Chapter 12f
The Small Bottlers
James A. Dick Company and its Bottles
© Bill Lockhart 2000

James A. Dick Company (1905-present) 
    Although not a bottler, the James A. Dick Co. distributed "Circle A" Ginger Ale during the Prohibition era.  A 1920 ad in the El Paso Morning Times promised, "You'll appreciate 'Circle A' after trying other brands" (El Paso Morning Times 7/15/1920 16:1).  During the 1920s, the James A. Dick Co. maintained branches in El Paso, Deming, New Mexico, and Phoenix, Arizona.  They were the exclusive distributer for Circle A in El Paso. 

     The James A. Dick Co. was formed as a corporation in 1905 with James A. Dick as president, J. E. Buckley as vice president, W. Cooley as treasurer, and C. Louis Kerr as secretary.  The firm was listed as wholesale grocers and was located at 405-409 St. Louis.  The company spread its operations to include 405-413 St. Louis the following year.  Although Dick remained at the helm, corporate officers changed almost annually.  In 1911, the address changed to 405-413 Mills (a change of street name, not a relocation).  The firm added "wholesale grocers and coffee roasters" to their ad in 1914 (EPCD 1905-1914). 

     In 1929, James A. Dick, Jr., was added to the Board of Directors as a vice president and secretary.  Although corporate officers changed throughout the years, the next important shift occurred in 1949 when James A. Dick, Jr. replaced his father as president.  Although the senior Dick continued to be listed as an officer for the next two years, the power had clearly shifted to his son.  In 1952, the company moved to 6500 Montana and was listed in 1953 as "Dick, James A. Wholesale Grocery Co. (Div of Safeway Stores, Inc.)" (EPCD 1915-1953). 
 

Figure 12f-1 - El Paso Times, 6/30/1920
 
 Bottles 

James A. Dick Co. 
"Circle A" Ginger Ale 
 A 1920 ad boasted: 
 

 There Are Hundreds of Ginger Ales---But ONLY ONE BEST. . ."CIRCLE A" before bottling is Aged, Mellowed and Ripened like a rare old wine.  Scientific precision and great care is taken to make 'Circle A' the World's Best Ginger Ale.  You'll appreciate "Circle A" after trying other brands (EPT 7/15/1920 16:1).

 
Figure 12f-2 - El Paso Times, 7/15/1920
     Circle A Ginger Ale was bottled by the Artesian Mfg. & Bottling Co., of Waco, Texas.  Originated by R. S. Lazenby in 1884, Circle A had become so popular by 1898 that its inventor was able to obtain a federal contract to supply the U. S. Army and Navy during the Spanish American War.  In 1916, American troops guarding the U. S./Mexican border during the Mexican Revolution consumed more than two million bottles of Circle A Ginger Ale.  Because of the proximity of Fort Bliss to El Paso, the product was obviously no stranger to military personnel by the time the James A Dick Company advertised it in 1920.  Artesian was also the original bottler of Dr. Pepper and discontinued Circle A in 1940 to devote its full time to the newer and now more popular product (Ellis 1979:101, 109-115). 

     The bottle advertised in 1920 was circular in cross-section, round-bottomed, and crown capped with two paper labels.  The label on center body was diamond-shaped with an added rectangle along the bottom right edge.  In the center of the diamond was a bold A with the word TRADE to the right, MARK to the left, and REGESTERED below.  The A was surrounded with a thick circle which contained the words GINGER (downward arch) and ALE (upward arch).  Above the circle was printed AROMATIC/ CIRCLE "A" BRAND with EXTRA to the left and DRY to the right.  Below the circle was ARTESIAN MFG & BOTTLING CO./WACO/U. S. A.  The additional rectangle contained a message touting the quality of the product.  A second rectangular label, affixed below the first above the heel of the bottle, proclaimed SPECIAL BOTTLING FOR/U. S./ARMY AND NAVY.  The bottles fit into a special holder used to maintain the container in an upright position (Ellis 1979:100; EPT 7/15/1920 16:1). 

     Earlier bottles had been embossed A. M. & B Co./CIRCLE/A/BRAND (logo)/WACO, TEXAS/U. S. A./10. OZS., along with variations that lacked the city, state, country, and capacity information.  Another (presumably later) style had a flatter base with an oval paper label with the information CIRCLE "A" CORPORATION OF AMERICA/CIRCLE A/A/GINGER ALE (in logo form)/10 [illegible] OZ./"AGED IN THE WOOD"/[formula information/THE SIGNATURE/R. S. Lazenby (Ellis 1979:107, 112-113).

 Dick also sold spices, and some of his Avondale spice tins have survived.  He at least carried Cayenne and Ginger.  The tins advertise his business as extending beyond El Paso to Deming and Silver City in New Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona.
 

Photo from eBay
Table of Contents
Chapter 12g - Lone Star Bottling Works and Their Bottles