“Silliman was a chemistry professor at Yale College, and

he wanted to supplement his small paycheck while also

doing something altruistic for mankind. Silliman
believed that carbonated waters could be used as
medicine, so he set up a business in New Haven,
Connecticut, selling bottled carbonated water.” Though
Silliman had little success selling the drink at his local
apothecary, he decided to expand his business, designing
a larger-capacity carbonation apparatus and securing
investments to open two pump rooms in New York City.

In 1809, Silliman started selling his soda water at the

Tontine coffeehouse and the City Hotel, elegant
establishments that catered to an elite clientele (the
Tontine was in the same building as the New York Stock
Exchange). In addition to their supposedly beneficial
products, these early soda fountains were designed to
create an uplifting environment, adorned with marble
counters and ornate brass soda dispensers. However,
Silliman continued to focus on the medical benefits of his
soda water, while his competitors recognized that the
social aspects of drinking were potentially more
appealing.