The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-05
Wealth Co ming From
Source Our Forefathers
Thought Not Of.
VIRGINIA LITHIA:
THE BROAD ROCK
Famous Holly Spring, Now the
Broad Rock Mineral Springs,
Operated by Half-Million
Dollar Company-An I'm
mense Plant in Sight
of Richmond.
by FRANK $. wooDsoN.


Tho pure waters that guah from the
springs in Virginia arc capable of
bringing to the State, and are bring
.hs' immense revenues. and within
the past decade or two there has
sprung up Ia the Old Dominion a line
OF exceedingly profitable business tina,
eur forefstherB with all OF their sa.
Haoity and good business sense never
oreaned OF. The idea OF dipping or
craving water out CT bold spring in
southside Virginia and selling IL for
money and shippins It all over the
Woria never occurred TO our grand
dsddies Indeed, I dare say they would
nave Thought II wicked to Charge"
Tor 30 simple thing as water But
the srandsons think differently, and
tney are making the mineral waters
OF the old State a source of big row
enue and st the same time COM
Fort and Joy to millions OIL people
lar beyond tho limits OF the state.
Pure water and pure food are no long
er regarded as luxuries as in ye o!den
time. but In this twentieth century
are listed among tho actual uecessi-
ties. SO far has this idea grown that
there ere national, State and municipal
laws to compel the selling only. OF
the pure article.
From no land on earth flows purer
water than from the lands OF Virgil
MIA. Especially 10 this true o. the
granite hills that lie to the south of
James River all the way from the
southern bank OF the stream TO the
Dan River valley. /, is this region
that brings forth the famous lithia
waters, and In these latter DAYS they
have become OF vast commercial value.
I.ithtn BeAt in the World.
There are all kinds OF good waters
In this region. some being more OF
medicinal character than others. The
pure l!thia water. for instance. is CON
sldered by the medical fraternity all
over the world as being the very best
In the world
This mineral lithia water business
therefore has grown within the past
fen years TO mammoth proportions.
and many Thousands of dollars are In
verted in plants for the sanitary bot
Ting and shipping OF the health Civ
Ing huid. Richmond is, OF course. the
headquarters for the distribution all
over the country OF lithia waters. and
the largest and most up-to-date plant
for that business Is within three miles
OF thu centre OF the city over in Ches.
terrified county.
Large Gushing Spring.
The Broad Rock Company. with
ample capital. has spent over 100000
IN the making OF IL the finest and
largest plant OF its kind In the coun-
airy. and in amply protecting, not only
the spring, but all % the surround
Ing lands 50 as to guarantees al all
limos absolute purity. To this end
they bought all OF the surrounding
land TO the extent OF 1873 acres. and
have spent piles OF money draining
end thing. and pip!ns the same. so
that no kind OF impurity can md it's
way through tho soil into the spring
The spring 10 an absolute guaher
throwing forth 100000 gallons in
f,.,.r N~S< L. -
solid marble in house that has con-
crete doors four feet thick. and the
houae itsolt Is surrounded BY con-
crete floors that run low down in the
ground. This protection. together with
the thing and draining arrangements
all over the place absolutely pre-
vents any possible contamination
30 say the United States government
experts who visit and inspect the
place periodically to see that the pure
food and drug laws are complied with
and these officials authorize the legal
guarantee as to the purity of the
water.
The water goes by natural fall
through si1-inch glazed pipe 10 a
large porcelain receptacle on the first
floor OF the bottling house. and from
thence It IS conveyed through a block
tin pipe to a block tin tank on the
second floor. thence into thoroughly
sterIlized fvegallon and half-gaflon
bottles. and after these have been
properly sealed they are ready for
shipment.
Complete SterillzinE Plant
The bottles when they arc to be
filled are conveyed by an automatic
conveyer from the storage room 20
the cleaning and sterilizlng depart
nents on the first floor Here they
are washed inside and out with the
spring water. The washer is a costly
machine by which the scrubbing in
side and out Is done with revolving
rubber brushes making 500 revolutions
Ger minute.
From the first washing they go by
the automatic conveycr to the hot
water and steam sterlizcrs, where the
most up-to-date apparatus in the coun-
try has been installed. The bottles
than go in the cases, and again being
put aboard the automatic conveyer
they are carried through a hot air
sterilizer, which is something new.
plant in all the country thus equipped
The bottles. now thoroughly cleansed
q and perfectly sterilizcd and still
travelling by the automatic conveyer,
10 to the filling room on the upper
floor. There the fve-salion carboys
arc filled with the pure Broad Rock
water through a machine that enables
one man or boy In his clean, white
duck suit and rubber gloves to nil six
carboys to the minute. Still sticking
60 the conveyer, the filled bottles pass
and rubber gloves, who. with the aid
Of a rubber mailet. co-ks the same,
wires and corks and places the red
TTS-.tIa,,.l -. TI,t.d