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My Memories of Kinsey Distilling


dave ziegler

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Here are some Bottling machine pictures from Building O, and other stuff in the plant I crawled through weeds ticks,mold and bad air but it is worth it to save history!

The Pictures are from 1 to 8

1. Singer Bottling machine in building O

2.another Phillip Singer Bottle machine Building O

3.Singer Bottle Machine

4. Closeup of Model Plate on machine

5 through 7 are of the Water Distilling room in Building O Governmaent Building. All distilled water used in making Whiskey was done here between the government Offices and the break room!

8. This is a picture I forgot from the 1966 Bottling house this is the machine the numbered and cut the tax strips used on the bottles to seal them after filled. They would buy sheets then cut and mark them everything from just numbered for the USA to ones that were for the Philinpines, oversea's seals for Alcohol bottles and bottled in Bond were done on this machine!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Here are some more Pictures of the Old Kinsey Home down by the river and one of the trees that is along the carridge path to the house, they were planted on both sides all the way down. Also a Picture of the tree I used to mulch when I worked there as a Kid, and two shots from the roof of one of the Warehouses!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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This time I tried my best to get as good a set of Pictures as I could in O building of the Phillip Singer sewing Machine Company Bottling Machines, and there is some light in there unlike the Bottling House which is total darkness. Also I was finnaly Able to get some pictures of the water Distilling room in Building O it was between the Goverment Offices and and the Lunch & Break room in the Plant proper! A man by the name of Marshal ran the Water Distilling equipment. O was the Only one of the Explosion Prrof warehouses to have windows in the Warehouse downstairs and the break room and Government Offices. It was always a very busy place and the only Bathrooms in the area's of the warehouses up there. We always had A Treat Soda's in a machine and a cig machine there plus crackers and stuff. We would jump on the old Dodge 1953 Flat truck and be taken to the break room at Lunch and Breaks. If you missed the truck you would never get there in time for break and back to work the place was so big! 200 Acre's of Plant with its own Cement one inch rod inforced Highway, its own rail bridge and rails coming in two ways one way from the Reading railroad the other the Pennsy! I have many good memories of Shooting dice at the break room. Those where good days for a 19 year old kid making a $101.20 a week after taxes!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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When I walk around Kinsey I think back to better days like in 1969 at 22 years old I made $101.20 after taxes which were then $15.12 & $4.85. I had work every Day people loved our country and even if there were bad things going on in Our Country we were always trying to make them right. I am very glad I lived in this time I would not want to be here many years from now as things are so different today People don't care about anyone but themselves allot today. We had fun working we did not sit home and let the Government give us money we learned a trade and did not sit around feeling sorry for ourselves I have worked some days when I can bearly walk but it is the right thing to do. And I have always said when you do a good honest Job you like your enjoying working and paying your own keep. At Kinsey we had a clean nice place with good pay and hard working people and a Company that was being run with great Idea's and hopes! And we Had wonderfull Products not just the drinking stuff but the Best Industrial Hospital Alcohols made then and much more. I am Proud I worked for Publicker and I am Proud and Thankful to live in the USA!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Another fellow was Cal Roberts who was our Fire Chief Him and Harry Martin and Stan stafoniwitz would tend to all the Hydrants, run the old Fire Engine a very old Mack, do drills and fire watches when there was any kind of Burning on site. They had a small building next to old Warehouse H and would do monthly fire drills at the old Buildings. They would also go up to the Fire tower to check all directions from time to time. Kinsey was a very safe Distillery and all fire sprinklers were checked on a regular basis. Even the Old #12 and other buildings not used for years were painted heated and checked for fire safety every Month. Cal was a very Nice Man and did his job very well. Publicker always kept things up even if not use we would sweep all the buildings not used on a regular basis too!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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

