The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-09-09
Housekeeping Pests.

Complaints are made from various
sections Of a band of baking powder
tramps whose tricks upon unsuspect-
ing housekeepers seem to partake
very much of the nature of confidence
operations. The band is composed Of
women, although employed and di.
rected by an agent of the other sex,
and their methods of procedure, as
explained by several ladies who have
been victimized, is as follows: OBJ
tanning access to the kitchen, they in
troduce the subject of baking pow
ders. inquiring the kind used in the
family. Being shewn the can, per.
haps a fresh full one, they volunteer
to "test" it to ascertain its qualities.
Their test consists in placing the can
on a hot stove or over lamp or gas
jet. or in mixing the baking powder
with water both hot and cold. If the
baking powder is good for anything
the heat will, of course, expel the gas,
which, being anmOniacal or carbOnic,
is apparent to the sense of smell.
The claim is then made that this odor
indicates something detrimental,
although. as matter of fact, bak-
ing powder that would give of no
gas when subjected to heat would be
without leavening power and value
less. They will also mix the baking
powder given them with water. IT
pure it effervesces quickly. The bak.
ing powder they peddle being SINH
larly mixed foams up slowly like yeast
standing, perhaps, over the top of the
glass. This they claim as evidence
of superiority, whereas it is the ex.
hibition of trick only, their baking
powder having been specially prepar-
ed to make this test by the addition
of -four, gum or albumen. It is sure
evidence of adulteration. 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 travelling.
Were this the whole Of the opera
ton, housekepers would not often be
deceived. Every intelligent person
knows that baking powder is not
made to be used in this way, but in
cooking where its action its entirely
different from that produced by dry
heat or by mixture with water alone.
The chief object of Of this jugglery is
to destroy the baking powder given
for testing; or by heating it to drive
off its leavening gases, and so weaken
it that in when used it will fail to
work. At the next baking there is
heavy food,o course, and the"tramp"
probably gets the credit Of having
told the housekeeper valuable fact,
instead of having spoiled her baking
powder as was actually the case.
The average tramp" will, in this
way, destroy from fifty to seventy
FIVE pounds of baking powder day.
A second method of spelling for use
the baking powder in a kitchen where
they are not permitted to experiment
with it, is by dexterously throwing
in the can small quantity of salt,
soda or powdered lime. Again, should
there chance to be no baking powder
in the house, the operators will pro-
\ sample that has been purposely
adulterated or 'doctored" to make
such an exhibit as they desire under
the sO-called test.
The only way to protect one from
being contaminated by tramps of this
kind is to turn all persons who wish
or attempt to tamper with it uncere-
moniously from the door, and to use
those articles. only, which experience
has proved satisfactory, or the official
tests have established as pure and
wholesome.