A trip in to the Old Continental Bottle house 1966 State of the Art

[spiderblues]

Be careful Dave!

[dave ziegler]

Hey Rod Here are a couple of pictures of my new lamp with my other lamps. I will post some shots in the 1966 Bottling house later this week here. Just got the goose neck Lamp back yesterday from the electrian. The explosion proof housing and Green shade is from the old Grain process building 1892 gotten for me by Rod many thanks. The pilot light is from warehouse C and the Detex Clock watch station box is from warehouse C. The Switch is from warehouse I and the goose neck pipe is from the weigh & Scale House at the back of the plant. The complete Lamp is built from Kinsey stuff except the base and bottom pipe.

Here are 3 pictures of my new Lamp with the goose neck and 1 with my other two lamps. Also a picture of an old Continental Distilling Bottle My Friend got at a yard sale, and one I have never seen Old Harbor Blended Whisky. Bottle is coded 1940. Wish I would have found it!

I have one more project yet my lamp being made from the elevator explosion proof light housing in the middle of a pilot light and a explosion proof switch. I posted a picture of it waiting to be wired a couple of weeks ago. It will sit on the top of the cabinet near the front door to give me light when I come home in the dark during the winter months. Also I have a small lamp shade with vintage Continental Distilling whisky labels on it, that was on a lamp at the companies headquarters in Phila on my friend who ran Marking for Publicker Industries desk back in the day. I plan to sit it on the lamp when it is done. I will post a picture of the shade soon. It even has a Linfield Straight Bourbon Label on it.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Edited July 4, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

Tonight I want to post a couple more shots of my Lamps and the lamp shade I will use for my little table top lamp when I get it back this shade will sit right on top of the old Elevator explosion proof light fixture.

1. My Shade given to me by my friend who ran Marketing for Publicker, he had it on a bottle lamp on his desk at the world headquarters on Chestnut street in Phila. note the rare Linfield Borbon labal.

2. Other side has vintage Kinsey Labal.

3. My Lettered Barrel staves made for me by Fricky a couple of yrs ago, I finally rearanged my displace after getting my lamps.

4. My brass Barrel Stencil given me by my friend who ran marketing for Publicker. Dated 1945.

5.My two Phones of 3 I got from Kinsey the wall phone was from warehouse M, the explosion proof one is from warehouse P both are operating. On my desk at work I have the multi line one from the General office in the bottle house.

6. The wall phone note Ext. 225 1940 model rebuiltin 1975 marked inside

7. The Explosion Proof one note ext 227 also a 1940 model

8. My Lights again.

I will post some pictures I got inside the 1966 bottling house here later this week, also I will be posting some more fire pictures on my other threads.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's ost Magnificent Bourbon

Edited July 5, 2012 by dave ziegler

[Jono]

Dave, I hope you don't get the occasional earthquake tremble in your area....would hate to see those bottles drop!

[OscarV]

Dave, cool it!

You are creeping me out,....also all those other threads, stay away from that place, it obviously has got you F'ed up.

Free yourself for your own sake!

[sutton]

Dave, cool it!

You are creeping me out,....also all those other threads, stay away from that place, it obviously has got you F'ed up.

Free yourself for your own sake!

Honestly Dave - please don't hurt yourself. I don't want to be reading about an accident in the paper one day. I understand your attachment, but please stay safe ...

[spiderblues]

Dave, the lamp looks great. It's a lot taller than I imagined it would be! It's gotta be about 7 feet hangs, but I like the way it hangs down. The gooseneck was perfect for that lamp.

The pressure is on to get mine done now!

Hey Rod Here are a couple of pictures of my new lamp with my other lamps. I will post some shots in the 1966 Bottling house later this week here. Just got the goose neck Lamp back yesterday from the electrian. The explosion proof housing and Green shade is from the old Grain process building 1892 gotten for me by Rod many thanks. The pilot light is from warehouse C and the Detex Clock watch station box is from warehouse C. The Switch is from warehouse I and the goose neck pipe is from the weigh & Scale House at the back of the plant. The complete Lamp is built from Kinsey stuff except the base and bottom pipe.

