The Forward – the 100+ Jewish newspaper – has a wonderful column in which an interepid researcher goes back into their archives, translates some Yiddish, and reports on what happened 100, 75, and 50 years ago. This year some FANTASTIC reports on seltzer have emerged in the 100 category. Here are two:

November 3, 2006
Despite hunger, exhaustion and beatings of employees at the hands of gangs hired by their bosses, the ongoing strike of the Union of Mineral Water Workers is holding fast and is as strong as iron. As of yet, not one worker has broken ranks with the strikers. The strike could be settled in a matter of days, if the bosses and shops would simply accept the union and allow their workers to join it. Until then, the Forward requests that its readers not drink any seltzer unless it has the union label on the bottle. Without the union label, you’ll be drinking bloody seltzer!

and

Sep 15, 2006
100 Years Ago in the forward East Broadway seltzer vendor Henry Mittleman was blown to bits last week after a seltzer tank exploded in the basement of his store. Mittleman, who was working just a few feet from the tank, was thrown more than 20 feet by the blast. After he arrived at the hospital, it was determined that both his legs were broken in a number of places and that he suffered severe internal injuries. He died just an hour after admittance. Ironically, Mittleman had just completed a deal with the Mineral Water Workers Union and had an appointment to meet with them this week.