The herald., 1897-04-03

Total VIZ ,o5S,o ~
Surplus as to depositors-
Capital paid up..................$ S.loa oW
Reserve ~ ~
Grand total ....................si .si4i, iio' oft
There is a great deal of excitement
and dissatisfaction among the 5obbers
and retail grocers of San Francisco over
the actions OF the board of health OF that
city in handling the pure food problem
The board has been procuring samples
OF food offered for sale at the retail gro
ceries and has had a quantity Of fruit
jellies, syrups and catsups subjected to
chemical analysis The result has been
that a large number of these samples,
particularly the jellies, have been de-
clared adulterated. apple Jelly, harm
less adulterant, being found to be the
basis of nearly all jellies, whether la
beled raspberry, strawberry or currant.
The Gamers say that 1t is impossible
to make orange, lemon. peach or april
cot jelly from the pure juice. In nearly
all jellies manufactured, apple Juice has
to be used before the mixture will solid
ify. The newspapers of San Francisco
have published the names and addresses
of places where the jellies were pur-
chased, together with the brands and
the result of the chemical analyses. The
grocers say that their trade in tellies
has very seriously fallen off since the
board of health made its investigation
and declare that injustice has been done
them. 1t has been suggested that jellies
be labeled as being part apple. but the
hot W cn
branded they could not sell them. The
California Gamers say that adulterated
eastern jellies have somewhat lowered
the grade of the California production,
owing to close competition. One canner
oven confessed at a recent meeting of the
board Of health and the grocers that the
California firm which he represented was
packing inferior goods under a fictitious
label. He said: I'VE wouldn't put our
own label upon them because they were
not up to the standard" The principal
excitement so far seems to be in regard
to the adulterated jellies, as stated.
Where the adulterant Is merely juice of
another fruit 1t would appear that the
grocers might find remedy by having
the jellies honestly labeled for Just what
they are. 1t Is not to be doubted that in
such case housekeepers would continue
to purchase the goods. knowing exactly
what they were buying. AS 1t is at
present. people are afraid to purchase
any jellies because the harmfully adul-
terated are not to be distinguished from
those containing fruit juices only. Some
of the jellies analysed contained dele
terious coloring matter. glucose and
other nasty adulterants. Most Of these
bad jellies were eastern brands.
The catsups analysed were scarcely
any Of them pure. A few brands con-
tanned no tomatoes at all. and the public
is advised to only purchase dark-looking
catsup. the bright-looking kind obtain
ing its nice appearance from chemicals.
One of the samples of raspberry syrup
examined by the board of health was
found to contain no trace of the fruit,
being composed of cane sugar, aniline
dyes. glucose and water. This stuff was
manufactured by the Pacific Coast Syrup
company, the president of which Is un-
der arrest. He admits having sold large
quantities Of adulterated jams, jellies
and syrups in this state and also in Ore
gon and Washington. Such offenders
against the health of the community
ought certainly to be heavily punished,
as should also those retailers who know
ingly sell goods that are harmfully adul-
terated. A distinction ought to be made,
however, against such dealers. and those
who are ignorant that they have been
imposed upon by the manufacturer.
Many of the latter class In San Fran
cisco have suffered by the action of the
board of health. Men have been arrested
for selling articles they had been car
rying for twenty years and had always
considered standard. Some have had
to pay heavy fines and all whose names
have been published in the newspapers
have experienced falling on of patron
age.
1t is probable that pure food crusade
will be commenced in Los Angeles before
long and then some interesting reveIa-
tions may be made.
The four national banks of thisi city
showed In their statements to the comp
troller of the currency of their condition
at the close Of business on date OF March
8, 1897, resources as follows:
First National. 81 277, ,057 36
Los Angeles National. ........... 2,OsS, ,672. .45
National of California .......... 79S763 6f
Merchants National ............ 71,3S420
Total resources IS. .SSe, ST .e5
OF the above amount the loans ana
eiscounts amount to s2,oss, ,11l.11.