mid-nineteenth century privy dug aqua blobtop soda bottle manufactured for chicago bottler j.a. lomax. the squat body and low tapering shoulders are finished with an intact applied blob top that exhibits slop and stretch marks on the neck. the front is embossed with caseworn lettering that reads "j.a. lomax / 14 &16 charles place / chicago.". it features a smooth base with the bottler's initials "jl" embossed. crudities typical of its age and date of manufacture include bubbles, surface wear, whittling. dug from a chicago area privy, it also exhibits haze or irridization. john a. lomax entered the bottling operations in 1854, distributing soda water located at 38 w. lake street in chicago. in 1859, the plant was destroyed by fire and operations were moved to a two-story frame building located at 16 charles place. as business grew, john and his son george erected a large masonry building in 1871, which was consumed by the great chicago fire the same year. shortly after, lomax rebuilt an even larger four-story facility that was advertised as being the "largest bottling house in the world.” during their peak production years, lomax serviced more than five thousand of the approximately seven thousand saloons across the city of chicago. their bottling works furnished soda-waters, ginger ale, mineral and spring water, ales and other drinks. the company ceased operations in 1885.