The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-04
Raced Atlantis Office
Recalls Mineral Water
Era Half Century Back

The wrecking OF the Owen build
ings on the Forest Avenue property
which in earlier days was known
as the Foote property. and which
was recently added to the Michigan
State Normal College campus re-
calls a healing springs epoch OF
Ypsilanti history begun 90 years
ago.
In 1884 Tubal Cain owen sank
an sos foot well on his farm near
Forest Ave. and secured his trade
mark for Ypsilanti Mineral Water
also known as Atlantis Water.
This trademark consisted of a pago-
da-shaped well house covering a
geyser-like fountain TO which on
the one side are carried the sick
ON litters. Near by crippled chill
dren. grandpas. and grandmas with
long full skirts hobble on crutches
and canes.
On the other side OF the healing
fountain, the sick has taken up
his bed and walks, grandpa dances
a hornpipe. and the cured urchin
runs to climb tree. This side of
the picture resembles a radio COM
mentators account OF scenes in
liberated Paris.
This trademark OF Tubal Cain
Owens brought fame to Ypsilanti.
for the picture of the owen foun-
tain appeared on bottles OF water
sent all over the United States
from Boston to Chicago. The water
brought eight dollars for barrel
OF 80 gallons, and sometimes 400
carloads a month were shipped at
$500 a carload.
Another product which "combin-
ed delightful beverage with heal
ing water" was Paragon Ginger
Ale. II cost eight dollars for a
case of so quarts.
Extensive correspondence in the
owen files shows that Mr.. Owen
gave a rebate of 70 cents a dozen
or three dollars a case for returned
bottles. From the correspondence
one can deduce that many argu-
ments ensued about just how many
bottles had been returned.
The flowing fountain trademark
also graeed the bottles of mineral
salts for internal and external
USE. 1t was suggested in the di-
rections that patients be sponged
with the mineral salts moistened
with good whiskey." These min
eral salts, without the whiskey, Of
course, cost rs cents a bottle They
were highly recommended for
Cholera Morbus and Summer Com.
plant.
Besides water, gingerale, and
mineral salts, Mr.. Owen offered for
sale Plasters, pure gums, saturat-
ed with residue of the mineral wat
er, and are to be used in all cases
where a plaster is needed" Here
again the sufferer Is advised to rub
a little whiskey or alcohol on the
plaster with the end of the finger
before using.
Then, too, for ladies and gentle
men who desired compilations
beautified and the hair made SOFT
and glossy" Mr.. owen made two
soaps-Salicura and Sapon, and
in advertising Mr.. owen seems
to have done pretty well for him
self. He says of Sapon soap, 80
mild is it's action that even the
delicate skin of an infant is posi-
lively benefited by its use" and
that anyone's complexion is beau
tilted and hair rendered soft and
glossy" 1t cost 25 cents a cake,
neatly boxed, three cakes TO the
box-or three dollars dozen
cakes.
Along with the soap were adver-
tised a healing ointment at 25 cents
a box and a mineral powder to be
snuffed up the nose for hay fever.
The snuffer was advised to perse-
we're with his snufiing even though
the sensation is very severe" for
he is advised, 1T will soon pass
away and the after-effect is good. "
The price for this powder was 25
cents also.
AS Rev. Mr.. Colburn has point
ed out in his History of Ypsi-
lanti" Tubal Cain owen carried
on brisk warfare with the owners
OF rival mineral wells. who had de-
rided the owen water as being