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Some more of the Men that worked at Kinsey had nicknames, one of those was Warren Eschback called Eagle Beak He loved his nick name and would like Jimmy Duarenty say the Nose knows! Milton Shantz's nickname was Big Bitch because he complained about everything. Harrison Tyson's nickname was Shorty he was about 5 feet tall. Ken Bergy's nickname was Bud. And many more My Dad was Ziggy, I use to call Old George Rhoads who worked with me in the yard gang the Dandy Man because he always wore Pay Day Bib overall Pants and I saw him at the farmers Market Zerns one Friday with a Pair that had little stars and stuff on them I asked him what that was all about He said when I leave the farm to go out I wear my Dandy Pants! There was a very nice Old Guy there by the name of Davy Rhoads he was Hunch backed but he was the hardest working guy in the place he could out work anyone and he never felt sorry for himself. Then there was old Clair Von Alt who could not read or write and used to look in peoples Lunch bags for candy he had a sweet tooth when drinking. Well one week he was gone all week when he came back I asked him what happen. He said I sat on the toilet all week had my beer Brought up to me. Well I found out that someone got very mad at him taking their candy and knowing he could not read or write put a Very Large Bar of Chococlate Exlax in their lunch for him to steal. He never did that again. There was old John Speivok who told Mr Harold Reinert who was Plant boss that not a drop of Whiskey would touch his lips if he hired him. Funny thing was he crawled to the time clock the first day, guess He figuered it was ok if he drank allot more then a drop! Sometimes riding on the truck to break we would be going 40 MPH the driver used to fly and we would just hold on tight. Ludy told me one day when Mr Neuman came in the plant in his Bently He had his driver stop right at the maintaince door back of the Bottle house walked in walked up to him and had a nice talk with him. He said to me He was one Very Smart Man and not afriad to walk in dirty Area's to talk to employees. It was always an interesting day working at Kinsey and as I have said Before few places of Industry where so clean with so much well cared lawns flowers and grass! For Si Neuman that was important to the Image of the Company a clean safe beautiful place for people to work!

Dave Z

old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Dave: Of the people you mentioned, do you ever run into any of them?

Gary

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Gary all mentioned in the writting except Ludy have passed away a long time ago. Something interesting about 4 years ago at my Ulser Doctors office I ran into John Speivok the last I had seen him he was drunk every moring at 8:00 AM back when I left Kinsey He used to shake like nuts till he drank some Neuts as He called them well he walked in looking very well I said John glad to see you around yet he was about 80 He said Ziggy I quit my drinking 20 years ago just hear to see my Heart doctor I'm Fine. I was amazed and glad for him. He passed about 2 years ago. I see the nephew of Old George Rhoads once in a while his wife works where I do now the three Rhoads brothers are long gone now and old Davie Rhoads is long gone maybe 20 yrs. Living besides Ludy, Darwin Rayser 90 Nick Name "Jack" is still around and Fransis Keim 90 we called him "Ace" is still living He worked on the old Kinsey Still DSP #12 but has some trouble remembering things. Lucky for me Ludy 90 remembers allot of stuff oh and Old Al Landis Jacob G Kinsey's great Nephew 90 yrs old is still livng saw him at the Talk I gave did not know him but friends with his Son Ken who is my age and worked when I did there and stayed till the end. Some times I see some people who are my age that worked there but there are not too many. I would venture to say most are gone as People worked there for at least a minium of 20 yrs. I plan on visiting Ludy as much as I can to find out as much as I can of the days before and after I left as Ludy worked there from 1936 till 1982. I hope I am keeping this interesting as the History of it means alot to me and the people and I have lots of stories to tell! Best to you Gary!!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Thanks Dave, good to hear that the gentleman who had the problem was able to lick it many years before he passed away.

I sometimes run into people from many years back. Sometimes they seem the same or almost. Other times they seem very different, both in look and outlook, you might say. It is hard getting older I think, I once read a statement that "old age is not for sissies" and it is very true. There are good parts about getting older though, like you know (I am speaking of myself) that you saw all the great rock and roll bands or heard them anyway. :)

Gary

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Gary how right you are about getting old not being for sissies Last year when I got so sick and being by myself it was very hard! I was so glad to see John that day looking good no shaking and talking and seeming very Happy he was a very changed man. I to loved the old Rock but also Big Band and now great Jazz and of the days gone by! When I worked at Kinsey life was so different just begining now slowly winding down! Always good talking to you Gary Be Well-!

