Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-09-06
FAcrs AsouT sopA wArea.

\ NO 1ct1-t - tstu IN AtN NantttctuTe ~
coriirg TO Present Methods.
May years agc Trcnchman e,
ceivctl 10 idea cf manufacturing q e;
donated water by mixing solution g
tartaric acic with carbonate of soda
The proportions used were 35 grains 0.
acid and 40 grains of the soda dissolve
In a wineglass Of water. This was tn,
! original soda water.
The public knows in a general way
| that marble dust is sometimes used H.
making soda water, and the que ltion j,
sometimes asked. isn't marble dust
| injurious to the system?'' As matter
/ Of facty there is no marble dust, Oh, to us,
the technical term, carbonate of lime,
in soda water. The part played by mar
BILE dust in the process Of manufacturing
soda water is simply to supply the car
bonic acid gas with which the water is
charged The same gas generated in a
different manner gives froth to beer,
lightens bread and makes the bubbles in
buckwheat cakes. This gas can be OBJ
tanned from carbonate of soda, carbon
ate of magnesia, carbonate of lime or
from any other carbonate by treating it
with an acid Sulphuric acid is gener-
ally used. The powdered carbonate Of
lime or marble dust, as it is popularly
called, was until quite recently used al
most exclusively for this purpose be-
cause IL Ia very cheap.
To understand how the two chemicals
-sulphurio acid and carbonate of lime
--act when brought together the reader
may call to mind the mixing Of seid-
litz powder. The tartaric acid in the
white paper, when in solution, unites
with the carbonate Of soda in the blue
paper. Effervescence at once takes place,
carbopio acid gas being liberated and
tartrate Of soda being formed. Although
nature furnishes an unlimited quantity
of carbonates, almost any other acid,
strange to say, will drive out the car
bonio acid and usurp its place. This is
seen in the mixing Of seidlitz powder.
Now, this is exactly what takes place
in the manufacture of soda water, ex-
cept that the gas instead Of being per-
mitted to escape, is confneed to the gen.
orator. The generator is simply an ap-
paratus In which the acid and the car
Donate can be mixed conveniently. From
the generator the gas is conveyed to one
of the portable steel foundations, the
appearance Of which is familiar to the
public. The fountain is about three
quarters full Of water. After quantity
of gas has entered the fountain it is
we'll agitated. 1t Is usual now to place
Il on a cradle or rocker, and either by
hand or steam power to rock it for some
time, generally about half an hour, in
order to mix thoroughly the gas with
the water. When this is done, the foun-
tain is again connected with the genera
tor, more acid Is allowed to reach the
carbonate, more gas is formed, and the
same process is continued until the
pressure ON the fountain shows 16o
pounds to tho square inch The foun-
tain Is then set aside, and another is
put on In its place, and theprocess goes ON
until the supply Of gas in the carbonate
has sll been extracted. The refuse is
thrown away, and fresh supply of car
Donate Is placed in the generator. The
refuse is sulphate Of lime. The sui.
phuric acid has united with the lime,
and the oarbonic acid gas has been lib
Grated.
AS has been said, marble dust has
been used In preference TO any other
carbonate in the manufacture of soda
water because il is the cheapest. Quite
recently at least one firm in New York
substituted carbonate of magnesia. This
il little more expensive. On the other
hand. the decarbonized magnesia, in
stead Of being thrown away like the
sulphate Of lime. can be utilized. II is
pumped or drawn up TO higher apart.
ment, whore II Is strained and filtered |
20 exclude all impurities and tested Il |
is then placed in large eyaporating pans
and allowed to orystallize. The product |
Is sulphate Of magnesia, better known |
as epson salts
The soda water business Is exceeding |
ly lucrative. The cost Of manufacture
Is from TO cents per gallon, and the
product is sold for 10 cents Sirups cost
from 30 TO 80 cents a gallon and are
sold from 4b 20 20 cents. There are
generally about Ga glasses 10 the gal
Ion. and soda water is sold for on 10
cents a glass Other artificial mineral
waters are sold for about 85 cents per
gallon. --New York Sun.
The most ancient books extant are the
oarthenware tablets from Nineyeh.