Here are 3 pictures of my new Lamp with the goose neck and 1 with my other two lamps. Also a picture of an old Continental Distilling Bottle My Friend got at a yard sale, and one I have never seen Old Harbor Blended Whisky. Bottle is coded 1940. Wish I would have found it!

I have one more project yet my lamp being made from the elevator explosion proof light housing in the middle of a pilot light and a explosion proof switch. I posted a picture of it waiting to be wired a couple of weeks ago. It will sit on the top of the cabinet near the front door to give me light when I come home in the dark during the winter months. Also I have a small lamp shade with vintage Continental Distilling whisky labels on it, that was on a lamp at the companies headquarters in Phila on my friend who ran Marking for Publicker Industries desk back in the day. I plan to sit it on the lamp when it is done. I will post a picture of the shade soon. It even has a Linfield Straight Bourbon Label on it.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Oscarv & Sutton don't worry I will not take that kind of chance again. At 65 in Sept I have to relise I can't do that kind of stuff anymore. Next time I go there I will be with Rod and will not do what I did on Monday night. I thank both of you for caring and for getting me to think a little more when it comes to taking chances! I love the place but do not want to die there.Thanks for your Wisdom!! PS I spoke to Ludy tonight He will be 94 in Sept and the first thing he asked me was how bad was it. I told him you would never want to see it! He said you are right it would kill me after I told him all the buildings that are gone He worked there for 44 yrs.

Dave Z

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Kinsey the Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

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[dave ziegler]

Today I found a couple of Pictures I got from an Old Video of Kinsey when DSP-Pa-12 was standing and the Old Bottle House was still complete, and The Old Kinsey Office building. I shot these with my Digital Camera from the computer screen so they are poor but still when its all there is its worth getting and posting.

1.& 2. The Old Dsp-pa 12 Distiller in 2003 2 years before I got there and it was knocked down boy I wish I could go back in time and walk in it and get pictures. These are the Only pictures i have found and i captured them from a video so they are poor but still awsome to see it again.

3. The Old Kinsey Bottling house before fire and Ice took the second floor down if you look on the roof you can see the Old Skylights on the roof. Year 2003.

4. The only Picture I have of the Old Built by Jacob G kinsey Office Building which served as the office for the Plant other then the 1966 Bottle house for the History of Kinsey. It was here that Jacob G Kinsey had his shot of Whiskey every Morning before the day began. When I first got back to the Plant this building was a Pile of Bricks. It was in this Building that Mr Reinert worked and Ruth Harrington and Ken Landis and others and this building is where my and all the plant workers Pays came from I hope some day to find better pictures but posing these makes sense for History sake.

I am thrilled that I was able by the amazing ability of Digital Camera to get these from the world wide web from a video for History, and I will continue to look for vintage pictures.

Also I posted some Pictures after the fire at Kinsy taken on Monday on the Memories thread and I will be posting some inside the 1966 Bottle House pictures on that thread soon.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Edited July 6, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

Here are some Pictures I took in the Continental Distilling 1966 Bottling house about 3 weeks ago with Don.

1. & 2. Explosion Proof Furesent light fixture at incoming Tankage area of the Bottle House

3. The Old Honeywell Quality Machine loaded and set for a day that never came back at the incoming spirits area.

4. Emergencey Light High up at First Bulkhead wall where the Bottling Lines started.

5. Emergencey Safety station in the far left shipping/Receiving and warehouseing end of the Bottling House. Note small siren at top.

I will continue to Keep getting pictures and have some more from this trip I will post later. It is amazing How bad time and no heat and Vandels have taken their toll on the Original Worlds Largest Bottling house for Spirits.

