The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-09
FACTS ABOUT COFFEE
ST. PAUL IMPORTERS OF COEFEu
CORRECT SOME STATEMENTS
SENT OUT
BY A CORRESPONDENT AT RIO


From Mexico or South America,
but Is All Purchased at Quarterly
Government Auction Sales mt
Amsterdnm, HoIIand-Talk with
Mr. j. w. Casper.
Importers of coffee In the CITY object to
recently published statements from a cor
respondent at Rio de Janeiro, concerning
coffee growing and exporting, as he saw
it in South AnSfica. In discussing the
business of importing the berries, which
make the almost indispensable breakfast
beverage, ]. w. Cooper, of the firm of
Griggs, Cooper & Co., who are heavy i'm
porters, said yesterday:
There Is common error in the minds
of great many people concerning the
importation of high-grade coffees. 1t is
unfair to the importers to make the state
men that Mocha coffee comes from Bra
zil. The common practice of the large
firms is to buy this grade Of coffee in
Amsterdam. Holland, at quarterly gov
eminent auction sales. through an agent.
Ihat is where the Mocha coffee comes
from. AT the time the sales are made
we authorize the purchase of an amount
sufficient for the demands of our business
and our agent attends the sales and buys
up what we need. At this time the coffee
which he purchases is stored on the island
of Sumatra, awaiting shipment, and Is
sent to the United States in sailing YES
sells.
A sale was made in December, at
which several st. Paul firms bought heav-
ily The coffee purchased at that time
will arrive here the latter part Of this
month or the first part Of June The
annual Mocha and Java coffee crop is in
/ the neighborhood Of 13: GOO,0 900 pounds, of
which the United States takes a consid-
erable part great deal Of coffee is
| sold as Mocha which Is nothing more or
less than South American and Mexican
product, but not by responsible firms.
| The method Of buying at government
sales IS recognized as the most satisfac-
tory, though when a shipment is pur-
| chased we at home know nothing of the
price. Since Amsterdam is the great mar
ket, tho price on the day Of the sale is
the same to all: buyers, and in retailing
our purchase every Importer is governed
by the same costtprice.
| 'Corfee comes In mats of sixty-fiVe
| pounds EACH and an average purchase
| would be from 2505or 300 mats UP, accord
in to demand. Coffee from the growers
is governed by a standard, No 7 being
the grade usually purchased for sale in
packages, and the better grades being
| numbered 8, 9. TO and up. The statement
| has been published thai people In the
United States buy as Mocha a grade Of
| South American coffee which can be
! bought on the market at Rio de Janeiro
or Santos for six cents. This is a mis-
| take, however, Rio and Santos coffees
| of the better grade cost from IL to %
cents on the market there, and have to
be shipped to New York, roasted and
prepared for sale before being retailed.
a process which adds to the cost and
makes it impossible to sell at low price
/ In quality these grades are excellent and
are much used. However, they are not
sold as Java and Mocha growths, but
under the names of Rio and Santos
| grades.
"a South American Correspondent says
that the CONSUMPTION of coffee in the
/ United States amounts to more than $780,
100000 pounds annually but of this
amount only comparatively small por-
ton Is the genuine Mocha or Java