The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-26
Worse Than sneak Thieves.

A band of confidence operators has
been let loose in this vicinity to prey
upon and annoy our housekeepers
The band is composed of women, al
though employed and directed by an
agent of the other sex and their method
ofprocedure, as explained by several
ladies who have been victimized, is as
follows: Obtaining access to the
Kitchen, thoy introduce the subject OF
baking powders, inquiring the kind
used in the family. Being shown the
can, perhaps fresh, full one, they
volunteer to "test" it to ascef
tsin its qualities. Their "test" con-
slsts in placing the can on hot stove
or over a lamp or gas jet, or in mixing
the baking powder with water, both hot
and cold. 1t the baking powder is
good for anything the heat will, OF
course, expel the gas, which, being
ammoniacal or carbonic, is apparent
to the sense Of smell, The claim is
then made that this odor indicates
something detrimental, although, as a
matter of fact, q baking powder that
would give Off no gas when subjected
to heat, would be without leavening
power ana valueless. They will also
mix the baking powder givon them
with water. IL pure it effer-
yesces quickly. The baking powder
they peddle being similarly mixed,
foams up slowly. This they claim az
evidence of superiority, whereas 1t is
the exhibition OF q trick only, as this
effect is caused by the presence Of
flour in the baking powder they are
peddling. OF course the object of
these fraudulent tricks is to destroy
confidence in all other kinds of baking
powder, and to sell the particular
brand for which the women are travel
ing.
We're this The whole of the operation
house-keepers would not often be- de-
ceived. Every intelligent person
knows that baking powderi is not made
to be ussd in this way, but in cooking
where its action Is entirely different
from that produced by dry heat or
by mi Eture with wat 5r alone. The
chief object of this jugglery is to des-
troy the baking powder given for test
ing; or by heating il 10 drive off its
leavening gases, and so weaken it that
when used 1t will fail to work. At the
next baking there Is heavy food, of
course, and the "tramp" probably gets
the credit OF having told the house
keeper a valuable fact, instead of hay
ing spoiled her baking powder, as WAC
actually the case. The average dtrampn
Will, in this way, destroy from 80 to rs
pounds of baking powder per day.
A second methotl of spelling for use
the baking powder In kitchen where
they are not permitted to experiment.
with it, is by deXterously throwing iu
the can a small quanty Of salt, soda or
powdered lime. Again, should thOre
chance to be no baking powder in the
house, the operators viii produce, of
the kind used by the family, SAMPLE
that has been purr 1sely adulterated or
"doctored" TO make such an exhibit as
they desire under the So called test.
The only way to protect our food
from being contaminated by tramps of
this kind is to turn ell persons who
wish or attempt to tamper with it un-
tremendously from the door, and to use
those articles, only, which experience
haze proved satisfactory, or tho official
tests have established as pure and