Morris tribune., 1882-04-13
AN HOUR WITH ROYALTY.
Notes from Conversation With One Of New
Y0rk's Business Kings,
Whose Work Is Often In the Mouths of Discree
NOrthWesterners,


Y0rk's Business Kings,
Whose Work is Often In the Mouths OF Discreet
NOrthwesterners.
And Whose Words Should Have Attention From
All Who Ever Eat. .l
From the Pioneer Press, April g
member of the PIONEER PRESS staf
who recently spent fortnight in New York.
one morning threaded his way down Broad
way to old Trinity church, and thence along
the best-known and most-talked of fnan-
cial thoroughfare on. the face of the
earth, to the intersection of Wall and
Front streets, intent upon q friendly call
upon gentleman whose ''raising" had been in
the same country neighborhood as his own,
and who now heads an important department
in the greatest producer known in the
world Of what the old danes style ''risin y
The Journalists friend was found, quite
unexpectedly, in new and elegant build
ng Of the modern style of severe but attractive
architecture, the entire second floor Of which
occupied by the beautiful executive
offices Of the great mandatory with which he
identified. An invitation to inspect
he apartments was readily accepted,
"ha 'aoAi oiiSut, CHiaStc, ash WOOuWOTh
and furniture, luxurious carpets, tasteful fit
tings and adornments, and happy adaptation
to the easy dispatch of an enormous business,
were greatly enjoyed. The stroll through
these rooms fortunately brought the visitor in
contact with Mr.. Hoagland, president of the
Royal Baking Powder company, who happened
at the moment to be greatly interested in the
progress of his steam yacht, now building
subject of agreeable mental enthusiasm to
trio of gentlemen who love aquatic sport
The yacht discussed, conversation drifted
very naturally to baking powder and the mag
nitude of the Royal companys business. The
correspondent, seeing here that which would
assuredly interest his northwestern constituent
cy, made note book of his head, and attempt
ed TO start the Royal president upon subject
of so much moment by this approach:
"Mr. Hoagland, have not as much dlsposi-
ton to pry into your business as curiosity to
know how many pounds of baking powder your
company manufactures per year."
"Well," said that gentleman, during the
year 1881 we sold about
TWELVE MILLIONS OF CANS,
making an aggrsga,e ane of Of 100000 pounds.
''To what do you attribute this marvellous
sale Of your powder?"
"To the simple fact, sir, that we have aimed
to make our goods the best that can by any
possibility be produced. With us it has never
been question of cost when we could
Baking powder. We firmly believe,
yes, we know by experience. that the Ameri-
can people, above all others, want the best, and
that they are willing to pay fair price for an
indubitably good article"
Il have noticed that your company has been
prominent in exposing the use OF alum and
other authorizations"
eyes, We have made it a principle in our
business to use only pure and wholesome ma
terials. and whenever we find competitors who
arc manufacturing adulterated and injurious
baking powders we are not GLOW in exposing
them"
what class of powders do you find most
adulterated?'
''There are many alum powders on the mar
ket," said Mr.. Hoagland. 'Small manu-
factnrers all over the country, who
have no facilities for determining
are putting up powders that would be an abom-
ination in the eyes Of any respectable chemist
Such manufacturers may be honest in inten-
ton, but honesty is only the beginning of the
matter"
"a good beginning" the newspaper man in-
terpolated, "but by no means the end of the
race"
Exactly" said Mr.. H. Knowledge and ex-
perience, with capital and facilities, as inl-
portant as honesty in avoiding the manifold
deceptions and iniquities abounding in baking
powder materials Their strength is variable
*
to health. Why, it would be just as proper for
GRoCERS TO COMPOUND PHYSICIANS PREsCR1P-
TONS,
where chemical knowledge is required, as it
would be for them to formulate and manufac-
ture baking powder"
''Then You test all your materials before
using them?"
'sWhy, certainly. 1t is as easy for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle as for any i'm
purity to creep into the materials we use in
our factory over there i'll Brooklyn without our
knowing it."
''Are your chemical processes so perfect as
all that!''
Gust as perfect as that We have three prac-
tical chemists constantly employed in search
ing for impurities and in determining the pro-
portions in which they are found Any article
which falls a jot below the full standard of
strength and purity is rejected from the Royal
baking powder. In short, no precaution that
We can in any way devise, or that money can
procure, ls neglected We do not merely be-
Iieve that honesty is the best policy but
food products that they shall furnish articles
which will stand unsparing scrutiny as to quail
ty, without shadow of reproach.
'How many different brands of baking pow
der are there" r
'sOh ask me where they are not to be found
They are almost as the sands on the seashore. :"
s'Well, after all, if you will allow me, why
can't the small manufacturers make reliable
baking powder?n
why can't little company with 800, 900
build aud operate one of your big northwestern
ix-thousand- mile railway systems?"
'Manifestly, because they have not the nec-
essary means and facilities"
''Of course Well, it's exactly so with the
small baking powder men. They have not, nor
can they get the
NECESSARY FACILITIES TO DETECT FRAUD
in their materials. So they are at the mercy
of those from whom they purchase, and their
limited capital prevents their employing ex-
pensive analytical chemists to protect them
and their customers from adulterations 1t is
a positive fact that cream tartar and other
materials used in confessedly honest attempts
at pure baking powders are greatly adulterated,
as found in the market; and it is exactly at this
point that we take the greatest precaution.
We import our own materials, and refine them
in our own factory nnder the care Of expert
enced chemists, so that it is practically i'm
than uniform in purity and strength"
"Haven't seen occasional attacks upon
your claims in this particularly"
''Oh, yes; we get a crihque now and then; (;
but, pshawl we have no time to stop and de-
fend ourselves against these petty attacks"
Gas compared with others in the market,
what is the strength Of the Royal2"
well, f" said Mr.. a., reaching for a pigeon
hole in his desk, ''some time ago
THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST
made an examination as to comparative merits
Of nearly all the prominent powders in mar
ket Taking some Of those mainly
sold up in your region, that othcer
made the following report as to comparative
strength, the figures indicating the number OF
cubic inches Of gas per each ounce of powder, =
which is an exact statement Of real strength"
Royal. 1874
Ut. Fr1Ge D.. ..................... .lO2.o
Gtlletts .:...;.................- s42
Andrews Contains alum). 7S.15
"What section Of the country do you mainly
supply?"
"Oh, we don't know sections. We ship tc
every part Of the United States and Canadas,
and to nearly every country with which ours
has commercial relations Our export trade to
England, Scotland, Japan, the West Indies, and &C
on, is very large, and as steady az the fow Of q
river. Our books show that the people of the
Northwest value our powder, and we certainly
appreciate your wonderful country"
With thanks for the compliment, the CORE
spondent made his adieux, pleased at having
secured 90 much Of interest from one who is
habitually reticent about his business affairs,
and concerning corporation OF such high po-
sition as that Of this great company.