Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-04
From the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the San Francisco Chronicle
The revolution in Ecuador quickly affected
the chocolate trade of the world, the reason
being that Ecuador bears Just the relation to
the chocolate market that the marshes of China
and of the southern states do to the rice supply
IL Is the great producing field Of the raw ma
teriai- cocoa-and, when an embargo is laid
upon the expectation OF that, the manu-
iactures at once commence to take stock
OF their beans. The last shipment of
cocoa to the San Francisco manufacturers
was on the twenty-eighth of January
and the date OF the next is altogether matter
OF conjecture: The consequence is that the
price OF chocolate has gone up cents a ponnd
to the trade in this city, and, unless Ecuador
soon settles down and Guayaouil ia freed from
the insurgents, 1t will advance still higher and
the consumer will then begin to feel the differ
ence In price. A similar rise in price has oc-
CURED in New York and London. with the
probabilities of the cents growing into 3 cents
within week or two. The trouble with the
local manufacturers is that if the stock of cocoa
grows much smaller, they will bc obliged to pre-
pare Tor an emergency by importing the raw ma
terial from New York at an additional expense
of ) cents per pound freight.
While on the subject Of cocoa it was found by
conversation with members OF the two firms of
Chocolate makers i'm San Francisco that there
were certain points OF general interest In the
s9olect. as indicating very promising growth
OF the local trade. In the first place it appears
That the imports of foreign-made chocolate
have so decreased that at present there are not
over 500 pounds brought annually to this place
On the other hand. the home product has
gone steadily upward until the two local fac
tories now make from 800 900 to 400 600 pounds
year OF chocolate for restaurant and home
consumption and about $4,000 pounds for
confectionery. The product of the factories is
not entirely used on this coast, for San Fran
cisco has in its turn become an exporter of cho-
cOlate. One firm has recently been appointed
purveyOr to the governor of the Phiippene
Islands in face Of the fact that there are factories
there and that the islands are a dependency of
the Oldest chocolate making country OF the
w0rid-Spain. The same firm has received the
gold medal at the Australian exhibition. the sill
yer medal in Paris. where this makers best
brand was said to equal the high French stand
ards. and the silver medal of the French society
OF Culinary Art in New York The other firm
supplies Mexico, China, Japan and British CO.
lumbia, and both deal largely with st. Louis
and Chicago.
1t is a rather peculiar circumstance that the
Two latter cities take a better grade of chOco-
late than is used in California or, rather that
they take only the best quality Some of the
chocolate used in California IT, indeed of such
Inferior quality that the makers abstain from
placing their name on the article. Wherever
the best California chocolate has gone il has
gained the verdict of being the equal il not the
superior of the highest foreign brands, the
reasons being that the climate OF San Francisco
ls particularly adapted to its manufacture, an
even temperature Of ~ being the most desir-
able, and that all the materials required sugar.
vanilla, and the cocoa bean, are imported free
OF duty. Again, home goods have come to the
front. and these few facts show that California
chocolate, ike SO many other products has
tered into successful competition with what
used to be regarded as the specialties of the old
world.