Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1920 — Where Soft Drinks Originated. [ARTICLE]

Where Soft Drinks Originated.

A Philadelphia writer says that there is not much inspiration for poetry in soda water. Let it be remembered that another “first” to be credited to Philadelphia is for the manufacture of soda water —that is to say, the commonly accepted beverage with fruit sirups. It wap made by Eugene Roussel, who conducted/ a perfumery establishment here about a century ago. Moreover, the Philadelphia centennial finally confirmed the important place of the Industry and the popularity of the beverage in the United States. Robert M. Green began to build soda fountains in ’74, showed one at the centennial, and at the Franklin institute exposition, held not long thereafter, dispensed his new invention, “ice cream soda,” to an increasing throng that presently was paying S2OO a day over the? counter for the seductive new “soft drinks.” With the present soda water and soda fountain business approximating one billion dollars a year, this Philadelphia born industry is still in its infancy. But what a prodigious infant it is!—Philadelphia Public Ledger.