chap12k

Chapter 12k The Small Bottlers Mackin Brokerage Company and its Bottles

Mackin Brokerage Company (1931-1932)
Although not a bottler, Mackin Brokerage Company distributed cards advertising Falstaff Dublin Style Beverage, Falstaff Pale, and Falstaff Pale Dry "Ginger Ale." The firm claimed to be "representatives for Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas" (Advertising cards, Mike Morrison Collection). The Mackin Brokerage Company presents somewhat of a mystery. Although the cards clearly identified the firm as located in El Paso, the name, Mackin Brokerage Company, failed to appear in city directories, telephone directories, or New Mexico State Business Directories (which include El Paso).

James S. Mackin, however, was first listed in the city in 1919 as the manager of the American Grocery Company, Inc. at 909-911 South El Paso Dr. He remained at the American Grocery until 1925 when he married his wife, Martha M. Mackin. The following year, he became secretary/treasurer for John H. McMahon & Company, a brokerage. He advanced to the position of manager of the company and held that job until 1929. No occupation was listed for Mackin in 1930, but he and Kenneth E. Van Atta formed the firm of Mackin & Van Atta at 224 North Campbell St. in late 1931. Van Atta first appeared in the city directory in 1927 as a salesman for J. W. Lorentzen & Co., merchandise brokers and distributing agents. He was not again listed until his partnership with Mackin. The partners remained in business through 1932, but Van Atta apparently either died or left town, since he no longer appeared in El Paso directories after that year (EPCD 1919-1932; EPTD 1931-1936).

John H. McMahon & Company was established in 1914 and was initially managed by John H., himself. Three years later, M. A. McMahon was added, and various combinations of John H., M. A., William B., and E. L. McMahon operated the business prior to the placement of Mackin in the managerial position. The company advertised themselves as "flour, grain and grocery specialists" who covered a territory consisting of "New Mexico, Arizona and West Texas" (EPCD 1925). The firm incorporated in 1927, and E. L. McMahon replaced Mackin as manager in 1930. The company, however, apparently ceased operations in 1931 as no further mention of them appeared in the city directories (EPCD 1920-1932).

To further complicate the mystery, a letter bearing the letterhead of Mackin Brokerage Company has survived from February 4, 1928. The letter solicited the business of a prospective customer for Falstaff Dublin Style Cereal Beverage and other Falstaff "near-beers." The letterhead tells an interesting story. The address is 522 El Paso National Bank Building, the location of John H. McMahon & Company. A section above the address is blacked out but can be read when held to a light. It bears the name of John H. McMahon & Company. Above the blacked-out McMahon name appears the name of Mackin Brokerage Company ( Letter from Mackin Brokerage Company, 1928). This leads to two possible conclusions. First, McMahon may have brokered Falstaff Corporation products in New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas since early Prohibition. Mackin may have been gradually buying out that portion of McMahon's business. McMahon's termination in 1931 supports this conclusion. Conversely, however, he may have been running his own business on the sly from his employer's office!

Figure 12k-1 - Rick Chavez collection

Bottles

Mackin Brokerage Company
Mackin (and probably McMahon before him) brokered at least three non-alcoholic beverages for Falstaff during prohibition.

Falstaff Pale Dry Ginger Ale
Mackin advertised Falstaff Pale Dry Ginger Ale as:

A sparkling and Refreshing drink for the entire family. Just dry enough to be thirst quenching and just enough ginger to give it snap--not the biting kind. Can you imagine anything more appropriate to serve when your friends drop in unexpectedly? And served in a Champagne Glass at dinner, it's marvelous. . . . Always prepared--if you keep a carton of one dozen bottles in your home, and the best part of it all is that the cost to you is comparatively small. . . . Order a case today (Falstaff Trade Cards, Mike Morrison Collection).

The bottle was a light green, champagne-style bottle with a long neck and gently sloping shoulder. A downwardly curved paper shoulder label bore the Falstaff shield with the words, FALSTAFF/ST. LOUIS. The front body paper label was cut in the shape of the off-center Falstaff shield with the words, CONTENTS 12 FL. OZ., followed by a copy of the smaller Falstaff shield that appeared on the shoulder label. Hugging the base of the smaller shield were the words, TRADE MARK REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. The shield was trisected by two slightly elevated horizontal lines with the words, FALSTAFF/PALE DRY/Ginger Ale, in the center section The lower section stated, MADE EXCLUSIVELY BY/FALSTAFF CORPORATION/ST. LOUIS, MO. The crown cap was covered by a metallic foil. Although Falstaff may have made ginger ale prior to Prohibition, it is unlikely. The bottles, therefore, likely date from 1920 to 1933, the years encompassing national Prohibition.

Figure 12k-2 - Trade Card, Mike Morrison collection

Falstaff Dublin Style Cereal Beverage
Mackin advertised Falstaff Dublin Style Cereal Beverages as:

Truly a Master Brew, resembling in Taste and Character the Imported Stout and Porter of OLD. . . . Heavy in Body, Rich in Malt and Choicest Hops, this Delightful Beverage is Ideal for those who desire to build themselves up to physical fitness. . . . Thoroughly Fermented and Lagered, its After Effects are Pleasing and Assimilation is Rapid. . . . Keep a Case in your Home at All Times and let ALL the Family Drink it Freely (Falstaff Trade Cards, Mike Morrison Collection).

Falstaff Dublin Style Cereal Beverage was packaged in a regular amber beer bottle complete with the archetypical swollen neck. A paper label was applied horizontally around the neck with the Falstaff shield bearing the words, FALSTAFF/ST. LOUIS. Lighter wording appeared on the sides of the label but are too indistinct on the trade card for legibility. A larger Falstaff shield that formed the paper body label was trisected by slightly elevated horizontal lines. A smaller edition of the shield rested atop the upper line with the words, ALCOHOLIC CONTENT/LESS THAN ½ OF 1% BY VOLUME located above the shield. The central section proclaimed, FALSTAFF/Dublin Style/CEREAL BEVERAGE and the message, A CEREAL BEVERAGE BREWED FROM THE CHOICEST GRAIN[?]/AND FLAVORED WITH IMPORTED HOPS./BREWED BY/FALSTAFF CORPORATION/ST. LOUIS, MO. Like the ginger ale, it can probably be dated by the duration of national Prohibition from 1920 to 1933.

Figure 12k-3 - Trade Card, Mike Morrison collection

Falstaff Pale
Although I have not found an advertising card for Falstaff Pale, the 1928 Mackin letter describes it as "the same good, refreshing, thirst quenching Brew that it always was, minus the large per cent of alcohol." Falstaff Pale appeared to be an almost alcohol-free version of the pre-Prohibition Falstaff beer brewed by the William J. Lemp Brewing Company of St. Louis, Missouri.

The bottle depicted on the 1928 letter was identical to the Falstaff Dublin Style described above. The paper label was similar to the Dublin label, except that the word, FALSTAFF, appeared in larger letters and less fine print (illegible in the small illustration) was included. As with Falstaff's other two Prohibition products, Pale was likely produced between 1920 and 1933.

Figure 12k-4 - from Mackin letter, Rick Chavez collection

Table of Contents
Chapter 12l - Wonder Beverage Co., Flores Brothers Bottling Co., and Their Bottles