The San Francisco call., 1897-06-27
TO Be DUMPED
TN THE THAMES
London Authorities Intend
to Reject That Bogus
Brandy.
A New and Unexpected Ally
Comes to Doekery's
Rescue.
Thousands of Gallons of Another
Spurious Article Being Shipped
South.

new and unexpected ally has come TO
the rescue of Food Inspector Dockery in
his fight to destroy that shipment of 10Y
barrels of doctored California grape
brandy. After running the gamut of the
Federal authorities the consignment is
likely TO come TO the end il deserves on its
arrival in London and be dumped in the
Thames. The agitation over the subject
has reached the ears OF the London Ex-
else Board, and the London Gazstte is
authority for the statement that the con-
signment will be rejected at its destina-
tion and condemned by the British au-
thorities.
The brandy is at present in New York
awaiting shipment to Europe. Since il
attracted the attention of the pure food
authorities it has had a checkered career
and has changed its name with as much
regularity as a confidence man. When
DocKery first fell afoul of it the article
was masquerading as Pure California
Grape Brandy" although its principal
ingredients we're Nebraska corn spirits
and Spring Valley water, there being but
one gallon of brandy in twelve in the
mixture.
The Federal authorities preven TED the
Board of Health people from dumping
the decoction on the ground, and avoided
some nice legal Jechnicalities by dropping
the word pure" from the barrels and for
wardinR the shipment to New York as
California grape brandy"
Its reputation had preceded it, as well
as many protests against the use of
the word California" in connection with
it by the Manufacturers and Producers
Association of this City. The treasury
officials in New York sought to modify
the offense by again changing its name,
admitting it through the clearing house,
where it bobbe0 up again, this time
''rectitied California grape brandy" en-
doubtedly il would have found its way in
this spurious guise TO the consumer had
it not been for the good sense of tire Lon
don Excise Board, who, ever Jealous of
the food supplies entering the Kingdom,
condemn all frauds.
The decision of the London Excise
Board 20 reject this consignment is a vic
tory to all who have the interest of Cali
fornia wine and brandy at heart. The
Briton is a connoisseur in liquor, and to
have fed him this decoction OF corn spirits
and Spring Valley water as a sample OF
California brandy would probably have
been the means Of doing the industry in
calculable harm. 1t is known that thou
sands of gallons of this same mixtdre are
being prepared in the same fraudulent
manner for the European market. There
is no way to touch the conscience of the
manufacturers OF it, it seems. The action
of the London authorities, however may
be more wholesome lesson than all the
condemnation of all ths local boards of
health and manufacturers and prod ucers'
association. As soon as the shippers of
this spurious brandy find that there is no
market for it they will cease to manufac-
ture it. Possibly in the end the reputa-
ton of California goods may thus be saved.
Inspector Dockery has also discovered
that thousands of gallons of an article
labeled California Blackberry Brandy
has been shipped to South America.
Thus far he has been unable to give the
matter his attention. An analysis of
some of this mixture shows there is no
blackberry in it and very little brandy,
he taste OF the berry being given by
havoring extracts. The Merchants Asso-
citation intend to take up this matter at
once. The formula of the mixture is as
follows: Vina brandy. gallon; raw Ne
braska corn whisky, gallons; water,
dyes and favoring extracts, gallons.