New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-10
THEMANUFA CTURE OF CHICORY
INFORMATION FOR INQUIRNG BELGLNs.
THE IMPORTATION OF THE GREAT ADULTER-
ANT OF COFFEE IN THIS COUNTRY
INCREASING SINCE 1T WAS PUT
ON THE FREE list


ANT OF COFFEE IN THIS COUNTRY
INCREASING SINCE 1T WAS PUT
ON THE FREE LIST.
The following letter from John B. Osborne, Amer
lean Consul at Ghent Belgium, has been received 81
The Tribune Office:
TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In view of tho stimulus afforded to the manu-
facture OF chcory In the United States by the provision
I'm the new tariff law placing the chicory on the
free list; Belgium gentleman who proposes TO estao
fish such mandatory in the nelghborhood OF New.
York City, before taking decisive steps has applied
TO me ior certain pertinent information which am nm
able 10 give therefore take the liberty Of addressing
you 10 request that you viii have the kindness either
through the medium Of your valuable paper aSa
me information - on iV the following points "
Frst-What are the present Wholesale prices OF
second-Approximate what is the quantity an
nually imported mentioning any change since October
Thlrd-Does the establishment in the United states
Of the industry Of the preparation OF chicory promise
to be fairly remunerativel
FOurth-Wnat the addresses of a few OF the most
reliable wholesale dealers in chicory2
may add that the chcory industry Is Of considerable
importance here In the Flanders and several manu-
facturers only restrained from transferring their
entire plant to the United states by the fear that the
clause in the new Tariff law which would make such
course advisable may be changed. Thanking you in
advance remain 1o sir yours very truly corsr,
Client, Belgium, April IS, 1891.
Tho wholesale price Of Chcory in the American mar
ket is from "a to 3 cents pound, duty paid.
The Government statistical reports show that the
importation OF chcory into this country for 1880
6211, 392 pounds valued at 1901 SOC. which duty
at cents pound, amounting to S124,227, was paid
The importation in 1890 had swellcd to 1865, SAL
pounds valued at 1921 600, which the duty amount
ed 10 a161,337 being an increase within the twelve
months OF 1855 440 pounds That this Increase was
due to the stimulus given the trade by putting raw
chIcory on the free list In the Mckinley bill, which
went into effect october I, 1890, Is demonstrated
clearly by the figures obalnable for the first three
months Of the present year. Only the figures at this
port are accessible but as the bulk Of the ccOry is
brought this country through the Narrows 1t is
sufficient to indicate importation for the coming
year of fully 100000 pounds. The imports for
January, February and March, OF this year, at the
port Of New-York were 2Os546O pounds. About
seven enths of the total Importation of chicOry comes
into this port about one tenth Is received at Phlade
phla and two-tenths at san Francisco.
A reporter Of The Tribune sought an answer to the
third inquiry Of Consul Osborne from Henry Seq
Vermann formerly Of No. 121 Front-st., but now OF
No 50 North MOore-st., who Is probably the largest
importer Of chicory in this country. The question
of profit In manufacturing chcory in this country Is
not easy to answer said Mr.. Seggeimann. ION the
face of IT, It strikes that Europe where cofee Is
taxed at the ports OF entry, and in consequence IL
costs from 40 to rs cents pound, would be far
better place for the manufacture of aduterant OF
coffee than America where 1t IS only about 20 cents
pound and there is less for sdulteratng It, Ie
price Is so excessively high in Europe that the urA
10 he within the reach of the poor people Is aduterad
nj the rate of rs per cent Of ccory to 20 per cent Oh
coffee II seems TO me that that would be the place
TO manufacture chcory for there Is where the uehu
Is greatest Yet Belgian has recently begun the
manpfacture Of chicory in Jersey City, there Is
factory where the root prepared in Philadelphia ana
three or four factories in san Francisco, ana my SCH
am about TO establish factory IN WluiamsOuls' III
relation 10 my Williamsburg factory, Will sho" you
what TAYLOR Brothers, Of London. the largest manu-
facturers of chicory in that city, wrote 10 me asou
them to go in with me in my venture ana IN 'ieH
reply they say .,,, .a,,so
Won To 20 thoroughly into the prime cost Of work
ing etc. as we are OF the opinion you VIII ma tne
expense larger than you at present Imagine III Une
first Mace the ocean freight OF raw root u mucA III
excess in proportion to the manufacturer aruclo III
casks Labor with you is very pens d a and ina
nrobable reduction on ours. We 90 nob uilnh Sou
viii obtain very remunerallye result ora thinking
of coming over said Mr.. Seggermanll "a. 4hi
Vi eWbere does the raw chlcOry imported into thiS
coun Wcsarly nil of IL from Belgium and Germany The
Canadians however, being shut out by inc flChhleS
tarT i'm a good many things from our MaThcl, hdeo
aEen advantage of the provision placing raw chcOry
on the free list and are preparing 10 rdl'c ul1 Pnn S
extensively. They have an lHlultlisc dIS" "a iS
we'll adapted for the purpose, and promise 10 90 well
Lately considerable chicory is being grown also III
us the practice Of adulteratng coffee in this
country an extensive one ?" , -, - J., -
aOh. no Coffee IS too cheap. still there Is some
adulteration particularly in essences. Dllel peas
rye bread crumbs and many other things are ustfi,
miyed with chcory and coffee. Ccory itself IS DilteI
to taste and much stronger than coffee ihch thele
is n Dreparation Of stale eggs and gum arabic 9ed DS
The great coffee sting houses to make the Uedn
retain It's flavor The product is manipulated one way
or the other you see, at every turn. ut II IS not
as bad as I'm Europe where In parts OF France oie
neasants even grow the Iupn plant IN thClr garues
and use the seed as a substitute for coffee ..
1--WE are u ffeedrnking people" SAID +. Barre,o
Editor of 1.-THE American Grocer " but the proe VI
coffee goes steadily higher every year, ana am no.
surprised AT the increased importatOns or chlcO lO a.
coffee gets dear IL will be more and more adulterateu'
The Engllshman drinks four or five POUNDS OF tet 4
wear and about pound and half of cohee WINE sae
American consumes seven eight pounds OF con .,
and about one and half pounds of tea me WorI,9
supply of coffee is not keeping pace Win US ae
mand and we may be using as much OF the aGGercoSu
article as the Europeans after a while Inc ION,
sinners Of the United states paid at retail uuri"S
1900 1922, SOC, 900 for coffee" - l., Ait,
Among the large wholesale dealers In chlcory In ulls
city are Richard Cough & Co., of No. 50 BeaVerst.'
Ri1me d Co. of No 1I3 Water-st and Henry Sc5Sef-
mann of No. 80 North Mo0r-st.