TODAY IN HISTORY: THE DRINKING STRAW IS BORN. HORRORS !!

On January 3, 1888 what we know as the drinking straw was born.

1895 advertisement for Stone’s paper straws, Marvin Stone

Stone began his career as an inventor by creating a machine to make paper cigarette holders. Stone secured a contract with the W. Duke Sons & Co. and opened a factory in Washington, D.C.^[4] to produce cigarette holders for the company’s Cameo brand of cigarettes.^[5]

Later, Stone developed the modern drinking straw.^[2] Prior to Stone’s invention, people used natural rye grass straws, which imparted an undesirable grassy flavor in beverages.^[6] To combat the problem, Stone made the first drinking straw prototypes by spiraling a strip of paper around a pencil and gluing it at the ends.^[7] Next he experimented with paraffin wax-coated manila paper, so that the straw would not get soggy when used. Stone’s straws were 8 1/2 inches long^[8] and had a diameter just wide enough to prevent things like fruit pips from getting lodged in the tube.^[9]

Stone received the patent of the “artificial straw” on January 3, 1888. It was made out of paper.^[9][10]By 1890, Stone’s factory was producing more drinking straws than cigarette holders.^[7]

Stone invented a number of other items during his career, including a kind of fountain pen^[3] and an umbrella.^[11]

Do you imagine Mr. Stone is rolling over in his resting place at what he has wrought on the modern wold?

Plastic Straws may be on their way out but ……

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