Chapter 11e
The Bottles of Trone Bottling Co., Double Cola, and Dr Pepper Bottling Co. 
© Bill Lockhart 2000
Trone Bottling Co. 
Trone Flavors
     Trone's only known beverage was called Texan.
B 16 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Colorless 
Size (in cm.):  23.3 (h); 5.5 (d) [24.0 (h) 5.7 (d)] 
Primary Labeling Style:  White ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  8 oz. [10 oz.] 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with vertical embossed rounded ribs on shoulder and near the heel 
Front Description 
Shoulder:  Vertical embossed rounded ribs 
Body:  A white ACL square surrounding a lone star superimposed with the word TEXAN 
Heel:  Embossed, 8 FL. OZ. [10 FL. OZ.] 
Back Description 
Shoulder:  Same as front 
Body:  "Good" (including quotation marks)/AND/GOOD FOR YOU/TRONE BOTTLING CO./EL PASO, TEXAS, all in white ACL 
Heel:  Same as front [L-G 14 2] 
Base:  Embossed - 50 and Owens Ring [also version w/o Owens Ring and 50] [L-G/555-1/52] 
Manufacturer:  Unknown [Liberty Glass Company (1946-1954)] 
Dating:  [1950-1954] Because documentation about Trone Bottling Company is lacking, dating is difficult.  Trone, himself, was unlisted in the city directories prior to 1950, so it is unlikely that the company was founded prior to that year.  Trone Bottling Company likely preceded the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company which was known to have produced a drink called Texan in five flavors in 1953 and 1954.  Because the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company was operated by Trone's widow during those years, the bottles used may still have born the label of Trone Bottling Company.  The probable date for these bottles, therefore, is between 1950 and 1954 (EPT 4/5/1953 B13:4; 4/25/1954 E1:2). 
Collection(s):  Mike Morrison Collection, Las Cruces; Robert Sproull collection; author's collection. 
 
Bob Sproull
 
Double Cola Bottling Company 
Double Cola
     Although the Double Cola Company was founded in 1935 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the product was not introduced into El Paso until sometime prior to 1958. 
B 17 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Colorless 
Size (in cm.):  24.6 (h); 6.5 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  Red and White ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  12 oz.
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with four embossed rings circumscribing the shoulder and six rings around the neck 
Front Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  DOUBLE/COLA in white ACL on a red oval background surrounded by an offset red border 
Body:  A larger red oval (similar to that on the shoulder), also bearing the words DOUBLE/COLA that was surrounded by a red line, creating a colorless margin.  Within the top of the colorless margin white lettering proclaimed DOUBLE MEASURE and within the bottom, DOUBLE PLEASURE.  Between the logo and the heel appeared REG. U. S. PAT. OFF./FLAVOR FROM/SEMINOLE FLAVOR CO./CONTENTS 12 FL. OZS. flanked by Indian head silhouettes on right and left, all in red 
Back Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  White ACL - outlined oval surrounding DOUBLE/COLA 
Body:  BOTTLED UNDER FRANCHISE BY/DOUBLE COLA BOTTLING CO./EL PASO, TEXAS 
Base:  Embossed - 1 B-in-a-circle 54/PAT. APPLIED FOR 
Manufacturer:  Brockway Glass Company (1925-present) 
Dating:  [1954-1957] The company was actually a subsidiary label for Barq's Bottling Company, which probably discontinued the product when the owners bought the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company in 1957.  Although Double Cola was first produced in 1936, the Double Cola Bottling Company was only listed in the El Paso telephone directories during 1955 and 1956.  The product, however, was bottled by Barq's for an undisclosed period of time after the cessation of the Double Cola Bottling Company.  Although not used in El Paso until 1954, bottles of this type were in general use from about 1940 or earlier until the late 1950s.  Although Double Cola shifted to a heavily embossed bottle with the Double Cola logo on the shoulder from the late 1950s to at least 1970 (Bates et al 1996a:D-12-13), I have not seen examples of such bottles in El Paso. 
Collection(s):  Mike Morrison Collection, Las Cruces; author's collection. 
 
