1909
IT HAPPENED IN…1909
Robert Edwin Peary reached the North Pole for the
first time in recorded history.
The National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) was founded to advance justice for African
Americans.
Henry Ford’s 19,051 Model T’s led the auto
industry in production and sales.
New fashion and beauty standards evolved as women
began driving automobiles.
4,916 U.S. soft drink bottling plants were in
operation. Per capita
consumption was 16.2 bottles.
A
pocket-sized, four page “Hires Offers 1909” brochure was published in
late 1908 as part of Hires’ marketing preparations for 1909.
In addition to four separate offers based on the quantity of
Hires Syrup purchased, Hires Steins were $2.00 per dozen, and a Hires
Syrup Dispensing Jar was $10.00 “Equipped with the best syrup pump on
the market. Capacity one
gallon. Yours as long as
you serve the genuine Hires Syrup out of it.”
(Figure
1909-01, Hires
Offers 1909 brochure)
(Figure
1909-02,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, January 1909)
Page 7 of the
J. W. Edgerly & Company 1909 Catalog offered the Hires Munimaker
priced at $150.00, a brass and nickel-plated holder for six syrup
dispensing bottles (labeled Chocolate, Lemon, Vanilla, Pineapple,
Orange, and Raspberry), a liquid gas outfit, and an oak counter with a
marble top “sufficiently large to hold the ‘Munimaker’ and leave space
for serving the drinks.”
(Figure
1909-03, J. W.
Edgerly & Company Catalog, 1909)
(Figure
1909-04,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, April 1909)
(Figure
1909-05,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, May 1909)
These three Munimaker advertisements also ran in the
Bulletin of Pharmacy during
1909. Note the pictured
salesman’s sample Munimaker in the first example.
(Figure
1909-06,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, 1909)
This Bulletin
of Pharmacy magazine advertisement boasted the Munimaker is
“guaranteed to run right and last as long as any soda fountain…it will
do what it is now doing for over 1000
present users and they
all paid the same price.”
(Figure
1909-07,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, 1909)
(Figure
1909-08,
Bulletin of Pharmacy magazine, 1909)
The Story of Hires
caption for the accompanying image reads “This photograph, taken in
Fralinger’s, Atlantic City, in 1909, shows the original Hires Dispenser
which inaugurated an entirely new way of serving and merchandising soft
drinks.” Several Hires cups
are included in addition to a Hires Munimaker.
Fralinger’s Confectionery, an Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk
landmark, is known internationally for their famous salt water taffy.
(Figure 1909-09, Munimaker
dispenser at Fralinger’s, Atlantic City, New Jersey)
The May 1909
National Bottlers’ Gazette carried these strong thoughts concerning
“Tax on Sugar” written by Editor William B. Keller:
It
may surprise our readers to know that the full duty on raw sugar is
practically 80%...our National legislators have in their wisdom seen fit
to impost on imported sugar one of the highest rates of duty provided
for in the entire tariff schedule…While this food product pays of tariff
rate of 80%, many articles of luxury are taxed at much lower rates.
Thus, costly furs pay only 35%; expensive feathers and trimmed
hats, 50%; rare paintings and statuary, 20%; automobiles, 45%; and
diamonds, 10%...These illustrations are sufficient to show that the
principle of imposing taxes on those most able to pay them was not
considered when the tariff schedule on sugar was adopted.
This hour glass-shaped, ceramic Hires syrup jar has a
semi-automatic top pump and early graphics.
This jar was first introduced in late 1909 and was available
until 1922.
(Figure 1909-10, ceramic syrup
jar, 13.5” high not including the pump)