Bob and everyone,

I worked on an early 20th-century bottling works in Phoenix, AZ in 1982,
and the report was written up shortly thereafter.  I will try to rediscover
my copy of the report at home and send you more details, but let me share
what little I remember now.  In the rear of the building, we encountered a
cylindrical brick cistern (approx. 8 ft in diameter & about 20 feet deep)
that was at some time had been connected to the plumbing in the works
building.  It was chock full, top to bottom, with glass -- whole and broken
bottles.  The Phoenix Bottling Works went out of business sometime in the
1930s, and we speculated that the cistern might have been filled in at that
time (I think).

Bottles included the following embossing -- Phoenix Bottling Works, Hires,
Coca Cola (early and hourglass shape), and several others.  There were
other soda bottles, but I don't recall details (some had color labels, not
paper, fired ceramic, I think -- 1930s).  Most of these were used in the
bottling works -- both Hutchinson and crown closures. In addition, we were
surprised to discover huge numbers of alcohol bottles -- Mumm champagne
(lots of them!), Veuve Clicquot, bitters, and many other types.   I do
remember from the research that bottling works did commission the
manufacture of bottles with their own names on them so that the bottles
could be easily returned for refill.  This apparently didn't work
perfectly, because the Phoenix Works cistern contained bottles from other
bottling works in Phoenix and elsewhere.  This was likely the precurser

The report probably has answers to most, if not all of your questions
(although it might need updating after 20 years).  Let me look for it this
weekend, and I'll get back to you.

Sue Henry Renaud, RPA
Heritage Preservation Services
National Park Service