1918 Kirk-Maher Co Confectionery Invoice Malone NY Beemans Gum Cracker Jack For Sale

A billhead invoice from the Kirk-Maher Company, manufacturers of confectionery and ice cream, dated February 5, 1918, documents a wholesale transaction between this Malone, New York firm and the M. Callanan Company of Blue Mountain Lake, New York. The letterhead prominently lists the company’s officers: F. R. Kirk as President, V. E. Maher as Vice President and Treasurer, and G. H. Frechette as Secretary. The illustrated letterhead depicts the company’s substantial factory building, a visual testament to its status as a significant regional employer in the North Country. Branch locations in Plattsburg and Watertown are noted, with the main office and factory situated at 59 West Main Street in Malone, in Franklin County. The invoice’s terms are explicitly stated as “30 DAYS NET OR 2% CASH 10 DAYS,” with the notable exception that “NO DISCOUNT ON MOXIE OR ICE CREAM,” and all merchandise is sold F.O.B. Malone, placing shipping responsibility on the buyer. The typed itemized list offers a precise window into early twentieth-century retail confectionery and sundries, including one 34-pound carton of Golden Rods for $6.12, one 30-pound pail of H. H. Mixed Creams for $6.00, ten boxes of penny goods for $9.00, three boxes of assorted wafers for $2.70, two boxes of Beemans gum for $1.32, one box of Lance cough drops for $0.65, two boxes of Cracker Jacks for $2.20, and one box of salted peanuts for $1.44, for a total of $29.43. The document is marked as a “CORRECTED INVOICE,” indicating an amendment to an earlier billing. Handwritten numerals “7040” at the top right and “8175” at the bottom center likely served as internal filing or ledger references. The paper exhibits significant yellowing and age-appropriate toning, with prominent horizontal and vertical fold lines from its original mailing or filing. A small puncture or tear is present at the top left edge, and light foxing and staining are visible, particularly along the bottom and left margins. Despite these signs of age, the printed and typed text remains remarkably clear and legible. This invoice serves as a tangible artifact of regional wholesale distribution networks, documenting the flow of branded goods like Beemans gum and Cracker Jack alongside generic penny candies and bulk confectionery items during the final year of World War I.