Dave Z

Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

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Edited July 27, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

Well the Sethness Caramel coloring barrel is safely at Kinsey west my house.

Here is 2 pictures of it and also a picture I just got back from my Friend Butch who worked for Publicker, of Publickers West Wego,La Chemical Plant I had sent him to clean up on his software for me.

1. Sethness barrel

2. Sethness barrel

3. Publicker Industries West Wego,La Chemical Plant

I will be posting some other pictures on the Memory Thread soon.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Edited August 13, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

After the fire I went to Kinsey many times and also went in the 1966 Continental Distilling Bottling House.

here are some of the shots I got.

1. Inside the 1966 Bottling house on one of the Pilers was a salt tablet dispenser it must have gotten fairly hot in there in the summer.

2. One of the Old Steel Lunch room chairs I brought home to Kinsey west my house.

3. The Sethness Caramel Barrel in warehouse E before Ethan his wife and his friend saved it for me.

4. A sign that hung on the wall for Maintaince in the 1966 bottling house.

5. A Picture of Me taking the piece of wood I saved from Warehouse D before they were knocked down.

Kinsey is doomed but I will continue to try and save things and talk about the Company as long as I can.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

I just got some interesting Pictures from my Friend Butch who worked at Publicker for 10 years in Phila.

Here are 3 Pictures of some more of Publickers Paco Tankers. These very Tankers hauled full barrels of Aged Scotch from Inverhouse Distillery to Phila and used Barrels to Scotland for Scotch.

1.Paco Tanker S.S. Petersburg Built by Sun Ship in Chester pa 1943

2. Paco Tanker S.S.Chilbart

3. S.S. Perryville Built Between 1939 / 1943 acording to serial numbers Sun Ship Chester pa.

Having these Tankers made Mr Si Neumans dream work by being able to bring Barreled Scotch

made in Scotland by a Distillery that was American owned, to the USA to be Bottled at Kinsey in the brand new 1966 Continental Distilling Bottle house. Saving Millions of dollars on Surtaxes & tarrifs and making Scotch afordable to the Common Man!

4. Finally Here is a Picture Of Hana Publicker Born 1908- died -1990, daughter of Philip and Mollie Publicker and Niece of Harry Publicker. Philip Publicker Founded American Commercial Alcohol company in Phila not far from Harry Publickers Publicker Commercial Alcohol Company! So the early routes of American Distilling were in Philadelphia just a short distance from Harry Publickers Plant which was to become Publicker Industries / Continental Distilling / And Kinsey Distilling Plus Therm Ice and much more.

I will be 65 on Sunday and I have been writting about the Company now 6 years in Nov this year. I never get tired of finding things about the company and putting them here, it is a work of Love for me!

About The Greatest Distilling Company in History To Me!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

To go in the 1966 Bottling house and have seen it in its glory days is hard to believe. I am going to take a walk in it this coming Sunday afternoon. It leaks water everywhere and has been robbed of many things by Vandels, but I well remember the day it opened in 1966. Myself and many other people got jobs that Sept. I had just turned 19 and was working on heavy Contruction when a friend who worked with me who's family ran the construction company told me I should go see if I could get a job there. My First day I went to see the Company nurse, a story I have told before. She got all my information and told me Young Man, please do not get hurt and try to never get hurt in the afternoon after 2:00PM as that is when I have my Boubon and Coffee as I was told to do by my doctor. I was 19 yrs old and believed her that day. months Later I went over to visti after 2:00 PM her and saw her with her giant stehacope listing to a guys cest she looked at him and said I can't hear anything. He sat there with his eyes rolled back I left quick and had a good laugh out of hearing range.