I Plan to keep writting all I can remember and find out about kinsey for history. I am going to the WWII weekend in Reading this morning will walk around Dressed as a Col. Wearing an A-2 Jacket with a Picture of the B-29 My Dad flew in at tail gun Position.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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This morning I was thinking of Poor Old Dickie Peiffer who's job it was to keep all the Very Old Cars and trucks we used everyday in the Plant running. I remember one time going over to his little bay between Warehouse B and #10 Rye barn just a home made room with a heat eliment hanging from the roof and a home made roll door nothing to keep it insulated at all! He was trying to put another door on one of the old 1941 Ford Flat trucks as one of the guys left the door open backing up and hit it hard. He had to keep all those old Engines going all the time Flat head V8 Fords Flat sixes even old straight 8's. I bet it was very cold and snow blew in there when he worked there in the winter,but he liked being by himself. He did everything in there from putting Flat Head v8 motors in the trucks to changing oil! The other Maintaince guys worked on Plant things! I remember times when the trucks had no wind shield doors or wipers but Dickie would fix them it made him cuse allot. They were always looking for motors doors Transmitions and other stuff. The 1950 Ford Flat Six Pickup truck we had in the yard crew was in great shape my Boss John Zuber made sure we took good care of it. It ran wonderful and sometimes when we had a hard day he would say Dave take the truck with this load of tree trimmings go to the dump out back and get lost for about an hour. See you Later! When Dickie got Mad he would say I call that guy Blubber Guts!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Another one of the people that made Kinsey a great place to work was our hard working shop steward Walt Harrington. If he was not working in the warehouse he was looking after sick employees needs by selling Kinsey Benifit club tickets something he came up with to give a person the extra cash they needed if they got sick . He would sell them several times a month and we all bought them as you could win up $100, $200. and the rest went to a fund for employees! Walt also sold Fire company tickets, and baskets of Cheer Tickets. He would write out and sign the checks to help people when needed and He could be totally trusted to do this and not touch the fund. How many people can be trusted like that today? Walt later went into the Bottling house and he died about 3 years ago boy I have found memories of Him He was a great person! I wonder if any of the other distillerys had any kind of fund like we did at Kinsey it was a great idea then buy a ticket maybe win and if you were out hurt or sick get help from the fund in cash. I once won $50. on it and ended up losing half in Dice!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most magnificent Bourbon

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What you state, both about the company as you remember it and the people who worked there, shows that our culture, while based on individual freedom and free enterprise, has a counter-weight which is that people help others. And this happens not just at a governmental level, but in other forms of social organisation. Of course, it starts in the family.

It occurs at other levels, too. Many business owners do it, especially when businesses are directed by one or a few persons. But it happens in large companies too (not all, I know). It exists in churches, in social and fraternal organisations, and in town and cities or parts of them.

The person you are remembering who made the collections had a great heart.

Gary

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Gary Walt was a very Good Hearted person and the Company setup the account for him to run it and manage it. Whenever someone was out they could count on a Kinsey Benifit club check. Also they could count on the Company to have great insurance at that time. And there were allot of Churchs that helped people in need to those days. When you work I have always said their is great reward in knowing you are earning your own keep. There are to many hand outs today and it takes away the benifit of making your own way and being able to say by the Grace of God I made it by working and doing what was right! And knowing if trouble hits there are those who will help you in your need.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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More memories of Charlie Sipler. On the mornings Charlie would come roaring out of the old grain building behind the Round Silo out front, he would always have his old time home made wooden tool box big long box with a round wood handle it had everything Charlie needed. He would offten stop by the fire house and have a pipe smoke with Harry Martin who worked with the Plant Fire Chief Calvin Roberts. Harry also smoked pipe and they would talk about the good old days. Stan Stafoniwitz also was one of the fire dept and him and Cal did not smoke. Then off Charlie would roar in that old home made buggy of his old Ford model A frame and open engine and just a big seat bolted to the frame it would really go and He loved cranking it up. Sometimes we all would sit in the tunnel below the Still on breaks and they would talk about the old days, it was always interesting to me and I would say that is why I remember what I do and their names. I really do not ever remember anyone other then Shanty complaining about the place. Shanty because he complained about everything as I said before was nicknamed Big Bitch! I wish I had a picture of that thing it had a bigger motor then the original and the drive train would jump when he shifted it. I'm sure Dickie was the one who did the motor work and Charlie built the bed with wood himself!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Here are some more Kinsey Distillery Pictures some taken a few years after it was Abandoned others through the years

