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The Decade of the 1910's

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A Timeline of Events in the History of Coca-Cola

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In 1917 the corporate office moves to the upper floors of the Candler Building, the tallest building in Atlanta.

1911 

The 40 barrels and 20 kegs of Coca-Cola case ends with a directed verdict acquitting the Coca-Cola Company. Unfortunately the directed verdict was vague and left the whole subject open for future appeal.

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1913 

In June the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana designs what becomes known as the "hobbleskirt" bottle. The company's president, Chapman J. Root, will become the wealthiest man in Indiana.

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​1914  

Company attorney Harold Hirsch argues at the 1914 Bottler's Convention for the design of a unique bottle package for Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola imitators are numerous, and the current paper label falls off the bottle as it sits in the ice water of the cooler.

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​Frank Robinson, the elder gentleman who was with the company since its inception, retires due to health reasons.

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​1915  

The Root Glass Company's contour bottle is awarded a U.S. Patent.

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​1916 

The new Coca-Cola bottle is approved overwhelmingly by a seven man committee at the 1916 Bottler's Convention. Due to the expense required to purchase the the new bottles it would be a few years before all bottlers fully accepted the new container.

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​January 21   

Asa Candler announces that his son Howard Candler was succeeding him as president of the Coca-Cola Company. The elder Candler was disillusioned by changing tax laws, the future of the company, impending appeals litigation, and his own mortality.

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​May 16   

The United States Supreme Court reverses the decision of the 40 barrels and 20 kegs of Coca-Cola case of 1911, and the key provisions of the Pure Food and Drugs Act are upheld.

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1917 

The corporate office moves to the upper floors of the Candler Building, the tallest building in Atlanta.

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December 25   

Asa Candler divides his stock in the company among his wife and five children keeping only seven shares for himself.

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​Sugar, one of the drink's key ingredients, is rationed due to the war effort. Sugar and caramel for the operation of the syrup plants becomes scarce and expensive. The restrictions are lifted in 1919.

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​1918  

By cutting the drink's caffeine content in half, the company reaches and out of court settlement with the government in ongoing case concerning the Food and Drugs Act.

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​1919

Annual syrup sales reach nearly 19 million gallons - or an average of 30 drinks a year for every person in the country.

​Coca-Cola becomes the largest consumer of granulated sugar in the world, and despite the lifting of restrictions, it price keeps increasing.

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​Asa Candler retires from public life.

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​The Coca-Cola Company is sold to a syndicate headed by Ernest Woodruff. Samual Dobbs, (who used a wagon to haul the assets of Coca-Cola from Pemberton's laboratory to Candler's offices in 1888) is appointed president.

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