Independent Brewing Association, Atlas Brewing Co., Atlas Beverage Co.
Life Span: 1891-1909
Location: 586 N. Halsted (1440 North Halstead Street)
Architect: NA
Inter Ocean, October 25, 1891
PURE BEER FOR CHICAGO.
Independent Brewing Association Now Ready for Business.
The Independent Brewing Association was organized last December with a capital stock of $500,000. It is independent of ail trusts, syndicates, and pools. It is composed of the best element of saloon-keepers, who organized at in order that they might furnish themselves and the public with. a beer of whose quality, purity. and strength they were absolutely sure. The association numbers no less than 188 members, whose average consumption alone is 350 barrels daily. The immense expense incurred by the other brewers in sending out agents to solicit trade is entirely saved to the Independent, whose stockholders take their beer, the money so saved being used in producing a superior quality of beer at a moderate price. It is, made entirely of pure malt and imported Bohemian hops, making what the public so often call for and so rarely get a genuine lager beer, such as has made the German cities of the old world famous. The headaches and bad after-effects from corn-made beers containing the inevitable fudil oil is entirely unknown in pure malt and hop beers.
The capacity of the plant is 700 barrels daily, which can be doubled at a small additional outlay, as everything has been planned with that end in view, they having one kettle of 385-barrel capacity which can be brewed three times a day. The officers are:
F. C. Lang, President; Wm. F. Fitzgerald, Vice. President, J. Henry Zitt, Secretary; H. P. Klein, Treasurer.
Independent Brewing Association
1440 North Halstead Street (586/612 North Halstead St)
1890 to 1909
Chicago Tribune, December 28, 1897
One man was killed outright and two others terribly injured by an explosion of gas in a large beer tank at the Independent Brewing Association Brewery, 598 North Halsted street, yesterday afternoon.
The explosion was caused by the breaking of an incandescent electric light globe. The exposed spark ignited the explosive gas and surrounded the unfortunate trio of workmen with flame. According to witnesses the man who was killed was the innocent cause of the catastrophe. He was carrying the naked light globe in his hand when he accidentally struck it against the iron wall of the tank and the explosion followed.
The Dead.
Winkofsky, Theodore, 924 Thirty-fifth court, painter, 35 years old; instantly killed by explosion; remains taken to Poth’s undertaking rooms, 860 North Halsted street.
The Injured
Imme, Louis, 3223 Illinois avenue, painter; badly burned and bruised about head, arms, and body; taken to Alexian Brothers’ Hospital; condition serious.
Schaller, Leonard, 103 West Eighteenth street, painter; badly burned; picked up unconscious; taken to Alexian Brothers’ Hospital: may not recover.
The three men were painting the interior of the beer tank. They were using hard enamel varnish and had nearly finished the job when the paint pot became empty. Winkofsky called to a workman on the outside to bring another can of the varnish. He was in the act of reaching through the manhole in the side of the tank when the crash came.
Winkofsky was blown through the manhole by the force of the explosion. His body struck with terrible force against a large steam radiator and tore it from its fastenings, bending and twisting the iron pipes. His body was badly mangled and burned.
Imme and Schaller remained inside the burning vat for some seconds, while the flames rushed through the manhole with great force. Assistant Brewmaster Henry Klein was standing beside the tank when the explosion took place. He was blown some distance away, but as soon as he recovered his feet he rushed to the rescue of the imprisoned men and dragged them through the narrow hole which was the only means of escape from the caldron of fire.
One of the two was half conscious when he emerged, but the other semed too far gone to recover. Both were nearly stripped of clothing and were suffering terrible agony from burns. The police were notified at once and both were cared for with all possible speed.
Panic Among Workmen.
The explosion shook the massive building to Its foundation and started a panic among the large force of workmen employed there. The big tank where the men were at work is one of five of uniform size which almost completely fill a large room in the rear portion of the plant. The tanks are constructed of heavy sheet-iron and are used for storing beer. They are fourteen feet in diameter and twenty-two feet high.Each has a capacity of 1,200 barrels. There are but two small openings in each tank beside the manhole on the side near the bottom. This hole is just large enough to admit the body of a man. The vats are opened but once a year, when they are cleaned out and given a fresh coat of enamel varnish on the inside to prevent the beer from coming in contact with the iron. A specially prepared varnish is used, and the men who do the work are experts known as “cask varnishers.” The occupation is considered hazardous, and the work is usually let out by contract. Winkofsky was a contractor and his two companions were in his employ.
In view of the danger of explosions of the gas remaining in the airtight tanks, and of the other gases which might arise from the varnish, the men were not permitted to use lamps in the vats, and electric lights were furnished instead. An electric light wire was led into the tank and each of the workmen was furnished with an incandescent lamp, with enough slack wire to reach ali parts of the vat. Each man carried the lamp about with him as he worked. It was the usual custom to cover each lamp with a net of wire to prevent accidents, but this was neglected yesterday.
The three men had been at work nearly two weeks on the five tanks, and the last one was almost finished. Assistant Brewmaster Klein had been called to make a final inspection when the explosion took place.
Winkofsky left a widow and two small children. Schaller and Imme are not married.
Prima Brewing Company
Token
About 1894
Chicago Tribune, May 3, 1906
The Independent Brewing association has bought from Margaretha Busch of San Francisco the property at the northeast corner of Evanston avenue and Diversey boulevard, with 125×150 feet of ground, with three story brick improvements, for $75,000. The association secured $50,000 of the purchase money by a trust deed to Erasmus W. Hills, running five years at 6 per cent.
Chicago Tribune, September 23, 1909
Brewing Concern Sells Holdings.
The Independent Brewing association has conveyed to Leo Ernst the property at the northwest corner of Belmont and Albany avenues, 98×125 feet, and other property for $45,328. The transaction is of a formal character. as Mr. Ernst is president of the association.
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