The San Francisco call., 1906-12-30
WILL END WHISKY
ADULTERATION
Federal Agents Prepare to
Investigate the Pacific
Coast Wholesale Houses
LABELS MUST SHOW

The hundreds of wholesale houses of
the Pacific Coast where whisky re-
ceived in bond from the distillers is
broached and blended or diluted will
feel the hands of the Federal Govern
ment soon and the enormous profits
that have accrued through the adulter-
alton and weakening of high-proof
whiskies viii cease.
Under the provisions of the pure
food act agents OF the Department Of
Agriculture viii make tests and con-
demn all impure whiskies in the vaults
of the wholesalers. and after a six
months period of grace will take steps
to seize all adulterated stock found on
hand The sweeping effect OF the seiz-
ure may be realized when it is asserted
by Government inspectors that the av-
erage profit on blended spirits is $50 a
barrel
According to a prominent whisky
manufacturer registered at the Ma
jestic Hotel, inspectors have been sent
10 the Pacific Coast to aid the local
inspectors of the coast cities in the
search for adulterated spirits. In ad-
dition. the United States Attorney Gen
eral has sent representatives of his
Office to forestall any attempt to inter-
rupt the inspection or evade the re-
suits
UNDER RECTIFIER'S LICENSE
Operating under a Government rec
tiier's license. some wholesale houses
have reaped thousands of dollars of
profit by introducing into whiskies and
wines coloring matters and essentials
and bead oils and by adding water
have reduced the high-proof whiskies
to the lowest grade. These goods have
been placed on the market at the prices
of original high-class spirits and the
public has paid and incidentally no.
ticed the difference.
The rectifiers license entities the
holder to open barrels of whisky COM
ing direct from the distillers, sealed
with the Government stamp and there
by warranted as high-proof goods. The
barrel is opened and a gallon or more
OF water is substituted for the same
amount Of whisky and the rectifier's s
label is placed on the cask, which is
then sold in bulk or at retail as recti-
fed spirits at frst-class prices. In ad-
dition TO this, poor stock under the rec
tifiers license may be adulterated with
deleterious ingredients such as bead
oil, coloring matters and peppers, to
initiate the best brands.
INSPECTORS AT WORK
Although the Department of Agri-
culture has planned that the investiga-
tion begin early in January, ii is as
serted that inspection has already be-
gun and the wholesale whisky houses
are being compelled to place labels on
all goods containing adulterants, desig-
mating the substances used. The whole
salers will be given six months in
which to dispose of this class of goods
under the descriptive label, and after
that infraction of the pure food law
VIII bring fine or Imprisonment.
Misbranding of food or drug products
is guarded against particularly. The
label on every brand must bear the
name, the place of manufacture and
that of rectihcation. 1t must designate
the ingredients and proportion of the
blend, and the use of any false or mis-
leading label is strictly prohibited.
Interested in the work of purifying
the whisky are DR.. H w. Wiley of the
Agricultural Department, S. N. ID.
North of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor and James l. Gerry of the
Treasury Department, together with
Chief Wilkie Of the Secret Service
whose men will assist in Furnishing in
fractions