1.Here in late 1990's sits an old Caddilac converted with a flat bed, looks like one Dickie would have done that to and then kept it going

2. Old Mack B-61 sitting in front of the front water tower, I actualy found the motor to put in it stored in one of the warehouses, of course It never went in

3. Shot I took last year from Warehouse Q Fire Oberservation tower Building on the roof

4. Mid 1990's an old Yoohoo trailer that sat in front of the bottle house for years

5. Another roof shot the drains not working gives the roof a look like a river

6. an old Truck in the mid 1990's sits near the then fire house area and building to the right of the truck

7. Mack Truck and trailer sat near the front barns for years

8. This is my best shot of the Mash tanks better then the other one the tank on the far left you just see the rim is the one the fish were in, we had our time clock along the wall to the left there all torn down in 2002

9. Another shot of the #12 Still buildings 2002

10. Another shot on the roof this one looks like a lake

11. This roof shot gives the feeling of an Island in the middle of this explosion prrof warehouse

12. Kinsey Plant Maintance Building which was an old Barn

13. Inside the #10 still rye building when it still had a roof

14. Front Water tower

15, Barn down by the Kinsey Home near the river still standing & Gas Pump 2004 barn fell down now and someone stole the old Sinclair Pump

16. Inside Building O warehouse behind Government offices note windows which none of the other Warehouses had

17. #10 Rye Building

18. Smoke stack from Boiler room 2002

I love letting everyone see these pictures so they can see what a large and amazing Place in its day The Kinsey Distillery Was. In Si Neumans words a beautiful plant along the river on a Peninsual. "Quick note" I also wrote more about Charlie Sipler and stuff on page 9 before this during the morning!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Here are three pictures of a 1941 Ford Truck I saw at the showtoday that looks exactly like the ones we used at Kinsey!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Here are three pictures of a 1941 Ford Truck I saw at the showtoday that looks exactly like the ones we used at Kinsey!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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When I worked at Kinsey we had 3 of these old 1941 Ford Flat trucks they had come up from down south just before the war I think. They had a plate on them that said sold by Trucksell and and state down south. Someone had said they had a logging operation down there at one time, perhaps for wood for their barrels. They also had a couple of Plymouth the 1951 Ford Pickup we used. And there was charlies home made buggy and other ones . I Remember the 1941 trucks as they were neat old things even beat up they ran good and did not quit. Flat heads had a sound of their own when you cranked them up. They were running back and forth all day every day hauling Barrels to be dumped. We would go to some of the warehouses where there were no racks and roll barrels on the trucks to take them to the nearest warehouse that had a trough. I remeber Dickie going nuts one day when he saw someone had lost the gas cap on one and put a rag in. He quickly brought a cap, and lucky the fums did not catch it on fire but you always had some guys who did not have sense. I always loved the sound of the old Ford Motors roaring and they would crank them through all the gears with only a wood block holding the barrels.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's most Magnificent Bourbon

