Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-07-13
BUTTER FOR UNCLE SANS SHIPS.
How IL Is Obtaincd-I<ept In Good Condi-
tion For TWO Years.

asked Paymastcr General Stewart OF
tho United States navy, who Is tho COM
missary general for that branch of tho
public service, where he gets the butter
that is used by tho officers and men on
Uncle Sam q ships at sea- "Wc advertise
every spring In the newspapers for butter,
Just MS we do for any other kind OF sup
plies, " he replied, and then we send out
specifications to the different manufacture
ers throughout the country for the infor-
nation OF bidders. These Specifications
stipulate that we shall he furnished with
extra creamery butter, made in Juno or
October, put up in tins and packed direct
ly into the tins ut tho place of manufac-
ture. The tins must DO made of the best
charcoal tin, redipped before soldering,
each tin TO contain three pounds, tho
weight of the tins not included The tins
must be packed in sawdust, in substantial
wooden boxes, two dozen In each, with
two hoop iron straps around each box, one
at each end. Each tin must be carefully
wrapped in paper, the tops Of tho boxes
fastened with screws, and the tins and
boxes marked with contents, the namo OF
contractor and the date of packing Di-
rections for opening must also be placed
on each package, and an instrument for
opening the tins must be furnished with
each SEQ pounds OF butter. Contractors
must guarantee that the butter shall keep
in good condition for two years from the
date Of delivery"
How much do you usually buy, and
where does 1t como 'front.'
I'VE usually call for about 80, 900
pounds and give the contract to tho lowest
responsible bidder, but we are always
careful to ascertain II the bidder is rcspon-
siblo and whether he knows how to do the
business, because we do not want to send
our boys 70 sea with bad butter and no
prospect Of getting better
docs the butter keep we'll for two
yearsf"
After n can Of butter has gone around
| the world and up and down the tropics,
from one temperature to another, and
melted and hardened three or four times,
you cannot expect 1t to be as good as ii
was when IL came out OF the dairy but IL
seldom gets so bad that one cannot eat it,
In fact, under the circumstances, 1t il
usually very satisfactory"
Have you ever used the foreign butter
that which is packed in Holland anc
| Denmark for the tropical trader"
"Yes, we have used "A good deal OF It.
but under the law we are compelled tC
| puIOllttSt III WI oNPRAANo ~ N%io biiANNN
States, except In emergencies. The Dan
ish butter is very fine l think l would
rather take my chances with it for "a Ions
voyage than the American product. The.
put it up beautifully in glass jars, ant
their method of packing is probably supc
rior to that used in the United States, bu
at the Same time it is much more cxpen
sivc. The Danish butter packed in glass
jars costs from 90 cents 10 20 cents pound
while ours packed in tin costs from .;
cents to 20 cents by the quantity. / hav'
never used tho Holland butter and know
very little about il. DID,"
"Do the Danes and the Dutchmen use
good deal OF our oleomargarine and cotton
seed oil TO ndulterate their buttcry"
Il do not know. OF course l have hear
of such things, but have never made al
investigation and have no reliable infor
nation ON tho subject. Chicago Record