Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-08-28
Facts Of Interest About Soda Water,

The soda water season Is fully OPEN
ed, and the :" sizzp Of the fountain is
heard through the land-whlch circum-
stance suggests writer TO indict the
following:
In 1907, Henry Thompson, Of Tot
tnghan, England, took out the first
patent, and in 1910, Simmonds & Run
dell, of Charleston, South Carolina, OBJ.
tanned letters patent 4" for impregnahng
water with fixed air." Europe may
have led IN the discovery Of the primer.
pie Of erization, but it was for America
to lead in the invention Of improved
machinery and in making soda water
pleasant, exhilarating and innocuous
beverage for general use. Until within
a score Of years ago the processes ofthe
original makers were still used in the
Old World. Such a thing as drinking
soda water, except from bottle, was
unknown. 1t remained for the United
States TO astonish and delight Europe
with the soda water fountain, and. 10
teach even such makers as the Ellises
of Ruthin some new wrinkles in soda
water manufacture. The soda water
interest in the United States has Of late
years grown into enormous proportions.
Some 100000 are now invested in
the manufacture Of aerated drinks, foun-
tains aud other apparatus.
As long ago as the London Interna-
tional Exhibition Of 1862, the American
soda water fountain was the wonder OF
Europe, and tho efferyescng, ice cold
liquid, with delicious syrup and cream,
was a yeritabe revelation to the British
palate. The British taste runs largely
to hot drinks, and the reader can imag-
me the sensations Of London civic
magnate who was led to the fountain in
the American section at the London
Exhibition, and here introduced to his
first experience Of Yankee soda water.
The day was terribly hot, for London,
the soda was deliciously cold, creamy
and foaming. The Alderman eyed the
draught conservatyely, took one swal-
low and set his glass down.
My dear" he said, addressing the
young lady who dispensed the beverage,
Ave you such a hing as drop of 'ot
water?"
What IS soda water? 1t is simply
water strongly impregnated with car
bonic acid gas. The gas is obtained by
pouring sulphuyic acid upon carbonate
oflime as it exists IN marble dust and
chips, in a powerful metal cylinder
termed generator" Copper gener'
ators were formerly in vogue, but fre-
quent explosions, leakages and neyita-
bic corrosion, even where the interior
has been lined with tin, has led to the
substitution of steel. The contact ofthe
sulphuric acid with the carbonate limo
produces a tremendous efl'ervescence.-
The vitrlol having a stronger affinity Tor
lime than the carbonic acid gas had lib
crates the latter, and sulphate OF lime IS
formed. The gas thus obtained IS then
passed through a wasser-you can wash
gas as perfectly as you can handker-
chief-to remove any trace OF sulphurie
acid, and then it is pumped into the
fountains, already charged with water.
This constitutes, in brief. the whole pro-
cess Of carbonatIng.
Soda water is a great social power.
1t is the one drink to which a gentle
man may publicly invite a lady; the
fountain is the only bar at which the
sexes may meet with perfect prepriety,
the lady slipping vanilla aud crerm, and
the gentleman moistening his clay with
club lemon, that is to say, lemon with
a stick in it, Courtships are thus ma
terially helped and matches facilitated.