The place was huge almost 200 area's and there were lots of old cars and trucks running around the plant. I was on the yard gang for my first couple of years and we had a 1947 Ford Pickup, and an old Ford 8/n tractor and wagon. Summer it was lawns and winter Snow cleanup unloading coal cars and sweeping floors. I loved sweeping as no one wanted to do the old Buildings so I voluntiered and got to go in the Old DSP - Pa -12 still and the Old Grain buildings. I well remember looking at the old Honeywell quality machine with paper disc's dated for spring 1951 the day the Still never ran again. The Buildings were old but as long as Si Neuman ran the company everything was kept operational and clean fully sprinkeled and electric power.

In my wildest dreams did ever think the place would be abandoned and it is still sureal for me to go and see it like it is. It is if it was left to die and there it sits.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are some more Pictures of stuff and the Phila Plant.

1. Full never used Cases gotten for Ethan 3 or 4 weeks ago for a Musuem he and his friend are going to make.

2. My two Old Hickory Clocks

3. A touched up Picture of the Publicker Plant and the AA building with the Famous Old hickory Neon sign given me by Butch.

The last time about 3 weeks ago when I went into the 1966 Bottling house I could not believe how bad the shape of it is. It is the newest building on site 1951 and the very worse one. Water pours in from the roof everything that could be stolen has been and everything that could be vandelisd has been. When I opened it was such a proud day for those of us who got a job there because it opened. At that time 600 People worked on site, all good hard working Men and women. Our Products were first rate and Old Hickory was the worlds most famous Bourbon!

This time of year a couple weeks before Thanksgiving was our most busy times, rail car after rail cars were getting loaded with fine whiskeys truck after truck also were being loaded at the long docks. We could do 3 rail cars and I think 10 trucks at the same time.

Now I go and everyone is gone and the plant is like a memory. Where have all the people gone, a good many have passed on and there are a few like me who can tell the story of the worlds largest Distiller of fine spirits.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

[ethangsmith]

Those boxes weren't easy to get!

[dave ziegler]

Well on Sunday I got to walk around the Distillery and I got a couple of new Metal plant signs for my Kinsey Tribute Bathroom, Here is a shot of my Bathroom wall.

I well remember all these signs well as if working there was just yesterday. When I go there this time of year it is the most sureal time of all for me, as I walk I think back 43 years before to better days when the place was alive with much exciting activity. Rail cars and trucks being loaded with Old Hickory, Hallers County Fair, Inverhouse Scotch and Phila Blended and so many more brands now forgotten. Brands like Linfield Striaght Bourbon of which I have no bottle for my Collection. If anyone here ever finds an empty Linfield bourbon bottle let me know as it is the one Bottle I would love to have for my Bottle collection while I am still around enjoy it.

I wish everyone could have seen what the place was like back then, it was a great example of the greatest of American industry, as Publicker when Si Neuman took it over had 8 people working for the company. In the years I worked there 5,000 people worked for Publicker world Wide. Mr Neuman was one of the most dynamic People in the Industry and A briliant Man, with amazing ideas.

When Si S. Neuman died Kinsey/Continental Distilling / Publicker died.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well Christmas is almost here and my thoughts today go back to the Days I worked at Kinsey and the 1966 Continental Distilling bottle House. When it opened in mid Sept of 1966 it was the most modern and biggest Spirits Bottling house in the world. Eleven bottling lines, lines to repair leaking bottles and QC line to check all bottlings! As I have said many times the Building is 2 football fields Long and 3/4 of a Football field wide. It began its history as a one floor Bonded Warehouse and shipping area in 1951. In 1964 plans started for the bottling to move to Linfield from Bigler street and the Bottle House was Finished and ready to open in Sept 1966. I was lucky enough to be hired and see this amazing Bottle House Open, and I got my job because some people left the Yard gang to work in the bottle House!

Another First by Publicker in the bottling House was Line A-1-F which could do 40,000 Bottles a day and was driven by an early generation Tube Powered Computer. I know It used tubes as I found some new Old stock ones and used them in my Tube Preamp at home!

