The sun., 1900-07-22
COST OF SODA WATER FOUNTAINS,
Some Run as High as $40, 900 Many Foun-
tains Rented to Drugsists.

Those whose pleasure Is commensurate with
the cost Of the source whence ii is derived should
be raised TO the seventh heaven Of bliss when
drinking soda water Not that the liquid It.
self is so expensive but the fountain it Is drawn
from Is. confectioner or druggist who makes
up his mind to keep up with he march Of prog
ress by putting in a soda water plant will have
to be equipped with something more substan-
tial than determination. He mu At have money,
and good deal OF IL. according TO the kind of
fountain hs buys.
The cost Of q soda water fountain, like every
thing else. is determined by the flxinss." said
the head clerk Of a First avenue manufacturing
house. There are soda water plants In this
town that cost as much "a Si2 900, could take
you TO dozen within half an hour, over on
Broadway and Sixth avenue. that did not cost
a cent less than that amount. These are tho
big twenty-toot plants in the popular stores
where q rushing business is the rule. These
s1pensve plants are made slI OF onyx the faucets
vided with fine mirrors for the accommodation
Of feminine soda tippers. Besides all this out
side show, the hleh-prced fountains are hn-
They are lined with glass. instead Of tin, which
Is utilized In the cheaper fountains The use
Of glass naturally raises the price considerably.
from poisoning that are likely TO result At any
time from the use Of metal. which is bound to
be affected, TO greater or less degree. by the
acidulous Juices.
After considering the $4,000 and $4,000
plants, the prices range all the way down to
1000 and even $500 The average price Is
$4,000 TO $500. These cheaper grades ara
made OF various kinds OF marble and have less
ornamentation. STYLES In soda water foun-
tains change from year to year the same as In
the fashion To run to architectural display
and founta ms are seen In many stores to-day
whose onyx and marble pillars and ornamental
facades form quite an imposing picture. In
this seasons output the prevailing feature has
been simplicity.
AN tho soda water fountains In Use In New
York do not represent cash sale by any means.
The renting of fountains Is big business.
In fact more than holf Of the fountains in opcr-
manufacturer, who let's them by the season.
This applies more particularly 10 the small-fry
druggists and confectionsrs, large percentage
Of whom ayan themselves OF tho renting sys-
TEN. The more expensive plants, however.
are Of course owned by the proprletors OF the
stores. for the charges on sl1 90 plant would
I've 30 great that IL Il more economical In the
long run Ia buy. the whole business outright
The rental OF soda water plant varies from
so 10 $500 a Season according to tho sizs and
material. Some stores keep the plants In the
year round, while other. store the apparatlIs
with rs during tho winter. which can he done
fire." Of charge. Often one man will rent the
sam" plant acL,on after season. We guar
ante" ~" III" Of each founain TO be ten years,
hut we have plants In oleration TO-DAY In parts
Of th" cty whore the latest improvements are
not insisted upon thnt were used In that sanle
store fifteen wears ago. 900 plant couldn't
show a much better record than thnt. Any
way, the longevity Of $500 plant Is almost
The difference lies In the appearance and the
OF people that can be accom- modatrda