Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1906-07-28

products % the country are adultcr
ated. and how the consumer X de-
frauded- The space in front OF me
speakers desk resembied a small
section OF delicatessen store and
corner grocery with cereals. jams.
jellics. tins Of peas. tomatoes. corn.
prepared spices. bottles Of whiskey aud
wine. imnorted sausages. branded
cherries and other edibies and drink
ables scattered over two tables.
Representative Mann proceeded 10
. demonstrate 10 the House through
these various food products the neces-
+ sity for a national pure food law.
one OF the first articles taken up by
T the Congressman was the ordinary
+ t-pepper-whlch TO the lay
mind is considered too cheap Tor any
/ manufacture 20 spend time ia adul-
I terating. He read circulars from nu-
merous concerns Offering for sale a
certain grade OF adulterant which
could be used 90 produce pepper or
t almost any other 81 the spices with
some slight modification. As he seat
tered a package Of this over his desk
the members in the vicinity started
back in order 10 avoid the usual snecz
ing which follows the inhalation 81 "a
| small quantity Of pepper. But they
were reasSured by the "groceryman'
that IL was not harmful for while
10 was called pepper IL was nothing
| but ground olive pits. He convulSe'i
the House when h. read the price list
OF adulterants showing that they were
. offered 20 the trade for $50 a ton in
: tive-t0n lots. and that AT that rate they
were guaranteed 10 make the finest
. black pepper which, as everyone
!. knows. is sold by the ounce. He made
7 the statement that even the pepper
berry itself was adulterated by a
cleverly contrived manufacture OF tap
: loco colOred with lamp black.
Possibly the most striking demon
[ stration Of the afternoon was one viii
: a bottle OF red cherries. These cher
! ries. il was explained. were PICKED
green. and that after being bleache,
Z out white by the use OF a powerful
? acid. had been cOlored the brillian
I red by the use Of coal tar dye;
G 4 deadly poison il used in large quaint
Z ties. Representative Mann dipped
u piece OF white cloth in the Juice o
: these cherries. and il partOOk OF
; brilliant red as though IL had just com
from a dyers-
Olive oil. explained Mr. Mann. Is
product which is in most cases. adu
Z terated. In many instances the coUl
4
. ola wholesome and satisfactOr
- dressing FOR salad. but IL costs abOU
- Il as much as real olive oil. and IN
~ American buyer certainly does nC
- care 10 purchase a dressing for fOg
y times its actual worth.
HIvELESS HONEY.
lei One OF the freak EXHIBITS was
ic bottle OF honey" which. in order I
" complete the assurance OF the buy'
OF that the article was genuine. cOntaine
OF as IL by accident. the body OF a re
e. bee. Yet the whole mess was pure al
T. simple glucose. and had never be-
II near a hive. much less a comb. IT
a hive probably was a ten story IA
is tory in one OF the large cities
be A bottle OF 'Freezine" was exhibits
he by Mr.. Mann. who explained that n
10 remarkable article was guaranteed
on preserve meat from the action OF q
re air and stop decay While he a
- mitted that il would stop the action
nature on meats. he claimed that {
BE- preservative itself was actually pOisC
OF GUS, containing sulphide OF soda vi
yes red coal tar dye and could not
III. used safely upon human food
on. The public Is unwittingly defraud
ms 10 n great extent through short weig
sly and short measure in package goo
ton explained Mr.. Mann. and he insist
ty. that the manufacturers should be CO
xed PEELED 10 state on the label the Qus
the tity contained In the bottle or cart,
) a In line with this was 3 dramatic de
tie. onssration when the Chicago pure 10
ste. expert held up before the House