The Washington herald., 1913-07-27
Perfected by Skill and Enter
prise 1t Has Become Known
Nationally, but Now Is Sold
IN All Civilized Countries.

The soda fountsin-which has made
soda water, in the modern sense, pos
sible-occupies dtDtinctive and
unique position In the history Of the
worlds industry. 1t is an American
invention, and, perfected by American
skill and pushed by American enter
prise, it has become an American In
stitution. national in scope and char
acter, yet one which has followed the
flag into the Far East and has become
a peaceful invader of Mexico. the Do
minion of Canada, England, and the
Continent" So says the Pharmaceuti-
cal Era in an interesting review OF
The Soda Fountain Industry" by
Louis A. Becker. from which. by per-
mission, the following story and Illus
trations are CLEANED:
Eighty Years Old Beverage.
not been recognized as healthful bev-
erage much longer than the life Of the
well-preserved man Of fourscore. Its real
history, from the point of view Of the
fountain owner and operator and the
historian, can be covered within the
scope Of eighty years. while the great
est development and most remarkable
changes in the soda water and soda
fountain industry have been brought
about during the last quarter of a
century.
"Carbonic acid, without which the
soda and sundae would not be possi-
Bile, was known to Paracelsus in the
early part of the seventeenth century
about 1Ss0-and was further investi-
gated by Van Helmont, the Belgian
chemist. about 100 years later. To des-
ignate II, the latter coined the word
gas the term now commonly used
by dispensers and fountain operators
in designating the carbon dioxide
which puts the sparkle and the fizz
into soda water. or. more properly
speaking. into carbonated water. The
name soda comes from the first method
of production.
"In 1850, Gabriel venel. a French
physician. mixed two drains OF soda
and marine (muratic) acid in a pint Of
water contained in an ordinary glass
bottle. Twenty years later-in ITO
Bergman, Swedish chemist, gen.
Grated carbonic acid gas from chalk
by the use Of sulphuric acid and in
vented . generating apparatus which
made its production on q comparative
ly large scale possible.
OxyKen Gas Discoverer.
'.But all this was merely preliminary.
In 1857. Just q few years prior. to the
American Revolution and five years
antedating the perfection of the steam
engine by Watt, DR.. Joseph Priestly.
1t Leeds, England. made the first
drinkable glass Of soda water. 1t was
prepared by pouring water briskly
back and forth between two goblets
held in . layer of carbon dioxide on
the top Of fermenting mash in brew
cry vat.
4 "The cisterns are placed In the cellar.
and the waters are conveyed into the bar
in block-tin tubes, which pass up into the
mahogany pillars, crowned with gilt turns
and lettered with the name Of the re-
spective waters. The pillars where the
turn stands are q foot apart, and the
middle one Is raised above the others.
Silver stop-cocks inserted in the side OF
the pillars give the whole much neatness
and richness Of appearance"
The account goes on to state that the
proprietors Of this establishment intend
to open fountains at the city hall In the
month Of May, in a spacious room. lifted
up and ornamented In handsome style.
and adapted to the accommodation OF
ladies' a. well as gentlemen. The Ball
uton seltxer waters are prepared accord
ng to an accurate analysis; and, In order
10 give the soda water its proper ef1ciency
L u made with the full proportion di-
rected BY the dispensatory 1t II also
noted oontemporaneously that soda water
was made in New York about the same
lime by Q Mr.. Usher; that 1t was sold
both from the soda fountain and in stone
bottles. and that 1T bore good repu-
lation."
Just loe years ago, In 1910. the first pat
mt for soda water apparatus IN this
>ountry was granted to Simmons 4 Run
iell, Of Charleston. s. c. The patent
covered . method "of saturating water
With nxed air." but the process was nevsr
successful Within dec
lde, John Matthews. who had learned the
business in England under Bramah, be-
Ian the manufacture Of soda water and