The morning call., 1892-05-19
Filthy Stuff With Which Coffee
Is DOped.
THE SHAMELESS FRAUD DENOUNCED.
A Man Who Cannot Sell Iigh-Priced
AdaIterantS Here Finds Out the
Reason Why.

you can't sell good coffee substitute
in this market" said Carl C. Molier of Mol
ler & Muir yesterday.
Mr.. Moller knows all about coffee adulter-
ants.
I'VE have tried to sell coffea substitutes
at ga to cents a pound TO the trade. and
everybody in the coffee business laughs at
US"
'Why?" asked THE CALL man.
Because they can all buy other stuff so
much cheaper"
How much cheaper?"
"a good deal. Why, there's tons Of coffee
compound such as THE CALL described
this morning, that is selling at 2 cents a
pound"
"Who buys ftp"
Nearly everybody in the trade 1t is
used in the ground coffee that retails at
20 to 80 cents a pound. don't wonder that
people hesitate about buying ground coffee.
Why, some Of the vile stuff I've seen fixed
up TO grind with coffee would make a horse
sick. Us simply rotten"
us there any particular formula for man
ufacturing it?'
None. They make it Of everything.
There is one big coffee house here that don't
buy the stuff"
"Why p"
Because 1t has its own machine for
making.it. 1t makes tons Of it. and can
turn 1t out cheaper than it can buy it in the
market"
Mr.. Moller and also his partner. Mr.
Muir, feel very sad about the result of their
venture.
We've done our best to sell cur COM
pound, but they viii not buy if, and we
have practically had to retire from the bust
ness" said Muir.
ITS simply because they can buy that
rot THE CALL has told about so much
cheaper" said MUlleT.
They only have to pay One-quarter TO
one-tbird Of what our compound is worth
for that muck" said Muir.
and yet, said MolleT, There isn't the
slightest trouble in selling our stuff in New
York or anywhere else IN the East"
mo, indeed, said Muir, 1T simply
shows that California cOffee-dTinkers are
being more badly imposed upon than are
the Eastern people for their coffee is doe
toTed by the cheapest kind Of Rdulterants,
while high priced substitutes are used in
the East"
THE Calls chemical what-is-it is ex-
citing vast interest among c0ffee-drinkers.
Many persons want to have look at il
and see If they can tell OF what it is CON-
posed.
This curiosity is not only natural, but it is
a very good thing.
The people have right to know what
they are drinking,
They have a right 10 make a close scrutiny
OF anything they buy from a grocer in these
times Of shameless adulteration by manu-
faetuTeTs.
THE CALL will get at the bottom Of the
matteT-sift it down, until people will be able
TO tell, by future article in this paper, what
the chemical HhaI-is-it really is.
The what-is-it, taken IN its crude state,
before It is ground in with the coffee, has a
filthy appearance.
And yet three-Quarters Of a POUND Of
what-is-it worth less than cents, mixed
with a quarter Of a pound Of coffee, worth
cents-the whole being worth say TO 7
cents-sellS at our gTOceTy-st0Tes at % cents.
This sort Of thing must be stopped.
We must have rigid food laws, and en-
force them TlgIdly.
Unless We do something Of this kind we
viii soon be eating and drinking what-is-it
IN everything consumed as food.
Already there IS plenty Of what-is-it sold
all around
1t is a downright shame.
Each man who eats and drinks is in con-
slant danger from these unlicensed adulter-
afnrc