Thomas Adams (1818-1905) fancied himself quite an inventor. But things were not going well for him. Try as he might, he could not turn chicle into rubber products. As his experiments failed and his frustration grew, he popped a piece of chicle into his mouth. And a new industry, chewing gum, was thereby born. Adams Chewing Gum swept the nation. Its brand names, "Black Jack" (introduced in 1884) and Chiclets (1899) became household names. In 1888, Adams installed the first Tutti Fruitti gum machines along New York City's elevated train lines; put a penny in the machine, turn, and get a piece of gum. They were a sensation for years on the elevated, then later on the subways.
Thomas Adams (1818-1905) fancied himself quite an inventor. But things were not going well for him. Try as he might, he could not turn chicle into rubber products. As his experiments failed and his frustration grew, he popped a piece of chicle into his mouth. And a new industry, chewing gum, was thereby born. Adams Chewing Gum swept the nation. Its brand names, "Black Jack" (introduced in 1884) and Chiclets (1899) became household names. In 1888, Adams installed the first Tutti Fruitti gum machines along New York City's elevated train lines; put a penny in the machine, turn, and get a piece of gum. They were a sensation for years on the elevated, then later on the subways.
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