History of Collins-McCarthy Candy Co. (Zeenut & E135 Makers)

[rhettyeakley]

I recently picked up a piece that helps to give a little history to a very famous (to us) Candy maker in San Francisco. For whatever reason the history and ephemera related to this company (in it's many forms) is very difficult to find (especially pre-1911 or the "the pre-Zeenut" era). Anyways, the invoice I was able to pick up shed a little light on the company, at least it did to me. It appears that J.J. Collins and J. D. McCarthy were working along side H.B. Getleson as early as 1905 and this invoice itself is dated January 1906--only a few short months before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. They are listed at 619-21 Battery St. which was NOT the location of the future Collins-McCarthy Candy Co. so I'm not sure if they split from Getleson or if the building itself was destroyed in the earthquake and they had to relocate, also I do not know of the fate of Mr. H.B. Getleson.

Another interesting aspect of this invoice is that it was (obviously) for a Chinese store/market/misc. goods shop as they are names the "Sun Sun Wo & Co. of Coulterville, CA and on back there are notes in Chinese (my Chinese is rusty so I have no idea what it says--probably shop related notations. Anyways, I thought it was a really neat piece that predates the earliest Collins Candy stuff by a few years.

-Rhett

[brickyardkennedy]

Sun Sun & Wo - "We're not just candy":

"Strong evidence points to part of the office being used as an opium den"

http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/mccvssws.htm

[GoldenAge50s]

How many remember Sen Sen? They refer to gum but I recall those little tiny black pieces that came in a small packet like restaurant sugar. BOY, were they ever strong!

Maybe the Chinese smoked them!

[Jaybird]

Very cool, Rhett. Here's a personal ad from the April 23, 1906 edition (just 3 months later) saying they are moving and are taking up temp offices. THe personal ads are filled with this kind of thing. They don't say why either but makes sense that earthquake was reason (the paper is only 5 days after it struck).

From the San Francisco Call

[DixieBaseball]

Rhett - Interesting piece - Thanks for sharing !

The Peanut Flake seemed to be a bit high back in the day...