 
Dr. Pepper Bottling Company 
Dr. Pepper
     The oldest style of debossed (and embossed) bottles of Dr. Pepper used in El Paso were sold by Empire Products Corporation, and a description of them appears in that section.  Although most companies adopted the ACL labeling format for their bottles in the late 1930s, a few companies, most notably, Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola, continued to use the embossed (in the case of Dr. Pepper, debossed) forms. By the time Trone opened Dr Pepper in 1952, the new slanted block lettering was in use.  The new lettering, adopted in 1950, used a slanted line and a dot for the letter "r".  The use of a period made the "Dr." look like a "D" followed by a slash and a colon (D/:), so the period was dropped from both the logo and the company name (Ellis 1979:193, 259).  The debossed bottles appear to have been the last style used by Dr Pepper that included the name of the city and state. 

     Because Dr Pepper bottles are scattered among various bottlers through El Paso history, it is helpful to organize them in a single table by bottle style, dates of use, and local franchiser.

Table 11e-1 - Dating El Paso Dr Pepper Bottles
 
Bottle Style Dates in Use Bottling Co.
Colorless, embossed, "Good for Life," 3-handed clock 1928-ca. 1930 Empire Bottling Works
Colorless, debossed, "Good for Life," 3-handed clock ca. 1930-ca. 1949 Empire Products Corp.
Georgia green, debossed, slant block lettering, no period after Dr, no hands on clock 1952-ca. 1956 Dr Pepper Bottling Co.
ACL, clock design, no bottle cap, slant block lettering ca. 1957-1960 Barq's Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. 
ACL, bounce lettering (3rd "p" "bounced" up) 1960-1971 Barq's Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. 
ACL, broad block lettering in oval, no clock 1971-1976 Barq's Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. 

DP 01 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Georgia Green 
Size (in cm.):  20.5 (h); 5.6 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  Debossed 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  6 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical 
Front Description 
Body:  Debossed - upwardly-slanted Dr Pepper in slant block letters 
Heel:  Debossed - MIN. CONT. 6 FL. OZS. 
Back Description 
Body:  Debossed - stippled clock face with 10, 2, 4 (4 is centered at bottom of clock); Dr Pepper in slant block letters horizontally across center of clock face 
Heel:  Bare 
Base:  Embossed - EL PASO (downward arch)/7/19 I-in-an-oval-superimposed-on-a-diamond 57/TEXAS (upward arch) 
Manufacturer:  Owens Illinois Glass Company (1929-1954) 
Dating:  [1950-1955] This style bottle was in general use between 1950 and 1955 (Mildred G. Walker, personal communication).  Bottles with the slanted block logo were also produced in twelve-ounce configurations.  An unusual variation has a clock face embossed on the neck (Bates et al 1996a:D22-24). 
Collection(s):  Willie F. Terrazas collection; author's collection. 
 
Willie Terrazas Willie Terrazas
 
     Briefly (1954-55), Dr Pepper used a transition bottle with a clock face in red and white ACL on the bottle neck.  The rest of the bottle contained the debossed advertising noted above.  These bottles are extremely rare (Mildred G. Walker, personal communication).  In June, 1955, the company introduced the first bottles entirely decorated with enameled labels.  These Georgia Green containers showed a white bottle cap on both shoulder and body front.  A red slanted bar stretched across the cap with the words Dr Pepper in white slanted block letters and ® under the third "P."  Above the bar was printed 10 drink 2 in red, with 4 below the bar.  These bottles were used between 1955 and 1960 but, like their predecessor, are extremely rare and may never have actually seen use in most jurisdictions Ellis 1979:193, 201, 205, 258, 259).
DP 02 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Georgia Green 
Size (in cm.):  20.5 (h); 5.7 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  Red and White ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  6.5 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical 
Front Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  A red-outlined white ACL disk formed a clock face with 10, 2, and 4 in red (4 remained in the centered bottom position) with a red bar horizontally across the center.  White italicized block letters proclaimed, Dr Pepper, across the bar. 
Body:  Same as neck/shoulder but larger and with ® below third "p" 
Back Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  Same as front 
Body:  An upwardly slanted Dr Pepper in white enameled italicized block lettering with ® under the third "P" 
Base:  Embossed - CONTENTS 6½ FL. OZS. L G W around the rim 
Manufacturer:  Laurens Glass Works (1913-1970 or later) 
Dating:  [1956?-1960] These bottles were developed after the bottle cap design described above but may have been used concurrently with them from 1956 or 1957 to 1960 (Ellis 1979:193, 205, 259). 
Collection(s):  Mike Morrison collection, Las Cruces. 
 
