Popcorn, Lemon Beer, and Root Beer: Refreshments and Reproachments

If circumstances were wanted to furnish proof of the littleness of Troy, it can be found in the fact that its citizens got a law passed by the last legislature allowing them to tax the county to raise their Recorder’s salary of $1000. Could niggardly meanness go further. By this splendid piece of financiering, the pop corn man will be able to sell an extra half peck.Lansingburgh Democrat. October 5, 1848: 2 col 3.SEAMAN, of the Troy Merchant’s Exchange, (not the pop-corn exchange,) but where epicures most do congregate, has leased the Astor Saloon in this village. Really, we believe the Trojans are beginning to wake up to the importance of Lansingburgh as a money making place, and are trying to get their “foot in it.”Lansingburgh Democrat. April 26, 1849: 2 col 3.Some impending calamity must now be resting over Illium, for the pop corn man has not made his appearance here during the last three moons.Lansingburgh Democrat. December 13, 1849: 2 col 4.The 'pop-corn man' has left Troy! Cause why?—the River-street clerks and merchants got so depraved that they prized his commodity in the same light they do a newspaper—helped themselves to it too freely without paying. While they would have considered it stealing to have purloined the raw corn, after he had taken the trouble to roast it, it became public property, and they relieved him of all his capital stock, including the donkey. We perhaps should add, that the donkey has been transfered to the Budget office.Lansingburgh Democrat. January 16, 1851: 2 col 2.ADVERTISEMENT.—The Troy Horse Boats have again resumed their regular trips, and as "old sorrel," is in fine working order, and no flaw has as yet been discovered in his working beams, the pop-corn pedlars will be enabled to make trips from place to place in a little less than no time. Passengers from Sandlake will be treated with uncommon civility. All persons are particularly requested to stand clear of the wheelhouses, as old sorrel sometimes kicks up behind. Fare 2 1-2 cents and shower bath thrown in. Children under 12 years of age, half price.Lansingburgh Democrat. March 25, 1852: 2 col 2.What Troy can boast of.—Unquestionably Troy can boast of possessing an enterprising class of inhabitants—they have the most antiquated horse-boats—and produce the largest quantity of pop-corn of any city in the Union; one of the more daring feat about to be started and which is destined to adorn its brow.“Like sea-weeds ‘round a clam,”is the fitting out of an expedition to ‘the Garden’ for the purpose of opening its ports to a greatly extended trade in root beer and ginger pop, those staple articles of export which stamp the nineteenth century as remarkable era in the history of modern Troy.Lansingburgh Democrat. April 22, 1852: 2 col 6.Lansingburgh has received quite an accession to her strength. One of the Troy pop-corn merchants has taken up his abode in our midst!—Lansingburgh Democrat.Who says now that the Garden is not coming up? “Pop” is a lunatic, and was at first ordered off to the Utica Asylum; but it was subsequently decided that it would be better to send him to Lansingburgh to give consolation to Lamb on his Post Office defeat. The result shows that the act was both humane and wise. “A fellow-feeling makes Lamb wondrous kind”—to “Pop.”Troy Daily Times. May 7, 1853: 2 col 2.SMALL BEER AND POP.—Few of our readers, we believe, have any idea of the immense amount of business done in this city in the manufacture of small beer and pop. Temperance drinks are more popular with the masses than most people are apt to suppose. We looked at the manufactory of Mr. Defreest, on State street, a day or two since, and confess that we were not a little astonished to witness the amount of business going forward there. An average of from 6,000 to 8,000 bottles daily are put up here during the warmer days of the season, and sometimes the amount goes above the highest figure even. Cold weather very materially affects the consumption. During the “chilly week” of August the sales did not go above 4,000 bottles per diem. Lemon beer in the favorite with consumers. Three to four thousand bottles of lemon are put up, to one of root. The sales of “pop,” in small bottles, run up to 3000 bottles a day. Mr. Defreest has an order from one dealer in Lansingburgh for three hundred dozen bottles during each day of the county fair.Troy Daily Times. September 13, 1856: 2 col 4.FIRES AND FIRE ALARMS.—The alarm about 7 o’clock last evening, arose from a fire in the roof of Ezra Defreest’s root beer manufactory on State street, which was soon extinguished.Troy Daily Times. June 29, 1858: 2 col 1.FIRE THIS MORNING—About 1 1/2 o’clock this morning a fire broke out in the rear of a little old wooden building in the alley between Fifth and Sixth streets, a short distance above Congress, occupied by Anthony Cole as a root and lemon beer factory. This was soon destroyed.Troy Weekly Times. October 2, 1858: 3 col 2.—Certain good people of Elmira, after due deliberation, have decided that “hoxie” and “lager beer” are synonymous terms, and the former beverage is included among the drinks tabooed by cold water disciples there. A strong advocate of temperance in this city calls our attention to the fact, and expresses the opinion that such action is carrying the matter a little too far in the good cause. “Hoxie” and “root beer” are about the same thing in Troy; we do not know how they are in Elmira.Troy Daily Times. October 16, 1880: 3 col 2.—Lovers of cool and healthy summer drinks should not forget the “Alaska Root Beer,” manufactured and sold by Mrs. N. [Nancy C.] Jenners, 529 Whipple [Fifth] avenue. For a temperance drink, and a real healthy beverage, we think nothing can beat it.Lansingburgh Courier. May 21, 1880: 3 col 1.—“Alaska Root Beer” is made solely by Mrs. N. Jenners, 531 Whipple [Fifth] avenue. Try it. A most refreshing and healthful summer beverage.Lansingburgh Courier. June 17, 1881: 3 col 1.