Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-04-26
NUMBER %.
SODA WATER.



1eas0na le n%verase.
New sork Confsctioner.
The soda water seas IN Is nearly opened,
and the ''sizs' OF the ountain will soon
be head throughout the land.
In 1897 Henry Thampson, Of Totem
ham, Engl-nd took out the fr-t patent.
and in 1910 Simmons and Rundell, OF
Charleston, South Carolina, obt sined
letters patent "for impres mating water
with fixed air." Europe may have led
in the discovery Of the principles Of
aerization. but 1t was for America to
lead in the invention Of improved mach-
inery, and In making soda water q
pleasant, exhilarating and innocuous
beverage for general use. Until within
score OF years ago the proce sses the
original makers were still In use In the
O'd World. Such thing a. 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 to
leach even such makers as Ellis, of
Ruthin, some new wrinkles In soda water
manufacture. The soda water interest
in the United States has of late years
growD into enormous proportions. Some
$l2, 900 900 are now invested In the mans
u'acture OF aerated drinks, fountains,
and other apparatus.
AS long ago as the London Interna.
tional exhibition OF 1862 the American
soda>water fountain was the wonder of
Europe, ard the effervescing, ice.cold
liquid, with delicious syrup and cream,
was a veritable revelation to the British
palate. The British taste runs largely
to hot drinks, and the reader can Inn
agine the sensations of London civic
magnate who was led to the fountain in
the American section at the London
exhibition, and there introduced to his
6fst experience of Yankee soda.water.
The day was terribly hot for London,
the soda was deliciorsly cold, creamy
and foaming. The alderman eyed the
draught conservatively, tooK one swal-
low and set his glass down.
My dear" he said, addressing the
young lady who dispensed the beverage,
"aye sou such a thing as drop of fot
water3"
WHAT is soda>water7 It'll ia simply
water impregnated with carbonic acid
gas. The gas is obtained by pouring
sulphuric acid upon the carbonate OF
lime as it exists In marble dust and
chips, In powerful metal cylinder
termed a generator" Copper gener-
ators were formerly In vogue, but fre-
lueDt explosions, leakages, and inevita>
lie corrosion, even where the interior Is
lined with tin, has led to the substitu-
ton of steel. The contact of the sui
phuric acid with the carbonate of lime
produces tremendous efervescence.
The vitrio, having stronger affinity
for lime than the carbonic acid gas has,
iberates the latter, and supbate OF
ime is formed The gas thus obtained
Is then passed through washer-you
,an wash gas as perfectly as you can a
remove any trace of
'ulphuric acid, and then it is pumped
inder enormous pressure into the foun.
aims, already charged with water. This
constitutes, in brief, the whole process
If carbonatiDg.
Imitauons Vichy. Kissingen, Ssltzar
md other mineral waters are made by
ils-olving in the water in the fountains
he requisite amount OF the salts held in
solution by the genuine water. Ginger
lie, birch beer, root beer and draught
are msde In the same way,
kept that the aerated water is passed
through closed vessels holding the es-
'eDces and extracts in solution. which
mpart to these drinks their character
tic flavor. The machinery r, quired ia
intricate and costly The generalo-s used
in large establishments cost about $3 900
zach, and the other appliances are very
expensive. Very few druggists in cities
make their own soda water, as they can
buy it very chesply from wholesale
Chargers"
The fountains vary from one draught
tube and Ave sirups to six tubes and
twenty-five sirups, ranging In form from
4 simple square marble box to an elab>
)rste gothic temple Of the most exquisite
workmsnship, and in cost from $46 to
81 010. On no other beverage Is there
such an extrsvsgant outlay of money,
and well managed concern seloom fails
10 be very profitable. With good sirups,
an attractive fountain and attendant,
aud strict cleanliness, the soda water
'tand will pay the rent. 1t is upon the
'irups that the trade turns generally.
dealers make their own
'irups, some even making genuine fruit
irups; but essences are generally pre-
erred.
D...;v,o,,:o,,. 1ooio.a aoc.a4sv.aa La
heir founts MS go TO ruin by allowing
he tin lining Of the coils and sirup cans
% wear of, thus exposing the copper, and
losing their customers with verdigris.
An Ypsilanti druggist once pursued this
ystem Of mastery inactivity with such
uccess as TO kill one man and TO lay up
mother for an entire summer Who are
he soda water drinkeIs7 Every soul
within reach OF the fountains almost. 1t
4 the great American beverage after beer
nd whisky Last year the cost OF Ice
vas 90 high that most of the small soda
men" were squeezed out, as ice at sixty
ents per 100 pounds is too much for
hem.
Soda water Is great social power. It
! the one drink TO which q gentleman
nay publicly invite lady; the fountain
! the only bar at which the sexes may
leet with perfect prepriety. the lady sip
ing vanilla and cream, and the gentle
lan moisteniDg his clay with club lemon,
hat Is to say, lemon with stick In II "
are thus materially helped
nd matches facilitated.
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In strasbourg two hundred and fifty
eople are engaged in the business Of
ran,ming geese for the manufacture Of
ate do loie gras. In order to bring the
irds' livers up to the proper condition
{ disease thirty pounds Of food are re-
nirad Tuaniu.thraa Glranhnn roe IA have