New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-30
BAD PL Ans At ST. LOUIS.
THE CHIEF SUPPLY FROM UNHEALTHY CITY
STABLES
TRYING TO SHUT OUT COUNTRY MILK-LEGIS-
LATION AND MILK INSPECTION - con-
sUMERs AT THE MERCY OF TIKI
STABLEMEN,

STABLEMEN.
st. Louis, JAM 30 SpeciaD.-The st. Louis plan
Of producing and distributing milk is wonder
fully and fearfully wrought About 10000
gallons Of milk and 5000 gallons Of cream
consumed daily and of this amount only 5000
gallons comes from the country. The st. Louis
milllman is entirely independent Of the farmer.
lie abhors country milk and thinks so well of his
own mysterious production that he is attempting
TO caioe the city into the foolish position of
levyng a tax Of four cents a gallon on all milk
brought i'm from the country. There are 500
milk dealers in ST. Louis and over 1000 dis
tributing wagons. If a stranger were to note the
highly coored rural scenes portrayed on these
milk wagons, and observe the creamy names,
which breathe of clover blossoms and roses, he
would Jump at the conclusion that the milk sup
ply of st. Louis was the sweetest and best. Such
appetizing names as Forest Zephyr" Clover
Farm. etc. are calculated to develop desire to
drink TO an incorporate degree. If he were to
pursue his investigations he would discover that
Forest Zephyr" and Sweet Byzantine" diaries
consisted of thirty or forty sickly-looking cows,
Gagged up in a filthy stable adjacent to some dis
tlery Official reports Of the Health Depart
ment show that 10 per cent of the milk consumed
in this city is produced from distillery swll,
through the machinery of a Gagged COW which
never receives breath Of fresh air, and wallows
in disease and filth the year around
The milk dealers are thoroughly organized for
their own protection, but the consumers are not
organized and are helpless. So strong is the
political influence welded by the milk dealers
that they have secured the passage of an ordinance
practically multiplying a State law. This par
ticular State law developed bitter fight in the
Legislature last winter between the champions of
pure milk and the local diaries. The law was
passed. and though il went into force on Novem-
Der |, no benefits have vet been derived from it,
the Opposition having discovered a way TO kill
it, This law is entitled An act to prevent the
adulteration of milk and cream in all cities OF
over 100000 inhabitants. 1t is
special statute, applicable only to st.
Louis. In brief, the law provides
that the Board OF Health shall have
supervision Of the milk supply. milk inspector
and a sufficient number of assistants are to be
appointed by the board, and they shall have full
power to enter all milk depots, examine. test and
analyze all milk and cream Every person who
deals in milk must register on the books OF the
department and pay a fee OF so cents. viola
ton Of this section renders the dealer liable TO
$50 fine The sale of adulterated milk is pun
ished by line OF from 800 TO $780, or by i'm
prsonment for ninety days. or by both fine and
Imprisonment. The same punishment is pre-
scrbcd for the sale of milk produced wholly or
in part from distillery slop swill. or from the
refuse OF starch glucose vinegar factories. This
is the section that developed the bitter enmity of
the St Louis dairymen. They fought 1t clear to