Dr. Pepper and the Taylor Greer family of Mineola
Carbonated water has bubbled from spring in Europe since Roman times. During the 18th century, scientists experimented with "fixed air" and produced aerated waters. Some of these used bicarbonate of soda in their experiments and the term "soda water" entered the English language.
The soft drink industry in Texas dates from 1839 when Dr. Thomas Mitchell, an English physician living in Houston, opened an apothecary shop with a soda fountain. The first actual notice of a soda-water manufacturer in Texas was issued in 1866 when a Houston city directory listed J.J.C. Smith's establishment as a "mineral water manfactory."
By the 1890s, two beverages had changed the character of the soft drink industry. In 1885, a Waco pharmacist, Dr. Charles Alderson, originated Dr. Pepper Phos-Ferrates. A year later, in Atlanta, Georgia, John Pemberton created Coca-Cola.
In 1891, a feed store operator in Dublin, Texas, began bottling soda-water, including Dr. Pepper. Other plants soon followed in Central Texas.
During the 1890s there was no Texas bottling plant that advertised a franchised soft drink and no company listed such a product in its company or corporate name. Between 1914 and 1924, a number of flavor manufacturers or distributors began offering franchises patterned after the Coca-Cola model. In 1922 Texas had 179 bottling works and in 1924, Texas bottlers marketed 11 trademarked products.
On March 15th, 1926, the Greer Bottling Works of Mineola received a franchise for bottling Orange Crush. Prior to this, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Greer had bottled milk and other flavored drinks.
The bottling business was located at 122 North Johnson Street in Mineola. This was considered an ideal site for such a business and Wood County is virtually criss-crossed with flowing streams. The first settlers found numerous springs, small natural lakes and flowing rivers in the area.
Mineola's best known supply of water was located beneath the town itself. In fact, historical maps in 1885 confirm that a public water well existed at what is today the intersection of Broad Street (U.S. Hwy 80) and North Johnson Street.
The well was just a block from the site of the bottling company owned by the Greers. An analysis of the water in 1913 revealed more than 12 minerals associated with healing properties.
Mrs. Ebbie Bomar Greer was in charge of business affairs for the bottling business and her office was located on the north side of the building. Mr. Taylor Greer supervised the bottling operation and machines, as well as the management of all other aspects of the business.
In the early 1930s, the Greers remodeled the building and the plant. A conveyor machine was installed to speed up the bottling process. The conveyor had an endless belt system that ran in a circle. One employee had the responsibility to place the empty bottles on the tract. When the track had made the full circle, all bottles were filled and capped.
Then another employee removed the bottles from the machine. These were checked for any foreign substances and all those found to be clear were placed in wooden cases and made ready for sale and delivery.
Greer installed the conveyor system facing a large plate glass window at the front of the building. The new system interested local residents who would often stands on the sidewalk in front of the building and watch the drinks being bottled.
Dr. Pepper and Orange Crush were not the only drinks bottled by the Mineola plant. Other flavors included lemon-lime, grape, cream soda, and a milk chocolate beverage.
Some of the employees at the bottling company while it was in business were: John Hallmark, Henry Fisher, Bobby Oglesby, Elbert Willingham, Delmar Crimm, Harry M. Jones, Harrison Rhodes, Dan Kizer, Pat Bogan, Pete Dean and Bruce Bomar.
(This story will be continued in the next edition of Wood County History.)
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