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Another thing I remember when I started at Kinsey was that they were re-doing some of the Explosion proof warehouse's roofs. This required a type of Elevator like you use for bales of Hay with a belt with flaps to carry Stone up to the top and also Pitch to make tar to put on the stones. Each roof had big drains on the top and that is why the roof pictures I have taken show water laying as the drains are blocked and the water is seeping into the buildings. These Buildings are so stong it still amazes me. One that the kids got on fire years ago is hardly harmed by it. And Even the worse of these would make an amazing Condo if someone would put some money and effort into it. I have had the thought many a time of How they could have made the Front Buildings into a living History Place, and the Explosion proof Warehouses could have been made into apartments & Condo's. They could have called it the Condo's At the Kinsey Distillery. The highway in there is in better shape then are roads, Cement with 1 inch thick rods in it. How many times I wished I was rich and could have done that with it. But since that can't be done I will keep the memories going through writting about it. When you go into the buildings it is always so cool and Pleasant in them. The One foot thick Cement terricota & Brick make them very nice in hot weather. If you were working in one of them in Hot weather you hated to come out!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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One of my crazy Memories was of the One Guy Named Jim it would never fail he would get a sandwich or crackers and an A treat Soda at break and go sit on the toilet to eat while he went we told him he was nuts he would say I'm getting two things done at once. Another thing I always was amazed watching the Coopers fixing the Barrels stopping leaks ect. I tried it and found it to be the hardest job in the plant and also one of the best paying also but being Left Handed I did not do good on it. Ludy later gave me my Hand sledge and Coopers Hammer for giving it a try which I still have with my collection of Stuff from there!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Lately I have been enjoying my Pint Bottle of Kinsey Silver from 1966 the year I started there. I had never had the Kinsey Blends till Ludy gave me this bottle when I visited him. For a Blended Whiskey I find it to be of High quality and a very nice Pour 80 Proof 35 % Straight 65 % Spirits. For the most part everything that Continental made was good drinking. Their Bottle house then was so modern back in 1966 and the Old Bigler street one was converted to industrial Alcohol Bottling later. The Bottle of Kinsey Silver was from the first year of the Linfield Bottle house and the year I started there in the fall! The Kinsey Slogon was "Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey" and the early Embossed Bottles Had that on them. I am still amazed that in fall 1933 at 75 yrs old Jacob G Kinsey would reopen and run the distillery till he was 81 yrs old and sold it in an auction to pay bills. He lived to be 94 yrs old and the Plant operated for exactly 94 yrs 1892 - 1986.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Tonight I am just sitting here thinking about the old days at Kinsey and the old friends mostly gone now. I sat down here and poured out a shot of the Old Hickory that Kurt was kind enough to give me and it is so smooth and good that no matter what other Whiskeys I try I just like the Old Hickory The Best. I only hope that I can find another Bottle before I finish this one off! After 30 yrs at almost 61 yrs old I do not have another 30 yrs to look. It was for its price truely a great bargan back then it is filled with flavor and hints of wood, a little sweet but with a great feel in your mouth and a great smell too! it is all that I remember way back when I was a 19 yr old Kid and my Boss Ben Myers got me a 1/2 Pint from a barrel that was for old Hickory 80 proof back then. I offten think what would it be like to go back for a few minutes and have a shot of Old Hickory with all the old timers I knew then. And See Old Charlie come roaring out of the old grain building now empty and abandon. To talk to Dickie about the Old Trucks and all the work He had to do to keep them going. To be able now after all these years to thank Frank for fixing my 1963 Chevy for nothing while I worked as he did it to help me knowing I did not have alot of money. To see Walt Working on the Kinsey Benifit Club tickets to help those that needed help. To talk Baseball with Gus again and just to be even more thankful to have my job there and to be doing something I enjoyed, Loved to make a living. These are thoughts that are written for those who are just starting out don't let Life pass you by Be glad for what you have, enjoy each day God gives you and be glad for your friends and thank those who help you. I was once 19 yrs old it is long gone but I remember and I was and am thankful for those great days and for Kinsey Distilling to me "the MOST BEAUTIFUL DISTILLERY THERE EVER WAS"!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey

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One of the things I loved when I worked at Kinsey was the Heavy smell of Whiskey when you would walk into the warehouses after they were closed for many days. The Air would be blue with vapor near the roof and if you had sinus it would open right up for you. We had old slow lifts to bring barrels down from the racks in the explosion proof warehouses. The power cord had a large sealed bayonet plug. Everything as I have said was the best explosion proof product you could get then. We never had any fires in the plant and I never remember anyone getting hurt bad. Days went by fast and if it was hot outside working in the warehouse was a great thing they were so cool. When I get in one of the Buildings after all those years gone by and can still smell whiskey it gives me great Pleasure and brings these memories back! I even saw one of the old lifts sitting there like it was waiting to go back to work. I offten wonder how many Barrels did we roll in a week? How many Gallons did we dump? Never thought about it then. I remember seeing the heads on some old full barrels in warehouse E & D they were the early 1950's and I think these were the barrels used for the 20 yr old Aniversary Old Hickory Bourbon as they were bourbon barrels.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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The day before Christmas in 1969 Was an amazing day! People were drinking as soon as they rang in that day. Someone gave me a Pint which I just kept in my Pocket as I wanted to watch what people would do. We had been very busy the Holiday season and rail car after rail car was filled with Whiskeys for out west and across the USA! Trucks were lining up all through Sept, Oct and Nov, mid Dec. Now I guess everyone was caught up in how good business had been as I never saw so many people drinking as I did that Dec. By 10:00-AM half the people in the Plant were lit up singing just plain drinking. I watched and marveled. John the fellow I got Whiskey for was drunk by 10:00 AM and started drinking again after Lunch. Nobody was doing much and no orders were going out so even the Government Guys were drinking. Break time people were just smiling and enjoying the day. Amazingly No One got hurt and no one drove drunk and everything was fine when we came back after the Holiday. Even the Security guy had drank one to many and leaned out of the box and said Have a good Christmas in a sort of Half Drunk way! I never saw it happen to this amount again but no one got in trouble and no one ever said anything about it. I was told they were Partying in the Bottle house and had brought in party foods also. So 1969 was a very Good Year for the Kinsey Distillery Division of Continental Distilling!

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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I have been thinking allot about Publicker and how they went from a company that had 5,000 employees to gone and the biggest reason was they lost their Way. Once Si Neuman Died they went on distilling and Bottling Whiskeys for almost 3 years and along the way got bad people running it. Also they had people out to make some money at all costs by getting on the Board and getting them to leave the Drinking Alcohol Bussiness. Then of all things leading to the end was the fact that the Plant in Phila most likely needed much updating in the changing times and after Mr Neuman died No one thought about that till it would have cost to much I guess. But to just shut down a 70 Million Gal a year Operation and sell it for 3 Million which was like giving it away with the promise of it being cleaned up, was a very bad mistake as Overland Wrecking had barely started and caught the place on fire and went into bankrupesy and of course Publicker had to pay then and that took allot of what little capital they had. To think that one day they just told people start shutting down and closing 40 arce's of plant and two stills and just go try to get in another Bussiness shows that the people who bought their way on to the Board after Mr Neumans death did not have a clue! From 1913 till 1985 Publicker was a great company started by Harry Publicker and made into a giant of a company by the skilled work of Si Neuman and his team and for it to end in such a sad way still bothers me. Harry Publicker had began the American dream and many people 5,000 employee's had been blessed for all those years and at Si Neuman Harrys son inlaws death for two or three outsiders to get control and ruin it all is one of the sadest stories in the History of Industry. I will alway wonder what would have happened if Mr Neuman had not passed. I think as he had always done he would have thought big and rebuilt the Phila Plant and built a new still at Kinsey and that it would still be running today had he been there to find the right people to keep it going! He had always had them keep the old #12 Still building complete and safe and there had been lots of talk that his next move was to build a brand new #12 still and expand everything. he would have done it big no retreating onward and upward! Mr Neuman was a true Genius and the driving Force that kept Publicker together.

Dave Z

Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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