Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
COSLEY BOTTLING COMPANY: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Cosley.jpg|left|thumb| | [[Image:Cosley.jpg|left|thumb|1500px|]] | ||
[[Image:SELTZER-1.jpg|right|thumb| | [[Image:SELTZER-1.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Seltzer bottle.]] | ||
[[Image:bluecosley.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Photo courtesy: Jim Massey]] | [[Image:bluecosley.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Photo courtesy: Jim Massey]] | ||
[[Image:cosley-1.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Wooden box for shipping. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding]] | [[Image:cosley-1.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Wooden box for shipping. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding]] | ||
Revision as of 03:38, 6 April 2011
COSLEY'S BOTTLING COMPANY. Cosley Bottling Company was located in Dubuque at 141 Locust Street. Originally opened as the Cosley Bottling Works around 1923 by Ray J. Cosley, the company had only three competitors in the area.
In an article that appeared in the TELEGRAPH HERALD, Cosley remembered washing the bottles by hand. The first bottles carried the Cosley Bottling Works name. After four or five years, the name of the company was changed to the Cosley Bottling Company and the new name appeared on the bottles. A bottle was expected to be able to be reused between six and ten times before it became too nicked or scratched to be refilled.
Metal caps were applied to the bottles with the use of a crowning machine operated by a foot pedal--one bottle at a time.
As business grew, Cosley employed twelve men at the plant with nine tucks in operation for distribution to five counties. Occasionally requests were received from other parts of the country. Cosley used his own private formulas for the various soft drinks including creme soda, grape, strawberry or orange.
The company was also a distributor for other beverages. Cosley was the first Iowa distributor for near-beer and the first distributor for beer in Iowa after sale of it was made legal in 1923.
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Source:
Jason Cosley, grandson of Ray Crosley.