Mike Morrison
 
     In 1958, the company selected a style they called "bounce lettering" to distinguish their third enameled bottle configuration.  The lettering was so named because the third "p" was "bounced" up to a slightly higher position than the other two.  Although the new style was introduced in 1958, the logo was not used until 1960.  The style continued until 1971 (Ellis 1979:205, 260).
DP 03 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Georgia Green 
Size (in cm.):  20.5 (h); 5.8 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  Red and White ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  6.5 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical 
Front Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  A red-outlined white ACL disk formed a clock face with 10, 2, and 4 in red (4 remained in the centered bottom position) with a red bar horizontally across the center.  White "bounce" letters proclaimed, Dr Pepper, across the bar. 
Body:  Same as neck/shoulder but larger and with ® below third "p" with 6½ FL OZ below the logo 
Back Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  Same as front 
Body:  Dr Pepper in white enameled "bounce" lettering with ® under the third "P" 
Base:  Embossed - [C-in-a-circle] 8/CONTENTS/6½ FL. OZ./1215 
Manufacturer:  Chattanooga Glass Company (1925-present) 
Dating:  [1960-1971] Bottles of this type were in use from 1960 to 1971.  In 1969, Dr Pepper  was presented in a sixteen-ounce returnable package (Ellis 1979:229). 
Collection(s):  Robert Bejarano collection, Pepsi-Cola Company, El Paso; Willie F. Terrazas collection. 
 
Willie Terrazas
 
     The final style, in use from 1971, included broader letters and eliminated the venerable clock that had long dominated their advertising. 
DP 04 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Georgia Green 
Size (in cm.):  24.4 (h); 6.0 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  White and Red ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  10 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with five small countersunk rings at the neck/shoulder junction 
Front Description 
Neck:  A white-outlined red ACL oval contained the words, Dr/Pepper in broad letters with ® beneath the third "p." 
Body:  Same as neck logo, but slightly larger with 10 FL OZ below 
Back Description 
Neck:  Same as front 
Body:  Same as front 
Base:  Embossed - ® I-in-an-oval 19215/4 5-78 
Manufacturer:  Owens Illinois Glass Company (1954-present) 
Dating:  [1971-present] 
Collection(s):  Author's collection 
 
 
    By 1996, returnable bottles had virtually disappeared from grocery shelves, being replaced almost entirely by cans, plastic containers, and non-returnable glass bottles.  A few individual bottlers continue to use returnable bottles that were still available from Vitro Packaging Company of McAllen, Texas.  These few, however, represent the last holdouts at the end of more than a century-old tradition of the use of returnable bottles in soft drink packaging.
 Table 11e-2 - Dr. Pepper Bottle Chronology*
Beginning Date Description of Bottle Change
1891-ca. 1907 Blob top, roung bottlom, embossed
1900-1910 Crown finish, round bottom
1907-1912 Crown finish, machine-made, "King of Beverages" also "thief" bottle
1923-1924 Crown finish, colorless, embossed, "Good for Life," 3-handed clock
ca. 1930 Colorless, debossed, "Good for Life," 3-handed clock
1950 Georgis Green (aqua), debossed, slant block lettering, no period after Dr, no hands on clock
1954-1955 same, with ACL clock face on neck (very rare)
1955 ACL, bottle cap design, slant block lettering
1955 ACL, clock design, no bottle cap, slant block lettering
1960-1961 ACL, bounce lettering (3rd "p" "bounced" up)
1971 ACL, broad block lettering in oval, no clock
* Information from personal communication with Mildred G. Walker, Curator, Dr Pepper Museum
 
 
Dr Pepper Shell

     The Dr Pepper Bottling Company used a red shell (case) with white lettering.  Each end board is lettered DR PEPPER BOTTLING CO/(10-2-4 clockface to both right and left of hand hole)/EL PASO, TEXAS.  The outside of each side board is labeled DRINK/ Dr Pepper/® in broad lettering.  The inside of each side board is labeled in red with DRINK/Dr Pepper (bounce lettering)/®  (logo comprising a broken circle with six spokes)/TEMPLE MFG CO/DALLAS, TEX./2 - 72.  It is interesting that the inside of the shell is labeled with the older lettering style.

