The Kinsey Fire Observation Room

[ethangsmith]

I wish I could save ALL the barrels and barrel parts there! It's amazing to see that pile of staves and heads!

[smokinjoe]

Y'all need to take out all that wood and sell it for kindling/firewood. I think you could do well for yourselves. It would be a just payment to you for your efforts to keep Kinsey's history alive, here.

:toast:

[dave ziegler]

Joe one thing for sure that wood would burn well, but it would be a job hauling that and I am getting to old to do suff like that. I was at the Distillery on Sunday afternoon and went into the 1966 Bottling House and it is amazing how bad a shape it is in. It is the newest building in the plant 1951 and it is the worst one for condition. Water pours in when it rains, vandels have stolen just about all they can and walking aroung it brings so many memories everytime I walk in there. I see an old Raincoat in the incoming spirits area and it is my old friend Walt Harringtons old raincoat. it was Walt who used to keep the Kinsey Benifit club going so that if you got hurt you got a little bit of spending money till you came back! He was always selling tickets for it. You could win a basket of cheer and the rest went to the fund.

I think back to our amazing safety record very few people got hurt and we never had a fire in the place. It was to me the most special place I ever worked and I am thankful I lived in the time I did and worked there. I only wish I would have stayed there a little longer but its closing would have been very hard for me. I never in my wildest dreams thought the place would ever be abandoned! And I will be forever proud of our Whiskeys.

I can sit here and see myself rolling dice at break time in the warehouses or climbing into a coal car in the yard gang, we worked hard but we had pride in our work ethic, it was there I learned to have a good work ethic and I to this day try not to miss any days even at 65 years old.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments!

Edited November 21, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

It is always sad seeing what has Happened to Warehouse Q the Fire Tower Warehouse. First about 10 yrs ago vandels went up on the 3rd Floor and set Old corn Whiskey Barrels on fire and it got so Hot that the Glass melted out of the Fire tower Windows and the flooring fell down leaving the upper tower of the two room tower with a pit that has no way out. The Upper floor was to look across the roof.

Now The Wooden wall first floor the guy who owns the place put in instead of a real door fell out leaving the wall wide open, and also the Upper floor has a large hole punched in it when the fire company put the Corn Whiskey Barrel fire out.

Such a sad thing to see happen to this building at the high point of the Plant which insured you could watch for any sign of fire in all directions.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

One of the Sadest things is what has happened to Warehouse Q the warehouse with the Fire Observation room. With the Hole in the wall on the 3rd floor and the Wooden wall fallen out on the first floor it is open to all the bad weather and it is really going down. And all because of the Rotten Man who owns the Place and left it to be doomed instead of selling it when everything was still working. His greed has destroyed Kinsey!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon.

[dave ziegler]

Here is a picture of the Old Publicker CO2 Plant in 1975 under the Walt Whitman bridge. Given to me By my Friend Butch who worked for Publicker for 10 yrs in Phila.

I will soon be posting many more old time Publicker Picture here from Butch once I get a chance to download them.

I am glad He is finding many old shots from the Phila Plant.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey for Unhurried Moments

[Leopold]

Mr. Ziegler, were the warehouses heated the entire time you worked there?

[dave ziegler]

Yes they had a venting and heating setup in all the Explosion proof warehouses, and the old Kinsey ones had vent holes and heat also! They were not very warm but they kept the temps set at the point they thought would give them the best aging process. When I left in fall 1971 everything was still heated even the ones where we had removed the racks from and put Barrels in Piles after filling them!

They were big believers that a little Heat was important to the aging process. And my opinion was it did work our whiskys were very Good!

Continental was always looking to improve product and at the same time keep the prices at a point the working man could aford them.

Thanks for your Question Mr Leopold, hope your products are doing well! If you ever get down this way I would like to take you through what is left of the place.

Dave Z

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It Seems All the Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Leopold]

Do you happen to remember what the minimum temperatures in the winter were? I'm simply curious.

We're doing great, thanks for asking. Our new distillery should be up and running in the fall. I'll keep you posted.

I'd LOVE to visit the plant with you if I'm in that area. Thank you for the kind offer!

[dave ziegler]

Look forward to taking you through Kinsey some time, soon I hope and best wishes on your whiskeys! If I remember the temp was always kept around 45 to 50 max! They for the time had some fairly good controls in each warehouse!

Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

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Dave Z

[dave ziegler]

During WWII in 1944 There was a Phila, PTC Transport Workers strike so transport Trucks were used to bring people to work at Publicker. My Friend Butch gave me this picture of one of the trucks at the Phila Plant.

Here is a picture of Bigler Street Gasohol Distillation Colums " Before 1977 Working and the after Abandoned in 1992" Thanks again to Butch for the Pictures. Butch worked for Publicker for about 10 years and has some great insight into the Plant.

I hope to upload many more Phila Plant pictures soon.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[smokinjoe]

...Here is a picture of Bigler Street Gasohol Distillation Colums " Before 1977 Working and the after Abandoned in 1992" Dave Z

As always, thanks for the pics Dave. Hadn't thought about the term Gasohol in awhile. I was pumping gas in the late 70's when Gasohol starting hitting the market hard. Unlike the E10 mixtures of today, back then it had a very peculiar smell as I remember. Very sweet, and easily distinguishable from the regular gasoline. Also, the yellowjackets loved the stuff. Dozens would swarm around the pumps, and it was a constant battle to keep from being stung.

