Poinsettia was one of the products of the Purity Extract and Tonic Company. Click to enlarge.
Mention “Prohibition,” and many people immediately think of the era in our history when the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors was prohibited. This nationwide ban resulted from the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which went into effect in 1920. However, several states already had prohibition laws on the books. In the case of Tennessee, those laws caused the management of a Chattanooga manufacturer to develop a new, non-intoxicating line of products with the name, “Purity Extract and Tonic Company” on the labels.
In his book, “Prohibition and Politics: Turbulent Decades in Tennessee 1885 to 1920,” author Paul E. Issac chronicled the years leading up to Tennessee’s own prohibition act. Tennessee has in some way regulated alcoholic beverages ever since its founding in 1796. A temperance movement began near the end of the Civil War, with its advocates continuing to pressure the legislature for reform despite repeated setbacks.
In 1909, the “drys” at last succeeded after years of spirited debate, with passage of a bill which halted the production of intoxicating beverages for sale in Tennessee. Opponents had argued that enforcement of the law would be impossible. The 1910’s showed that their prediction was true. The Tennessee prohibition law was unevenly enforced, and frequent “clean-up campaigns” were required. According to author Paul Isaac, a campaign was carried out in Chattanooga in February, 1911, when “one hundred and seventy-five persons, including three members of the city council, were indicted, and the next year over a hundred more were fined, for selling intoxicants in Chattanooga.”
Over at the company’s headquarters on the southwest corner of Second and Broad streets, the management of the Chattanooga Brewing Company decided to position the business for either “wet” or “dry” politics. In 1910, Charles Reif became the president of the Purity Extract and Tonic Company, and John Henry Brockhaus, Jr. assumed the office of secretary/treasurer. With a line of “near beer,” soft drinks, and bottled water, Purity was prepared to do business even if the government really was serious about prohibition.
Charles Reif’s background prepared him to lead the new venture. Born in Cincinnati in 1865, he joined the Park Packing and Provision Company in his home town immediately after finishing school. In 1890, he moved to Chattanooga after his father acquired the Chattanooga Brewery. Mr. Reif was active in community affairs, also ran the Chattanooga Bottle and Glass Company, and was both a promoter and subscriber of river navigation between Chattanooga and St. Louis. John Henry Brockhaus, Jr. was also a native of Cincinnati, and followed Charles Reif southward.
In 1909, the Chattanooga Brewery’s advertising was attempting to convince the public that its products were acceptable: “Our beers are pure liquid food. Let’s have a Chatt.” When Purity Extract and Tonic began business the next year, they continued the health food advertising strategy with their near beer product, the Poinsettia.
An advertisement proclaimed the Poinsettia to be “The Great Flesh Builder.” Appealing to tired mothers, the company said that the Poinsettia was “an invigorating and pleasant beverage – it enriches her blood and gives baby the necessary sustenance without the ill effects of tonics containing alcohol.” The Poinsettia was also good for the business man, “whose nerve force and physical vigor is impaired by the strain of many cares.” Purity offered to deliver Poinsettia by wagon to any address.
Purity’s product line also included Sinalco, a German drink with eight fruit flavors, and sold for a nickel “at every good grocery and drug store.” Other beverages included Cidrola, made with pure apple juice, and the Grape Fizz, made with – you’re reading ahead – pure grape juice. Under the Tripure name, the company sold bottled water (slogan was “Health in Every Drop”) and the Tripure Cola in a triangular bottle. Purity also manufactured ice, the perfect complement to Purity drinks.
Charles Reif lent his own name to Reif’s Ginger Ale, as well as to Reif’s Special. An advertisement for it warned readers, “Don’t let Old Man Thirst ruin your good times. There is one way to eject him. Give him the cold shoulder over a cold bottle of Reif’s Special. By golly, it’s good.”
The Chattanooga Brewing Company continued to be listed in the city directory alongside Purity until 1920, when prohibition began at a federal level. However, dismal experience in the enforcement of national prohibition laws led to the 1933 ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constituion. The amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, and returned the regulation of liquor to the states.
By 1930, Purity Extract and Tonic disappeared from the Chattanooga city directory. The property had been acquired for a new Coca-Cola bottling plant. The old Chattanooga Brewing Company/Purity Extract and Tonic building made a grand last stand. The Chattanooga Times reported on January 16, 1930 that demolition contractor Mark K. Wilson said that “the crews had experienced considerable difficulty in the work on account of the heavy construction used in the old building.”
Charles Reif passed away in 1934 at his Fairyland home. His obituary said that “In encouragement of all efforts for the advancement of Chattanooga interests and in donations to churches and charitable causes, his generosity seemed to have no bounds.”
John Henry Brockhaus died in 1936. Before the demise of the Purity company, he and other family members had been active in the Welch Grape-Ade business. He was treasurer of the People’s Building and Loan at the time of his death.
If you have any information on the people or businesses referenced in this article, please send me an e-mail at jolleyh@bellsouth.net.
Chattanooga Brewing Company staff included future Purity managers Charles Reif (fourth from left) and J.H. Brockhaus (sixth from left). Click to enlarge.
- Photo2 by courtesy of the Chattanooga Hamilton County Library