    The wooden shell is made from two side boards ca. 1 cm. thick, three base boards ca. 1.0 cm. thick, and two end boards ca. 1.9 cm. thick.  The boards are held together with two 1.5 cm. thick steel bands connecting the base and side boards to the end boards with nails.  The interior of the shell is divided by two boards (ca. 0.7 cm. thick) into four even areas to contain sixpack cartons of bottles.  All measurements of wood vary slightly because of warping and wear.
 

Dietetic Dr Pepper and Diet Dr Pepper
     Dietetic Dr Pepper was introduced in 1962, first in twelve-ounce cans, later (1963) in six-and- a-half-, ten-, and twelve-ounce returnable bottles.  The bottle shape was unique.  From the heel, the body pinched in slightly, then extended vertically upward to a point just below the shoulder.  At that point, the sides dipped sharply in to form horizontal countersunk ring around the bottle.  A gradually sloping shoulder and neck then led up to the finish.  The name, Dr Pepper, with the ® under the third "P" was superimposed on a white oval above the word, dietetic, in white script flanked by two diamonds.  Below, on the shoulder, was the message, ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED/LOW CALORIE/SUGAR FREE.  A second, larger white oval and logo appeared on the front body cradled into a light blue rectangle.  A downward-pointing white and blue chevron rested on the rectangle above the word, dietetic, in white script (Ellis 1979:214-215). 

     In August of 1963, Dietetic Dr Pepper became available in a twenty-six-ounce bottle.  The term, dietetic, however, had been causing confusion among the public, many of whom mistook the term to mean that the drink was for diabetics.  The problem was solved later that year by changing the name to Diet Dr Pepper.  The drink remained in the same bottle, but with the name, diet, in script above the Dr Pepper logo, where, dietetic, had been below it.  The words SUGAR FREE were also removed from the shoulder label (Ellis 1979:217).
DP 05 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Georgia Green 
Size (in cm.):  24.5 (h); 5.9 (d); 5.6 (indented ring) 
Primary Labeling Style:  White, Red, and Light Blue ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  10 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with indented horizontal ring below shoulder 
Front Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  The name (in red ACL), Dr Pepper, with the ® under the third "P" was superimposed on a white oval below the word, diet, in white script.  Below, on the shoulder, was the message, ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED/CARBONATED BEVERAGE. 
Body:  A second, larger white oval and logo was cradled into a light blue rectangle.  A downward-pointing white and blue chevron rested on the rectangle above the words, CONTENTS 10 FL. OZS. 
Back Description 
Neck/Shoulder:   Same as front but with LOW CALORIE/SUGAR FREE below logo 
Body:  White ACL - DIETARY BEVERAGE/CARBONATED WATER, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC/ACID, CITRIC ACID, CAFFEINE, SODIUM CYCLAMATE/CELLULOSE GUM, SACCHARIN, MONOSODIUM PHOS/PHATE LACTIC ACID, FLAVORING, SPICES, 1/20 OF 1% BENZOATE OF SODA (PRESERVATIVE)/CONTAINS 0.088% SODIUM CYCLAMATE AND 0.007%/SACCHARIN, NON-NUTRITIVE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS/WHICH SHOULD BE USED ONLY BY PERSONS WHO/MUST RESTRICT THEIR INTAKE OF ORDINARY SWEETS/NO FAT OR PROTEIN.  0.21% AVAILABLE CARBOHY/DRATES ¼ CALORIE PER FL OZ. 
Base:  Embossed - C-in-a-circle 
Manufacturer:   Chattanooga Glass Company (1925-present) 
Dating:  Bottles of this type were in use by the Dr Pepper Company from 1963 to 1971. 
Collection(s):  Willie F. Terrazas collection. 
 