[dave ziegler]

Joe the sad part is the Government told them they wanted to get into this and would give support then dropped it cold saying there was lots of Gas. Most of the Stacks never got operating. I have an old decal that says Gasohol its our future dated 1980 Publicker Industries! They put lots of Money into it, only to never make a go of it.

Dave Z

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It Seems All the Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Picture one is The Snyder Av Publicker Plant.

Picture two is The Snyder Av Still House

Picture three is the Glen Flagler Distillery in Scotland in 1965.

Many Thanks to my friend Butch for these Pictures and I expect to put more new pictures on my other two Threads in the next day or so. I took Butch to Kinsey this Past Satuday before the weeds take over for the summer.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

It has gotten to the Point where I do not enjoy Kinsey as much any more. The biggest reason is the Vandals writing weird stuff on the buildings like they do in Phila. It was such a beautiful place back when I worked there and to see such rotten people do this kills me! Dave Z - Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

This weekend I am taking a man who wants abandoned building pictures. Sadly there is nothing more abandoned then Kinsey! I have not been there since May so who knows how bad it will be! I have some new pictures to post very soon. I will be 66 on Sept 23 and I am hoping to find another bottle of Old Hickory to drink for my birthday! My Dad only lived to be 64 so I am doing good! If anyone knows where I can get a bottle please let me know here! It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon -- Dave Z

[dave ziegler]

My friend Butch who worked for Publicker 10 years has given me some more Pictures and Information. Here I am Posting a picture of an artical About Publicker Commercial Alcohol's Research Chemist William R. Atwater. a research letter about a Automatic Leveling Bulb for Butadien Analysis the year was 1940 and Publicker would go on to Make Butadiene to make Synthic Rubber for WWII at their State Road, Bensalem Twp Plant!

That same Year they would buy Kinsey Distillery in a Silent Auction, and starting in 1946 through 1947 build all 14 Expolsion Proof warehouses under the direction of Si S. Neuman.

Explosion Proof Warehouse U which became the worlds largest Bottling house in 1966 was built in 1951.

I will be posting some more Picture on the Memories thread later today!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnifcent Bourbon

Edited July 16, 2013 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

Here are two new old time ads from Continental Distilling given to me by my friend Butch.

1. Coobs Creak Blended mild like your Cigaretts. Oct 30, 1940

2. May 20th 1938 3 different brands of ours in an ad, Dixie Belle Gin Old Hickory and Coobs creek BBlended

I love the prices back then and always remember that Mr. Neuman was always trying to keep prices low!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magificent Bourbon

Edited July 18, 2013 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

This building was one of a kind in having the fire tower on top of it. The tower after having talked offten to Ludy who will be 95 in Sept was also used regularly to test quality of ink on the whisky Labels. The would Place labels on the window sills on all directions some all of them would get different sunlight as the day hours went on! The tower was heated somewhat and checked offten when the fields outback were dry.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are a couple of new Pictures I got from my Friend Butch who worked in Phila at the Publicker Plant.

1. An old ad for Rittenhouse Rye around 1937

2. An ad for low prices for Different Continental Products.

The Company aways had a goa;l to keep prices afordable to the working class!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here is a Picture of the Fire At Kinsey Last June 12 th 2012. It burned some of the very Oldest Buildings there at caused them to Knock down the Old 1892 Kinsey Rye Barn to get to the fire. Warehouses B,E and D gone forever. A very sad day for me I went that Night to look in sadness.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

[TunnelTiger]

Dave - know how you feel and I'm about the same age. Still can't get over how the manufactuer I worked at for most of my life went under the bull dozer. Still in the same business but it's just not the same.

Keep up the stoires as I do enjoy.

[dave ziegler]

Tunnel Tiger The warehouse closest to the road that burned was where I had my first taste of Whiskey! It was Old Kinsey Warehouse E and I had some great Rye Whiskey right from the Barrel! To get to the upper racks you had to climb a wooden ladder nailed to the racks. The building was build around 1900. it is hard to figure after a 100 years that Lightening would hit it. Sadly nothing is forever. Every time I go there now I see more stuff falling apart. Dave Z

[mbroo5880i]

Tunnel Tiger The warehouse closest to the road that burned was where I had my first taste of Whiskey! It was Old Kinsey Warehouse E and I had some great Rye Whiskey right from the Barrel! To get to the upper racks you had to climb a wooden ladder nailed to the racks. The building was build around 1900. it is hard to figure after a 100 years that Lightening would hit it. Sadly nothing is forever. Every time I go there now I see more stuff falling apart. Dave Z

[dave ziegler]

I was 19 years old and the Whiskey was Straight Rye which was going to be used for Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, it was awesome! I had been up in the Ladder on the wooden space between the racks rolling barrels out to the end and when we were done that row I came down and one of the guys said try this and handed me a 1/2 pint bottle with a bit of Char on the bottom! I did not drink a lot but every now and then I would sip some good stuff. It was a wonderful place to work and I leaned my work ethic there. Worked every day not missing time and saving to live the American dream. I will always be grateful I worked there out of High school. Thanks for the note and interest. I love telling stories about the place. Dave Z Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey for unhurried moments.