The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-13

the American people In their opposi-
tion 10 the microbe better exemplifieo
than In the growth OF the minerai
water trade of the country. In ten
years they have doubled their con.
sumption OF medicinal and table
creased patronage of the watering
places of the country that has taken
place. The Geological Survey mas
gathered together statistics of mineral
water production, and Its figures show
that over 55.000.00o gallons Of bottled
water are consumed by the people OF
the United States. of which more than
52.00o.000 gallons come from domestic
springs. The experts at the survey
claim that there 10 q mineral spring
In the United states to match every one
In Europe. and that there is no water
on the latter continent for which
America cannot offer duplicate. The
figures prepared by the survey are
for 1907. and It. 10 conceded that the
depression OF 1908 was felt about as
much by the mineral water trade, ana
about as promptly, as by any other In
dustry. But the sales for the present
year are reported to be getting back
to normal, and to Indicate even a
heavier consumption than ever before.
The great expansion of the mineral
water trade 10 attributed to three main
causes. First OF these 10 the advertfs-
ing that has been done. The sexpan-
sion of the trade has simply kept step
with the expansion of the advertising
business. The second cause has been
the increased number of people who
are able to buy mineral waters. But
most of all, 1t has been due to the in
creased interest Of the American
people in pure drinking water. De-
spite the gradual substitution OF fill
tered water in the cities for the old
fashioned polluted supply the consump-
ton OF mineral waters continued un-
abated. In Washington o complete
filtration system has given the city as
pure water as any large municipality
in the country enjoys. Yet Washing
ton mineral water stores concede that
they have never sold so much water
as they have been selling since the
filtration plant went into operation.
The prohibition movement IL also ssid
to be responsible in q measure for the
increased trade In mineral water.
Four states produce about one half
OF all the mineral water entering into
the commerce of the country. Mime
sofa ranks, first with nearly 10000, GOO
gallons to her credit. New York second
with 100000 gallons, and Wisconsin
is close third. Massachusetts, pro-
adSSb FsbVVfVOV BHtlOH5 ana virginia
over 100000 gallons. Indiana Is in
class all to itself In the price 1t gets
for mineral waters, which Is ninety
nine cents a gallon. West Virginia is
its closest competitor. with an average
price OF fffty-nine cents. The average
for the United States Is fifteen cents
gallon. Only four states average
more than thirty cents. ~
It is generally conceded that purity
ts about the only prerequisite to the
successful exploitation of table
water. and after that 1t all depends
upon advertising. hillside spring
that has, hitherto rendered no more Inn
portant service than to supply water
for q farmers stock may be trans
formed into a paying spring property.
with its output finding a market at
fifty cents per gallons. In twenty
five years the number OF springs in
the United States furnishing medi-
cinal or table waters on commercial
scale has increased from $50 to nearly
500. and the production has Increased
more than seven-folj.
In addition to the sales of water, the
listed springs OF the United States
have accomodationgS for some 10000
guests. The great majority Of these
are open only five months In the year.
Tberesare1p erhapsS as aflahy springs
which, are sesDrtss rand switch do not
sell mineral Axatep, as there are that
do. It is probahis that more than half
a million people visit the medicinal
springs of the country for a period
of at least two weeks In the South
these resorts become the social head
quarters during the summer and the
allurements of the seaside can never
take their trade away. Elsewhere the
sea has been shown to be greater
drawing card for the vacationist than
the mountains. All the social world
when the Greenbrier White
was the great meeting place for the
beaus and bellies OF the North and the
South. But those romantic days have
passed with the generation that knew
them.
1t has been estimated that there are
10000 springs In the United States
whose waters might have CONNER
cial value. II every city in the United
States used as much bottled water.
In proportion 10 the population, as do
the cities of Minneapolis and ST. Paul
1t would take the combined flow OF
all these to supply the demand. 1t is
two cities. supplied from large springs
close by, that makes Minnesota the
premier water.producing state of the
Union. @
Some three centuries ago the world
did not Sunderstand where all the water
that supplied the springs of the earth
came from, and men began to figure
that they would so dry. But Haley
the eminent English scientist who dis
covered the great comet which bears
his name, figured out that the eyapora-
ton from the sea was sufficient to sup
ply all the springs and streams of the
world so long as the process went on,
and since. then mankind has rested
easy on that score.
1t Is a peculiar fact that the mineral
waters of the country are never con-
slant in the amount of mineral they
contain. Under the pure food law the
mineral water trade has been carefully
watched for evidences of misbranding.
In many instances waters have been
seized that did not measure up to the
branded statements, AMI yet the vendor
was perfectly innocent of any evil in
tent. Analyses made ten years ago
might well have shown everything Just
as claimed, but since that time there
NAV have been such a deterioration as
to render 1t a very different water.
often waters will be strong OF mineral
at one time and weak at another,
strong In a dry season and weak in
wet season. It is this variableness of
mineral waters that has led the ply
stefan to prescribe drugs possessing
the same properties instead Of the
water itself, though there are many
waters for which It is difficult for them
to offer a substitute.
Hydrotherapy, or water cure, has
been a favorite In the therape utic
world for many a year A recent case
possesses considerable interest A New
York invalid was told by his ply