Willie Terrazas
 
     Another new name accompanied the last major change in packaging.  In May, 1971, the drink became Sugar Free Dr Pepper and was available in twelve-ounce cans, ten-ounce returnable bottles, and a variety of non-returnable containers.  This time the returnable container was changed to a straight-sided bottle with a slight indentation made up of several horizontal embossed rings where the previous bottle had the deeper groove.  The new bottle had wider lettering and a new color scheme.  The shoulder label was still a horizontal oval but now the oval was blue within a white ring.  Wide letters proclaimed, Dr Pepper, with the usual ® still in its place below the third "P" and SUGAR FREE in white block letters above.  The identical logo was enameled on the body front with CONTAINS ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED CARBONATED BEVERAGE/10 FL. OZ. in white letters below (Ellis 1979:230-231). 

     A newcomer to the scene, available only in non-returnable bottles and cans was a caffeine- Free Dr. Pepper, know as Pepper Free.  Pepper Free was available in both sugar free and sugar sweetened versions and came in Styrofoam-insulated containers.  Oddly, Dr Pepper was originally advertised as caffeine-free in 1885, but caffeine was later added to compete with other producers (Ellis 1979 24).
Pommac
     Pommac was a Swedish import distributed by Dr. Pepper from 1963 to 1969.  The drink had a tangy taste and was originally packaged in six-and-a-half- and ten-ounce bottles.  It was initially marketed as a diet drink but was later converted to a sugared beverage.  Although Pommac had been popular in Europe for more than forty years, it took a while for people to become accustomed to the taste, so sales were slow.  When sales remained stagnant after six years, Dr. Pepper discontinued the product (Ellis 1979:216-217).
DP 06 
Method of Manufacture:  Machine 
Color:  Colorless 
Size (in cm.):  24.6 (h); 6.1 (d) 
Primary Labeling Style:  White, Black, and Red ACL 
Finish:  Crown 
Capacity:  10 oz. 
Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical 
Front Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  A downward-pointing, rounded white triangle with a water droplet at the lowest point, the word, POMMAC in the center, and ® under the letter "A."  Above the triangle in black appeared a crown above a scroll.  Below the triangle were the white enameled, italicized words, artificially sweetened/carbonated beverage. 
Body:  A white, upwardly-directed rounded triangle with a red line drawing of grapes and a goblet within the apex and the word, POMMAC (black) with ® below the "A" in the center.  The message, the soft drink/from the Continent, completed base of the triangle. 
Back Description 
Neck/Shoulder:  Same as front 
Body:  White ACL - DIETARY BEVERAGE/CARBONATED WATER, WHITE GRAPE AND OTHER/NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CYCLAMATE,/CELLULOSE GUM, SACCHARIN, CARAMEL COLOR,/1/20 OF 1% BENZOATE OF SODA (PRESERVATIVE)./CONTAINS 0.084% SODIUM CYCLAMATE AND 0.007% SACCHARIN, NON-NUTRITIVE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER/WHICH SHOULD BE USED ONLY BY PERSONS WHO/MUST RESTRICT THEIR INTAKE OF ORDINARY SWEETS./NO FATS OR PROTEIN, 0.28% AVAILABLE CARBO-/HYDRATES.  1/3 CALORIE PER FL. OZ./BOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY OF/DR PEPPER COMPANY, DALLAS, TEXAS./FLAVOR ESSENCE IMPORTED FROM/POMMAC AB, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN/CONTENTS 10 FL. OUNCES. 
Base:  Embossed - LG 65 
Manufacturer:  Liberty Glass Company (1954-present) 
Dating:  These bottles were in use only from 1963 to 1969. 
Collection(s):  Willie F. Terrazas collection. 
 
Willie Terrazas
 
Big Red
     Big Red was originally introduced as Sun Tang Red Creme Soda in 1937.  The product did not find its way to El Paso, however, until the 1970s when it was bottled by Dr Pepper Bottling Company.  I have been unable to locate an example in a returnable bottle.  It is possible that the parent company dropped returnables from their line in favor of cans and non-returnable packages prior to the product's entry into El Paso.
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