The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-01-15
Sensation in New Yo1k-Adnlteration
of Food and Drink,

of Food and Drink.
An intense excitement is prevailing in
New York over recent disclosures of extern
sive authorizations 10 food and drink sold In
that city and the short weights of the GRO
GERS. The general facts as to liquors are
thus summarized:
Some time since the metropolitan ex>
else commissioners directed an examination
to be made With chemical analysis of lio :
uors sod in the lower class of saloons in
New York. A report of this investigation
Is now published Sixteen SAMPLES of
brandy and Bourbon, or the fluids sold nm
der those designations, were tested. and of
these only four were found to be clear of all
traces of iasel OIL All were more or less
adulterated. The World has been pur-
suing similar investigation only instead
OF selecting its samples of liquors from the
low cheap bar rooms of the city, it has ia.
Ken the liquors sold at the large hotels and
first>class saloons. On comparison of the
reports of the Horld and the excise board
OF officers We find that the respectable tip
pier who pays his twenty cents tor whiskey
and forty cents for brandy has no advan>
tage except possibly in favor, over the less
fastidious convlvlalist who pays tut ten
cents nip In less stylish quarters. The
excise commissioner report is, in fact, the
most favorable of the two, and if the re
ports are equally reliable, it would seem
that the higher price liquors are the worst
adulterated, containing more absolutely
deleterious ingredients than the cheaper
articles. One thing is determined that
very little pure liquor of any kind is sold :;
that most Of the stuff dispensed in the bar,
rooms is poisonous and injur Gus to the
health OF those who drink it. The board of
health Is part OF the same concern as the
hoard OF excise, the excise commissioners
are health commissioners also, and with the
facts now officially laid before them it is
plainly their duty TO take some steps to
punish and prevent the sale Of adulterated
liquors as dangerous to the public health
The commissioners license the bar>rooms
where these liquors are sold. The advo~
Gates OF the excise law have boosted Of the
: achievements OF the law in collecting some
Two or three million dollars year for Ii
censes, In shutting up the lager beer gar
Cens on Sunday, depriving large class of
the community who have no other time for
recreation OF the means of innocent enjoy
ment, while The excise board has utterly
disregarded its plain duty to protect the
public against the sale Of poisonous liquors.
Ii has virtually said to the liquor dealer,
pay your license fee AND close your house ut
the proper hours, and you may sell what
you please. While pretending to care
great deal about the morals they have paid
no regard to the health of the community
According to the metropolitan code it is
crime to sell & lass of ale one minute be-
fore sunrise, or after II o'clock at night,
but quite legitimate to sell rank poison IN
der license from the board of excise. In
ordering this investigation it looks as
though the excise board might have some
intention at this late day of trying to pro-
tecs the public from the deadly imposition
practlced under the authority of its license.
The sale OF adulterated articles of any kind
Is a violation of the law, and every liquor
dealer who sells adulterated liquors is liable
10 criminal prosecution. Let the board Ct
health make a beginning by prosecuting
dealers whose samples of liquors made by
conviction and exemplary punishment
would soon effect revolution in the liquor
business. The revocation Of license might
also follow detection in selling adulterated
liquor. The enforcement of this latter PEN
atty at the present moment would shut up
nearly every bar room in New York, from
the Astor house to Aliens mill In w alter
street, and possibly leave very few open in
Brooklyn
As to the food the developments are no
less interesting:
Purchases were made from large mum
Der of our dealers, and the articles were re-
weighed, and also submitted to chemical
analysis. The World publishes the results
OF its Investigations from day to day, and
estimates the losses to consumers thi ough
the rascalities of the sellers at Is per cent.
on the aggregate purchases by the people
Of that city. The figures given by the
World do not seem to sustain SO high
percentage, but it would appear that the
loss to the consumer is at least f.om eight
to ten per cent. The exposure has created
quite furry amongst the dealers in New
York, end the World is filed daily with
cards by the delinquents, giving various
excuses for light weights and authorizations
proved upon their packages. In the mat
ter of weights they plead shrinkage after
the packages have been left in their hands
or that they are not responsible if their
weights are out OF order when they officially
examined but once year. To these the
World replies that the shrihkage could not
De much IN couple OF hours, and could
certainly not account for the discrepancy of
an ounce in a pound package; and as for
the wear and tear of the weights and scales,
the grocers always watch them carefully
enough to see that they do not give over
weight. They keep themselves well in
formed if their scales ever indicate too
much therefore they must be equally well
informed If they indicate too little.
Doubtless large proportion of the
drunkenness and disease which prevail in the
country are due to the causes enumerated.