Tulsa - A Tulsa man has found an artifact that could shed light on the beginnings of Dr. Pepper.

Bill Waters found an old, hand-written ledger book that came from a Waco, Texas drug store where the famous soft drink was invented. He says he began feeling like he found a national treasure.

The ledger was found in a Shamrock, Texas antique store last summer. Waters says he paid two hundred dollars for the 360-page manuscript and eventually spotted a formula for "D. Peppers pepsin bitters". Could it be a precursor to the 1885 formula for Dr. Pepper?

Jack McKinney is the director of the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco. He says it's not, but could be a drink to cure an upset stomach.

The current Dr. Pepper 23 flavored recipe is a closely guarded secret. Bill says he never tried to make the pepsin bitters drink he found in the ledger.

"No, I'm not in the making business," he says. "I'm in the selling business."

Bill's ledger goes up for auction on May 13th. It's estimated it could sell for between 50- and 75-thousand dollars. But, Bill himself says don't be surprised if it goes for at least a million.

He says he would be surprised if Dr. Pepper bids on this piece of their history.

"Well, I just don't think that Dr. Pepper is that connected with their history," he says. "But, hey, they may be. I think a major Texas player would probably be the hot bidder."

Waters says proceeds from the auction will go toward helping his church build a home for the homeless and others down on their luck.

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