The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-13

lowed. These were the pioneers. The business grew in a small way but it was not until 1876, when Lippinsott and others served soda water at the Philadel- phia centennial, that the drink was gem orally popularized. They paid $50,0O0 for the soda concession at the exposition, which was considered an enormous sum. The sole right to sell soft drinks at great worlds fair in America now would be cheap at double the price,
 Four of the principal concerns manu- featuring soda-fountains were merged in 1892 and have since been known as the soda-fountain trust. It makes fountains to sell from $100 to $15,C00 although few under $500 are now put up. Fashions change in soda fountains as in other things, and improvements are being add ed constantly. The chief change of late years is that the syrups are in front of the operator instead of behind him as he serves drinks. Really the soda fountain has moved from the wall to the counter.
 The largest soda fountain in the world is one in New York, which has it's own refrgerating plant, freezes its own ice cream by ammonia gas and is entirely in- dependent of the use of ice. In the busy portion of the day this fountain sells two gallons of ice cream a minute. It uses thirty dozen eggs and sixty-five quarts of milk each day for egg drinks. whole case of lemons and another of oranges is used every day This foun- tain employs a force of thirty-six men,
 Soda fads and fancies vary in different sections of the country In one town limeade will outsell all other drinks by three to one. A hundred miles away in another town of the same size the soda ierker won't know what a limeade l.. .1.,... I.- mixtures are rarely the same in any two cities, and, inded, vary largely from drug store to drug store
 Socially the soda fountain is a great promoter of courtship and marriage, and has become an absolute necessity of the puppy-love stage of Young America. The soda counter is a club for young people of both sexes. In the cities the social fea- ture is not so marked as couples cone in and drink and leave, but in smaller cities and in little towns the soda foun- tain Is the very heart and center of social activity.
 Each set and clique has its favorite drug store. The business is profitable and the druggist puts up with a great deal to accommodate his young friends. If one wishes to speak to Charlie Rob inson he calls up Reeds drug store. No, Charlie Is not here now, but he is due in twenty minutes and I will have him call ycu," replies the druggist. The lone some wight who drops in at Reeds just after supper will be pretty sure to see all his set before 10 o'clock. It is won derfully easy to loaf an hour over one chocolate Sunday with a pretty girl, as thousands of young chaps will testify.
 The chief by-products of the soda foun- tain are the Chocolate-Ice-Cr Cream Soda Girl and His Nibs, the oda Jerker Tn all cities where there are not too many people, and In suburban drug stores, the soIa je1ker Is the bosom friend of every human not too od to have bosom friend. He will deliver messages for you, he Will remember how much sugar you take In your lemonade he will sometimes con1dentially insert stick" in phos- phate assthe result of a confidential wink and he will always try to please. The soda jerker Is always young, and wherever found he Is all right Let every true American drink deep of his favorite soda water tlpple to the health of the Choco- Iate-Ice- Cream Soda-Girl and to His Nibs the Soda Jerker
 Tomorrow: Work of the Red Cross"