The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-24
COMMERCIAL MATTERS.

The Government has purchased OF the
Consoli dated Virgia Mining Company, in ad-
dition to the 81, 500, 900 silver bullion this
month, 50, SOC, 900 in bullion deliverable in
July, 81, 500. 900 of which goes to the Carson
City Mint, and the remainder, 81, OOO,OOO. 10
the San Francisco Mint for coinage. This
last purchase makes total Of $4,000, 600 sill.
yer bullion bought on Government account OF
the Nevada mines since January !:
It is stated that the Treasury Department
hes contra .,ed with Flood & O'Brien, OF San
Francisco, for the purchase OF Sl6,OOO, OOO OF
silver bullion from the Consolidated virginia
Mine.
The Canned.Goods Frauds.
[Chicago Tribune, list inst.l
convention of the packers of canned
goods was held in Philadelphia last week to
take steps to break up the frauds now gener-
ally practiced in all classes of canned goods
The majority of these goods profess that the
cans contain certain weight Of oysters, fish,
corn, tomatoes, and other commodities; but
the competition in the trade has resulted in
putting up cans containing but three-fourths,
or two-thrds, or one.half of the proper
weight In some articles, ounces of con-
tents are all that is sold for 1-pound can.
Some time ago it was discovered that in the
article of imported Malaga raisins there were
gross frauds in the quantities put in the
question in the American Grocer, the trade in
this country made an agreement to buy and
sell that class of goods by the pound instead
of the box, and thus broke up fraud which
had been successfully practiced for years.
The convention Of canned goods packers
agreed upon pledge to adhere to standard
weights and quality, and to afix their own
name and address to every package. The
action of this convention u.s. Of course, In the
49, loFI 81 n1yo SUh hu Q0rnn0 a
reputation for the quality Of their goods. 1t
1, none the less in the interest OF the con-
sumers, who are now regularly defrauded.
They are now informed by the packers
themselves that the designation OF one pound,
two pounds, or three pounds on ca is IN
yariably fallacious, the net contentlDbf the
package never corresponding to the weight
named on the label. 1t is, therefore, their
right to demand that they be served by their
customers refuse to buy and pay for weight
they do not receive, it will cease to be profit.
able to deal in that class Of goods. When
man buys and pays for three pounds OF any
article, he is entitled to demand what he pays
for. The same frauds exist in other articles
than canned goods. Spices put up in pack
ages rarely contain the weight marked upon
them. The Grocer declares emphatically
<'that there is scarcely a single class OF goods
out I'D ana SOlO III ILLS COuutry WAaCA 10 AOt
Short of the weight or measure claimed for
It."
If this be true, the laws establishing stand
ards of weights and measures are practi ,ally
defeated A man selling goods with yard
stick measuring two feet, or with dishonest
scales and weights, upon detection, is liable
to be punished as a criminal; and it is diff :
cult to distinguish from such an act that Of
selling package declared to contain three
pounds when in fact it contains but two
bounds Of the goods sold. The packers ap-
Deal to consumers to weigh the cans before
opening them and weigh them after the con-
tents are removed, and, when the weight is
short of what it was sold for, to demand the
return of a proportionate sum OF the price
paid.
Change in Money Order Fees After July 1.
An official order has been issued by the
United States Treasury Department, setting
forth that by act of Congress, approved
llarch 3, 1875, the fees for domestic money
orders have been changed, 80 that son and
after the LIST day OF Jnly, 1875" the fees or
commissions to be charged and exacted BY
postmasters for the issue of domestic money
orders, will be as follows:
On orders not exceeding SIS. 10 cents.
Over s15 and not exceeding sSo. 10 cents cents
Over $40 /" +" $50...... rs cents.
The British Financial Failures.
Referring to the financial failures now oc-
curing in Great Britain, the New York Iri-
Dune says:
nrvn IN