Edgar Rulison and When Soda Pop Came to Muskogee
The year was 1890. During those twelve months, Muskogee saw the arrival of carbonated soda drinks. Edgar R. Rulison got the idea of selling soft drinks in his hometown while in St. Louis buying drugstore supplies.
Rulison, of Danish origins, came to Muskogee about 1885 to be a clerk in Dr. Mason F. Williams' drugstore. He gained clerking experience in a grocery store in Burlingame, Kansas following the sudden death of his father in a sawmill accident. By the time Dr. Williams and Rulison met, Edgar had years of sales experience.
Drugstore business was successful until the fire of March 27, 1887 destroyed Dr. Williams' office and drugstore. At the same time, the fire destroyed every other building downtown except for a hotel. One merchant rebuilt his hardware store on the northeast corner of present day Main and Broadway.
A row of narrow wooden structures sprang up north of the lumberyard adjacent to the hardware store. The town post office operated out of the building next to the lumberyard. Dr. Williams' office stood next door to the post office. It was upstairs over the drug store operated by Edgar Rulison.
Early in 1890, before he started selling soft drinks, Rulison joined Muskogee's first band as its bass drummer. A few years later, he got fellow band member Ben Bellis to plumb his home. It was one of the first houses in Muskogee to have indoor plumbing.
Edgar began selling soda drinks by the glass in his drugstore in 1890. His soda fountain combined syrup with carbonated water. The concoction was a patent medicine remedy advertised for many ailments from headaches to drug addictions. Over time, the lure of a sweetened drink on a hot territorial day increased consumption for non-medical purposes.
Marshall Bragdon worked as a post office clerk and as a court clerk until failing health forced him, like Theodore Roosevelt, to take up an outdoor life on a nearby ranch. After regaining his health, he returned to Muskogee and asked Rulison to go into partnership. Rulison agreed and the two opened a drug store on South Main just a few blocks from Rulison's former location.
Following a fire on February 23, 1899 that destroyed downtown Muskogee again, Rulison set up a soda fountain at home and continued peddling carbonated drinks. The fire, however, brought about a surge in people realizing the value of insurance coverage.
At the same time, there was increasing awareness by Muskogee businessmen that the opening up of Indian Territory meant there would be greater interest in buying and selling land. Consequently, Rulison sold his soft drink company, the Muskogee Bottling Works, in 1903. He never sold merchandise over the counter again.
Edgar R. Rulison lived a long life in Muskogee. He married Ruth Myers in 1887 and had two sons. On March 8, 1888, he became the first Master of Arms for the newly instituted Phoenix Lodge #3 of the Knights of Pythias.
Soda pop was Rulison's ticket to success. By 1912, Rulison was worth an estimated $100,000. Between 1906 and 1913, he spent some of his money traveling around the world. In his travels, he visited Europe, Australia and South America.
After Rulison sold the Muskogee Bottling Works in 1903, he worked as a real estate agent. He began selling insurance about 1910, finally retiring in 1939. Edgar R. Rulison died in 1954. He rests in Memorial Park Cemetery west of town.
Rulison, of Danish origins, came to Muskogee about 1885 to be a clerk in Dr. Mason F. Williams' drugstore. He gained clerking experience in a grocery store in Burlingame, Kansas following the sudden death of his father in a sawmill accident. By the time Dr. Williams and Rulison met, Edgar had years of sales experience.
Drugstore business was successful until the fire of March 27, 1887 destroyed Dr. Williams' office and drugstore. At the same time, the fire destroyed every other building downtown except for a hotel. One merchant rebuilt his hardware store on the northeast corner of present day Main and Broadway.
A row of narrow wooden structures sprang up north of the lumberyard adjacent to the hardware store. The town post office operated out of the building next to the lumberyard. Dr. Williams' office stood next door to the post office. It was upstairs over the drug store operated by Edgar Rulison.
Early in 1890, before he started selling soft drinks, Rulison joined Muskogee's first band as its bass drummer. A few years later, he got fellow band member Ben Bellis to plumb his home. It was one of the first houses in Muskogee to have indoor plumbing.
Edgar began selling soda drinks by the glass in his drugstore in 1890. His soda fountain combined syrup with carbonated water. The concoction was a patent medicine remedy advertised for many ailments from headaches to drug addictions. Over time, the lure of a sweetened drink on a hot territorial day increased consumption for non-medical purposes.
Marshall Bragdon worked as a post office clerk and as a court clerk until failing health forced him, like Theodore Roosevelt, to take up an outdoor life on a nearby ranch. After regaining his health, he returned to Muskogee and asked Rulison to go into partnership. Rulison agreed and the two opened a drug store on South Main just a few blocks from Rulison's former location.
Following a fire on February 23, 1899 that destroyed downtown Muskogee again, Rulison set up a soda fountain at home and continued peddling carbonated drinks. The fire, however, brought about a surge in people realizing the value of insurance coverage.
At the same time, there was increasing awareness by Muskogee businessmen that the opening up of Indian Territory meant there would be greater interest in buying and selling land. Consequently, Rulison sold his soft drink company, the Muskogee Bottling Works, in 1903. He never sold merchandise over the counter again.
Edgar R. Rulison lived a long life in Muskogee. He married Ruth Myers in 1887 and had two sons. On March 8, 1888, he became the first Master of Arms for the newly instituted Phoenix Lodge #3 of the Knights of Pythias.
Soda pop was Rulison's ticket to success. By 1912, Rulison was worth an estimated $100,000. Between 1906 and 1913, he spent some of his money traveling around the world. In his travels, he visited Europe, Australia and South America.
After Rulison sold the Muskogee Bottling Works in 1903, he worked as a real estate agent. He began selling insurance about 1910, finally retiring in 1939. Edgar R. Rulison died in 1954. He rests in Memorial Park Cemetery west of town.
Labels: Dr. Mason F. Williams, Edgar R. Rulison, Marshall Bragdon, Muskogee Bottling Works, Ruth Myers
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