Henry Otto


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Henry Otto, 707 8th street NE (1887-1889)
  Henry Otto, 640 C street NE (1890-1921)

Notes:
Henry L. Otto was born about 1862 in Maryland. The 1880 census listed his occupation as working in a mineral water factory. I suspect the factory he worked in belonged to George Otto, who was listed in the 1880 census as living in the same house as Henry but was head of a different family. Henry eventually became the owner of his own soda water bottling establishment. Henry's 1902 estimated pecuniary strength was $3000-$5000, and his credit rating was "good"2.
The first year Henry Otto shows up as a bottler in city directories is 1887, however he is mentioned as a bottler of Ginger ale at the corner of 5th and C streets S.E. in the Historical & Commercial Sketches of Washington, compiled by E.E. Barton in 1884. That book also says that Otto's establishment was 30 x 100 feet, that he employed 4 assistants, and had 2 wagons to deliver his goods. It says he manufactured ginger ale, sarsaparilla, soda and a large number of light summer drinks. 3


Bottles:

otto_01 (enlarge) This is a 7" aqua hutchinson bottle with 10-sided bottom, embossed:
tombstone slug plate: HENRY OTTO / 8TH ST / N.E. / WASHINGTON / D.C.
bottom: No 1
otto_02 (enlarge) This is a 7" aqua huthinson embossed:
round slug plate: HENRY OTTO / TRADE / HO / MARK / 640 C. ST N.E. / WASH. / D.C.
back: REGISTERED NOT TO BE SOLD
otto_03 (enlarge) This is similar to the above bottle, but without the trade mark. It is a 7" aqua hutchinson, embossed:
round slug plate: HENRY OTTO / 640 C. ST N.E. / WASH. / D.C.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
otto_04 (enlarge) This is an 8" clear BIM crown-top, embossed:
oval slug plate: HENRY OTTO / 640 C. ST. N.E. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
below slug plate: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD
otto_05 (enlarge) This is an 8.5" aqua BIM crown-top, embossed:
oval pattern: HENRY OTTO / 640 C. ST. / N.E. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
above oval: REGISTERED
below oval: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD



1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 Merchants, Tradesmen And Manufacturers Financial Condition for the District of Columbia 1902
3 Historical & Commercial Sketches of Washington, 1884, compiled by E.E. Barton, p.209




Back to my bottle home page.


This page last updated on April 24, 2011.