From Craig Lane : My daughter is graduating from school in 2003. I'd like to purchase the 2003 Coke graduation commemorative coke bottle(s). Does anyone know where I can obtain them?

From Alton Rodgers : I found two Cotton Picker Soda Bottles, a product of Leland Bottling Company in Leland Mississippi in 1951. These bottles are clear with a painted label featuring a cotton field with a black woman on it, picking cotton, and a house in the background. Contents of bottle is 10 fl. oz. I also have a Top Beverage Soda Bottle, a product of Moak Bottling Company of Indianola, Mississippi. This bottle has on the back "Top quality" "Top flavor" and also has three stars on it. On the front it has a painted image of a toy top. On the bottom it has "B57". I am very interested in knowing about these bottles and also to sell them. Feel free to email me or contact me at 662-686-9692.

From Ray : I am looking for ACL soda bottles with Indian themes, such as Big Chief or any other brand with Indians. Will buy - or trade if I have anything you need. I have a couple thousand bottles. Email me

From me, CG: I need a NuGrape "expert". Please send your reply to  I Need NuGrape Info.

Do you have a particular item, or items, that you have been looking for a long time to complete part of your collection, or something you want - but have not as yet been able to find? Send it so all of us can help you look. You never know where it may turn up! E-mail it to My Missing Item

As a long standing tradition, the Coca-Cola Company is sending a complementary 2003 Coca-Cola calendar on request to any residents in the United States. You simply call toll free 1-800-GET-COKE (438-2653) to request for a calendar. The calendar is sent to you within 7-10 business days while supplies last. Happy New Year from Coca-Cola!

The adventurous "Be You" spirit of Dr Pepper consumers is the theme of the company's new "American Safari" promotion in stores during February and March 2003. Dr Pepper consumers can have a chance to instantly win a 2003 Jeep Liberty Renegade, plus a trip to anywhere in the United States every time they open a specially marked bottle or can. Additional prizes include Swiss Army watches, Tshirts and free Dr Pepper 12-packs. Consumers have a chance to instantly win one of the prizes by looking under the cap of specially-marked 20-ounce bottles, 2-liter bottles and inside12-packs of Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper and new Red Fusion. Full-page ads in Teen People and Rolling Stone will support the program, and a promotional Web site will offer consumers the opportunity to interact with the promotion online.

Coca-Cola has handed a lucrative US advertising account to the agency that was dumped 15 months ago by PepsiCo. Foote, Cone & Belding will handle US advertising for Diet Coke, after Coca-Cola was disappointed by another agency's campaign. The win boosts the Interpublic Group unit, which lost an estimated $350m (£235m) in billings from PepsiCo in September 2001. Recent advertising campaigns for Coke's core brands - Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite - all have fallen flat, prompting the company to reshuffle some of its accounts. PepsiCo moved its accounts after FCB's parent company was acquired by Interpublic, the New York media group which has close ties to Coke. A lawsuit filed by PepsiCo barred some FCB employees from creating ads for Coke, according to the article.

Cadbury Schweppes has announced that Todd Stitzer will assume the role of Deputy Chief Executive until his appointment as Chief Executive in May 2003. John F Brock, Chief Operating Officer, has resigned from the Board and will leave the company at the end of the year to pursue other opportunities. 

Move over Britney
Britney dropped by Pepsi...read the full story

Latin Coke Bottlers Toast Deal
Coca-Cola Femsa to buy Panamerican Beverages for $2.7 billion...read the full story

From "Colaman"BillyB : Harry Potter bottles, with matching carrier, are in the stores now.
Perhaps only in some areas, so keep checking if they are not in yours yet.

New bottles or cans, or anything soda, in your area ?
Please send the info so all of us can know @ Whats New

The Lone Star Chapter of the Coca-Cola Collectors Club will be hosting the 12th annual Tex-Fest from February 7-9 (Friday - Sunday), 2003 at the Radisson Hotel in Richardson, Texas. Events will include welcome banquet, silent auction, bingo, swap meet and room hopping. For more information, please call +1-214-749-2474. Hotel room rates are $69 per night and reservations may be made by calling +1-972-644-4000. Radisson Hotel is located on Central Expressway (I-75) at Campbell Road. 

Any new events  in your area? Mail so all of us can know, to: Events

Bartlett Springs was discovered in the late 1860's by Greene Bartlett, who arrived in California in 1855. Mr. Bartlett prospected for years, but failed miserably and finally moved back East. Two years later, he returned to California's Napa Valley to try his luck in Agriculture, only to have his health fail. No one knows exactly what caused him to seek out the Bartlett Springs, but by 1869, his leg had supposedly withered away, and perhaps he had heard of the curative properties of this Spring.

This sick man drank of the Springs and instead of dying, as he had expected, Bartlett grew stronger with each passing day. Soon his useless leg was again in use. "A miracle" you say! Who knows - but this was the beginning of what we now know as Bartlett Springs.

The tale that Greene Bartlett had found a veritable "Fountain of Youth" spread like wild fire. Actually, Bartlett was third to claim these Springs, but in 1870, he took immediate steps to secure title to the land.

Taking in a partner, "L. Tharp", Bartlett filed claim to the property, and on September 5, 1872, the U.S. Land Office granted Bartlett 160 acres, and all their medicinal qualities and other purposes.

Also in the Bartlett Springs area, there were other springs, called: Soda-Magnesia Iron Springs and Aperient Springs. 

Greene Bartlett and Tharp built a crude hotel at a cost of $10,000 and rented the rooms at $10 per week. Tent facilities were also available at a much cheaper rate. By 1873, there were 40 cabins, renting at $2 per week, and those with floors were 50-cents extra. 

In 1877, Samuel G. McMahan and Calvin R. Clarke purchased a half interest from Bartlett for $2500. McMahan managed the Springs for the next seven years and improved the Springs greatly. New facilities were added, such as a new hotel, bar, meat market, steam baths, dance hall, billiard rooms and a barber shop.

In 1884, McMahan died and his survivors decided to dissolve their partnership with Bartlett, with no mention of L. Tharp. Bartlett was supposedly paid approximately $31,000. Actually, $1250 was paid Bartlett immediately, and in 1887, Bartlett received half of the purchase price of $60,100, paid by the McMahan family.

Bartlett Springs prospered until 1934, when it finally burned to the ground. From the bottle collectors standpoint, this was the end of Bartlett Springs forever.

If you have a soda-related subject that you would like to see here as an "FYI" article, or have information you yourself would like to contribute, don't be shy, send it to: FYI Idea

Until next week, Happy Collecting! CokeGirl