Sadly now it sits and rots its great history forgotten by many but I will always remember those exciting days of my youth when I got hired there at 19 yrs old. And most likely I will take a walk through Kinsey Christmas Afternoon as I have done many times!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Edited December 18, 2012 by dave ziegler

[dave ziegler]

Have not been to Kinsey for weeks now and Hoping to go This weekend. Plan on taking some shots in the 1966 Bottling house to show what the Vandels have done. Most times I find something to save for History. But the Bottling house is really going down hill fast!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

I was at Kinsey this past Sunday Afternoon and went into what was the 1966 Bottling House to see water coming in from the roof anything the Vandels could trash they do. And the air is filled with Dust. I wear a Mask when I go there to not inhale Dust and also as I have Asthama too. I plan going there this weekend and want to get some new pictures inside there.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Many, many years ago Ludy gave me a bottle of Old Hickory 10 yr 86 proof Bourbon, for years all that was left was one shot in the bottle tonight I lifted my glass to him with it as this year he will be 95 yrs old! I still have some of the wonderfull bottle of export 7 yr 86 proof old Hickory I was given for my 65 th birthday last year and once it is gone I do not think I will ever find any more. I am just thankful to the person who gave it to me last year when I asked on here! If anyone knows where I can get some more old Hickory let me know! Also please look at the 1966 Bottle house Thread as I have posted 3 new pictures!

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

Hoping before the weeds get to big to get back to Kinsey. Want to take a guy who worked in the Bottle House in to look around.

I was there two sundays ago for a walk but forgot my Camera. I am amazed how nature is slowly eating up the whole Place. The Bottling house is the newest building there and it is in the worse shap of any of them. When I go in I go back in my mind to the old days and all my long gone friends who worked in there. I hope to get myself going doing some more writting about the people who made Continental Distilling great!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Yesterday I took a friend and his wife into the Bottling house. He had worked there as a young man and explained alot of things to me. It seems the big area in section A after the incoming tank area was filled back then with brand new cases to be bottled at all times. He explained there was a small line on the bottom where he would lay the bottles it would then line them up going through the bottom of wall. He would then put the empty Box on the top belt and the two would meet at the end where the Machine would lower the full labeled bottles back into the case it would then come up on the line and travel out the last wall to shipping! The Line did everything which was unheard of back in 1966. It cleaned filled capped, put the Tax strip on over the cap and labeled and was repacked at the end of the line automaticly. When the Bottle House Opened in Sept 1966 it was the largest and most modern Bottling House in the world.

It is very hard having worked there to see such ruin there now. As a young man I could never have thought that could happen.

I will post some New pictures this week I took yesterday and the week before.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

A few weeks ago I went in the 1966 Bottling House and was completely amazed at how much stuff had been stolen. Not one of the pumps at the incoming part of the bottle house are there. They even stole the mounting bases. Cement is falling from the roof inside, lights are falling down the air is terrible and this is the newest building there. When It opened in Sept 1966 it was the grandest bottling house Ever, now it is nothing, how very sad to see this! To think line A-F 1 could do 40,000 bottles a day and even box them and now the place sits in complete ruin is hard to take. Dave Z - It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon. =================================================================================

[dave ziegler]

Here are some Picture Ads for some of our Continental Distilling Products. There is a product broshure that show our prices against other brands. Mr Neuman was always trying to price our Prroducts so the common man could aford them! Thanks to Butch for informasion on 2 brand I never heard of- Chilton Club Dry Gin and Silver Shield Whiskey! from an old 1938 Broshure.

I have not been to Kinsey for many weeks but I am going there on Sunday afternoon.

I was just thinking yesterday about my old Major Legue Baseball player Gus Niarhos Catcher for the Yankees / Phillies and others. When Gus got into his 50's He did not go manage Minor Legue Baseball teams in South America, instead at seasons end he would come from his New Port News Baseball team to Linfield as a company man and work the winter there. I still have the brand new American Legue Baseball he gave me sitting on my work desk.

Dave Z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon