intact privy dug c. 1870's medium blue aqua hutchinson style blob top bottle manufactured for chicago bottling giant j.a. lomax. caseworn lettering is embossed vertically along the front body of the glass. near the top, configured in a diamond shape, is a raised 4-bottle logo around the initials "jal" and with the words "trade mark / regis tered" surrounding. from the center of the bottle to the heel is embossed vertically "j.a. lomax / 14 16 & 18 / charles place / chicago". on the reverse, the contents of the bottle are debossed vertically "ginger ale" inside an open-lined, debossed diamond slug. the maker's mark sits just above the heel. the applied blobtop features stretch marks at the neck, bubbles, and a small chip at the lip. crudities like surface scratches and discoloration are typical of being dug. the base is smooth. 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.