The book might be available digitally by subscribing to this website. I did some clicking around but did not subscribe because I already have the book. Someone might like to take it to the next step and see what's what ... https://openlibrary.org/books/OL5472075M/Soda_and_mineral_water_bottles
NcBred I have another one I dug up, it is cracked on the inside but still intact. I would be more than happy to give you this one if you are interested?
This long link is to a long list of bottlers in North Carolina in 1920-1921. First, scroll back to page 551 where the list begins. And from there scroll forward and you will see the names of just about every mom & pop bottler imaginable. But no "Weldon Bottling Company." The names are listed alphabetically and on page 553 you will find ... Pepsi Cola Bottling Works - WeldonWeldon Coca Cola Bottling Works Apparently Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola were the only two bottlers in Weldon in 1920-1921. Of course we still don't know exactly when the "Weldon Bottling Company" was established or how long they were in business, but based on this list I'd say it had to have been either before or after 1920-1921. And then there's the J.L. Jones book showing a date of "about" 1940, which still confuses me because the "Better Beverages" bottle in question sure don't look like a 1940s bottle to me! Anyway, this is the kind of stuff I have been looking at but unfortunately have come up empty handed except for the it-doesn't-tell-us-very-much listing in the 1972 J.L. Jones book. Back scroll to page 551 and then check'em out through page 553-554 ... [URL=http://books.google.com/books?id=AScTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA553&dq=coca+cola+bottling+company+weldon+north+carolina&hl=en&sa=X&ei=E0UmU63VDtDUqQGe3YGACg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=coca%20cola%20bottling%20company%20weldon%20north%20carolina&f=false]http://books.google.com/b...20carolina&f=false And here's the iddy-biddy text again from the J.L. Jones book regarding the reference to "about" 1940
Kari: I realize I asked this question earlier, but I ask it again just in case you might have overlooked something. I'm trying to make sense of the 1940 date from the J.L. Jones book and if we can accurately date the bottle it might add another clue to solving the mystery. Are you 100% certain there isn't some kind of makers mark or other symbols - letters - numbers embossed on either the base or the heel of the bottle? The marks I am referring to might seem insignificant at first glance but could possibly help us date the bottle. Look for "anything" even if you don't recognize what it might stand for. What puzzles me is that I just can't imagine a 1940 soda bottle not having some type of glass manufacturer marks on it. Thanks a lot Bob
Bob I have looked the bottle over thoroughly. Nothing, no marks anywhere except for what I have already told you. I assume you noticed the embossed stars around the neck, but that is it. I am going to look at the links you sent above. Just FYI, on the bottle it shows Co. versus Company. Weldon Bottling Co.