Capitol Club / Capitol Beverages /
Squirt / Joe Louis Punch


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Squirt Beverage Co, 750 10th Street, SE Washington DC (1942)
  Squirt Bottling Co, 750 10th Street, SE Washington DC (1943-1946)
  Capitol Club Gingerale Co, 750 10th St. SE, Washington DC (1948-1949)
  Joe Louis Punch Co, 750 10th St. SE, Washington DC (1948-1949)

Notes:
The address 750 10th Street SE seemed to house various bottling companies from 1890-1949.
Herrmann (1890-1939)
From 1890-1939, it was the home of the J.F. Herrmann & Son bottling company.
Squirt (1942-1946)
From 1942 to 1946, it was the Squirt Beverage / Squirt Bottling Company, according to the city directories.
Capitol Club (1948-1949)
In 1948 and 1949, the city directories listed the "Capitol Club Gingerale Company" at 750 10th St. SE. However the years and company names are more complicated than that.
An ad for a "bookkeeper/office-girl" in the Nov 29, 1945 issue of the Evening Star (p.39) used the name "Capitol Squirt Bottling Co". So they name "Capitol" was used before 1948. And one of the bottles below has "Capitol Beverage Co." on it, so the name didn't always include the word "club".
A September 22, 1949 article in the Washington Post (p.9) said that the Capitol Club Gingerale company was owned by Phil N. Millstone, and that there was a lien on his company. A November 26, 1949 article in the Evening Star (p.17) said that Millstone was filing for bankruptcy individually and trading as the Capitol Gingerale Company (again without the word 'club').
Joe Louis Punch (1948-1949)
In 1948 and 1949, city directories listed the Joe Louis Punch Company at the same address as the Capitol Club Gingerale Co.
Joe Louis PUNCH was a bottled in multiple cities, not just Washington DC. Joe Louis the boxer invested in the company which used his name. I have a "Joe Louis BEVERAGES" bottle that is the same design as the "Joe Louis PUNCH" bottle shown below, exect that bottle says "BOTTLED BY JOE LOUIS BOTTLING CO BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA" on the back. An October 23, 1948 Evening Star article on p.2 said that the Joe Louis Bottling Co. at 750 10th Street was owned by Phil N. Millstone, the same person who owned the Capitol Club Gingerale Co (no suprise there since both companies were at the same address). The article is about Millstone's failed attempt to expand his company to Baltimore MD.

Capitol Club Bottles:

capitol book # 127
This is an 8" clear machine-made crown top bottle with red on white markings:
neck-front/back: Capitol / * Club * / BEVERAGES
front: "Made Right / Tastes Right" / Capitol / Club / Beverages / Contents 7 FL OZ
back: EVERY BOTTLE STERILIZED / A WHOLESOME BEVERAGE / MADE OF FINE FLAVORS CANE SUGAR / FILTERED CARBONATED WATER / AND CERTIFIED COLOR. / SEE CROWN FOR OTHER INGREDIENTS / CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ. / CAPITOL CLUB BEVERAGE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base: [G] / 700 / 20
capitol_05 book # 128
This is almost identical to the bottle above, but it doesn't have the word "club" on it (i.e. it says "Capitol Beverages" instead of "Capitol Club Beverages". It's an 8" tall machine-made, stipled crown-top with red on white ACL:
neck-front/back: Capitol / * * * * / BEVERAGES
front: "Made Right / Tastes Right" / Capitol / Beverages / Contents 7 FL OZ
back: EVERY BOTTLE STERILIZED / A WHOLESOME BEVERAGE / MADE OF FINE FLAVORS CANE SUGAR / FILTERED CARBONATED WATER / AND CERTIFIED COLOR. / SEE CROWN FOR OTHER INGREDIENTS / CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ. / CAPITOL BEVERAGE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base: 6 / 182 S / []
capitol_compare This photo shows the 2 above bottles side by side for comparison.
capitol_02 book # 129
This is an 11.8" clear machine-made crown top bottle with faded red on white markings similar to the bottle above:
neck-front/back: Capitol / Club / BEVERAGES front: "Made Right / Tastes Right" / Capitol / Club / Beverages / ONE FULL QUART back: EVERY BOTTLE STERILIZED / A WHOLESOME BEVERAGE / MADE OF FINE FLAVORS CANE SUGAR / FILTERED CARBONATED WATER / AND CERTIFIED COLOR. / SEE CROWN FOR OTHER INGREDIENTS / CAPITOL CLUB BEVERAGE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. base: [G] / 1828
capitol_04 book # 656
This is an 8" clear crown top bottle with a stipled surface, embossed:
front: Capitol BEVERAGES
back: Capitol BEVERAGES
base: SQUIRT BEV CO / [G] / 6 1/2 FL OZ / 657-2 / WASHINGTON, D.C.
There is also a small "O" embossed below the lip. This is probably a Glenshaw Glass company date code for 1943.



Squirt Bottles:
squirt_01 book # 655
This is an 8" green machine-made crown top bottle with yellow & red markings:
front & back shoulders: Squirt
front: Squirt / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.
back: Squirt / It's Tart-Sweet / In the public eye / DRINK BEFORE BREAKFAST / WITH MEALS - FOR / REFRESHMENT ANY TIME / CONTAINS CARBONATED / WATER, SUGAR, GRAPEFRUIT / JUICE, CITRIC ACID / AND GRAPEFRUIT OIL / CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ. / PROPERTY OF / SQUIRT BEVERAGE CO / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base: 700 G 29



Joe Louis Punch Bottles:
louis_01 louis_02 book # (unlisted)
This is an 8.5" clear machine-made crown top bottle with white & red applied color label:
front & back shoulders in script: Joe Louis
front in red & white: Joe Louis / PUNCH
back: JOE LOUIS PUNCH / INGREDIENTS / CARBONATED WATER / PURE CANE SUGAR / CITRIC ACID / CARAMEL COLOR / ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR AND COLOR / It's A / Knockout / CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ. / BOTTLED BY / JOE LOUIS PUNCH COMPANY / WASHINGTON, D.C.
embossed on base: 2349 / E MTC 3 / 7 FL. OZ.



Other Items:
capitol_03 This is a 22x14" cardboard sign that says:
(picture of man winking, holding giant bottle of capitol club, with the capitol in the background)
Enjoy... / CAPITOL / CLUB / Beverages / GINGER ALE - LIME / ROOT BEER - GRAPE / CREAM SOAD / STRAWBERRY / ORANGE
matchbook_01 This matchbook doesn't actually say 'Washington DC' on it anywhere, but I included it because it advertises Joe Louis Punch. It has red graphics that say:
front: TREAT YOURSELF TO / Joe Louis / PUNCH / (picture of bottle)
edge: It's a Knockout
back: Joe Louis / PUNCH / IT'S A SOFT DRINK, SON


1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)




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This page last updated on June 5, 2016.