years the Plant operated. Dsp-pa-10 Barn at far end of picture.

5. Old Grain drying Building & Silo

4. Looking down in the Plant from Warehouse O

2. & 3. Inside Explosion proof Warehouse C Tankage whiskey filter and a Shot of all the Barrels that are left from the Lot that Frick's and My Barrel came from.

These pictures were taken about 2 weeks ago I was totally amazed to see the Old flowers were still coming up in the spring after over 25 years abandoned. The Barrels in Warehouse C are from the Lot Fricky's and my barrels came from.

Also I am very Pleased to say that I was able to get one more barrel from C Building to donate to the local Historic Society and Fricky cleaned it put screws in the bands through the Staves to keep it together for good and He wiped it off and Schlacked it to preserve it for me. I will be donating it to the Limerick Historic Society at 1:15 Pm on Sunday in Memory of Si Neuman Chairman from spring 1933 through 1979 for His Leadership and for making Kinsey such a great Place to work! I am having a Laminated Paper made up that states this. Mr Neuman was a Giant in the Distilled spirits bussiness and in Industrial & Medical Alcohols.

I feel truely Blessed to Be able to donate this in Mr Neumans Memory He was a Hero to me and an Icon to the Distilling Industry!

Dave Z

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It Seems all the Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificnet Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

This weekend was a very exciting one for me as I was able to do something I have dreamed of doing with the Help of Fricky fixing a 48 Gal Rye mash whiskey Barrel from the same lot as His and Mine came from, and by fastening the hoops with scews and schlacing the barrel.

And the Help of a Professional lady where I work for creating the Laminated Paper and putting it in a Placard I had saved along time ago to donate The Barrel to the Limerick Historic Society. Many Thanks to Fricky and Val who's Husband worked at The Old Bottle House back in the day and who's Husbands father was a good friend of mine who worked there most of his life!

Here are some pictures from Sunday I donated the Barrel in memory of Mr Si Neuman the man who's vision made Continental distilling the great Company it was!

1. Placard

2. The Barrels head

3. The Barrel sadly I grabed it to quick knocking it out of Fricky's hands and it got scratches you can see but Fricky is going to go there and fix it very soon so it will be beautiful for the Open House May 8th 2010. Anyone living near Limerick please come I will be there with some stuff to show and to talk Kinsey.

4. Me with the Barrel ( Barrel looks Alot Better )

5. Another shot of the Beautiful Head

6. This is my Rare Inver House Barrel head Fricky shined it up for me also

7. And this is my 1963 Bourbon Head fricky shined it up too! I will most likely bring these to show at the Open House at Limerick Historic Society on may 8th.

Dave z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are a few more pictures I took at Kinsey on Sunday afternoon!

1. This was Our Plant Lunch room back in the day and the only Bathroom in the warehouse area. Warehouse O

2. Control for the water Distilling plant which is also in O Building which also served as the Government building and 3 floors of Barrels plus pumping tanks to the bottle house and blending.

3. Part of the Water Distilling units.

4 & 5. Brand new never used Cases and bottles have fallen over from years of sitting and getting damp. Warehouse J

6.Another old Raymond Fork Lift sits waiting for someone who will never come and operate it again. Warehouse J

7. Date stenciled on wall of Barrel elevator Warehouse J

6-15-67 about 9 months after I stared at Kinsey in Sept 1966.

8. Sign on first floor of J inside the door

9. Shot from J warehouse dock of the two 1/2 million gallon whiskey tanks built 1961.

Everytime I go there I still can't believe it I find myself listening for trucks and people and when I drive by in the dark going somewhere I find myself looking for Lights around the plant it is still very weird to me after all these years.

You would have had to of worked there to understand it was part of the life of everyone who ever worked there.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

Very nice restoration! I did not realize so many barrels are still sitting there, they certainly have some value. The local museum will have a nice collection thanks to you and Fricky.