F. E. Hottinger

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
February 29, 1912

Successor to S. R. Swan, at the East Side Drug Store

F. E. Hottinger, who has recently succeeded Dr. Swan as proprietor of the East Side Drug Store has re-arranged the entire stock, added to it with fresh, new drugs and shelf goods and has as neat, clean and attractive a drug store as there is in the county.

Mr. Hottinger is a registered pharmacist of high qualification.  He is a graduate from a school of pharmacy, and besides that has passed the examinatin before the State board.

He enjoys the rare distinction of having 33 state certificates as a registered pharmacist.  Last year he went to St. Louis and passed the Missouri examination, and was one the the 110 who passed, out of 240 who tried.  Mr. Hottinger is a competent drug man all right, and you need not fear out how he can handle your prescription workably and carefully.

He will carry a complete and up-to date stock of everything in drugs, medicines, druggist sundries, toilet goods, stationery, perfumery, etc.   He handles the Rexall goods, and all standard proprutary* medicines.

Drop in and see Hottinger.  If he doesn't have it, he can order it.  This doesn't refer to booze, for his store is strictly "dry" as regards unlawful goods.

* Word is not found in Funk & Wagnall's dictionary.

[W. Gray]

People called it Hots drug store.

This is the guy who, after the taxidermist finished with it, put the Ellk River alligator on display in his drug store window for several years.

[genealogynut]

One of these times, what I thought it would be interesting to folks, is to find the newspaper article telling about when Hottinger kills the alligators and post it to this site.  I can still vaguely remember Mr. and Mrs. Hottinger.  I remember Mr. Hottinger, as elderly as he was, opening his store every day and sitting there waiting for someone to come in, meanwhile folks were patronizing Batson's Drug.

If my memory hasn't become too faded, I believe Hottinger's lived in an older, red two story brick house, in the locale where Betty Russell lives now, on Pine Street.

[Wilma]

I wish you would tell us more about the alligator.  You've got me curious.

[genealogynut]

Wilma.....Waldo has a topic "Elk River Alligator" posted on The Good Old Days" board.  The time period that Mr. Hottinger shot and killed a couple of alligators was either May/June of 1925.  Hottinger was still opening his store in the late 1950's, as I remember one time as a small child, I wanted to see those ugly lookin' critters, so I went and asked him to show them to me.

I wonder whatever became of those stuffed "vermits.'