The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-17
HOUSEKEEPING PESTS.

Complaints are made from various
sections of a band of baking powder
tramps whose tricks on unsuspectine
housekeepers seem to partake very
much of the nature of confidence opera
tons. The band is composed of women
although employed and directed by an
agent of the other sex, and their methods
of procedure, as explained by several
ladies who have been victimized, is as
follows Obtaining access to the kitch.
en-, they introduce the subject of baking
powders, inquiring the kind in use in the
family. Being shown the can, perhaps
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 am
moniacal or carbonic, is apparent to the
sense of smell. The claim is then made
that this odor indicates something detri-
mental, although, as matter of fact, a
baking powder that would give off no
gas when subjected to heat would be
without leavening power and valueless.
They will also mix the baking powder
given them with water. If pure, it efer-
vesces quickly. The baking powder
they peddle being similarly mixed foams
up slowly like yeast, standing, perhaps,
over the top of the glass. This they
claim as evidence of superiority, where
as it is the exhibition of trick only,
their baking powder having been special
" prepared to make this test by the adj
dition of flour, gum or albumen. 1t is
sure evidence of adulteration. Ofcourse
the object of these fraudulent tricks is to
destroy confidence in all other kinds oil
baking powder, and to sell the particular
brand for which the women are travel.
ing.
Were this the whole of the operation
housekeepers would not often he de.
ceived. Every intelligent person knows
that baking powder is not made to be
used in this way, but in cooking, where
its action is entirely different from that
produced by dry heat or by mixture
with water alone. The chief object Of
this jugglery is to destroy the baking
powder given for testing; or by heating
it to drive off its leayening gases, and sc
weaken it that when used it will fail tC
work. At the next baking there is heavy
food, of course, and the tramp" proba
bly, gets the credit of having told the
housekeeper valuable fact. instead o
having spoiled her baking powder, as
was actually the case. The average
tramp" will, in this way, destroy from
fifty to seventy-fve pounds of baking
powder a day.
A second method of spelling for u.s.
the baking powder in kitchen wher'
they are not permitted to experiment
with it is by dexterously throwing in tn
can a small quantity of salt, soda o
powdered lime. Again, should ther'
chance to be no baking powder in tn
house, the operators will produce, of th,
kind used by the family, sample tina
has been purposely adulterated OF doc
tored" to make such an exhibit as the
desire under the so-called test.
The only way to protect our food from
being contaminated by tramps of thi
kind is to turn all persons who wish Q
attempt to tamper with it unceremon
ously fiom the door, and to use thos
articles only which experience ha
proved satisfactory, or the official tes1
have established as pure and wholesome