Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-07
PACKERS ARE ANXIOUS
About the Administration Of the Pure
Food Law.

QUEEN ANNE, Md, January Some
uneasiness has been caused recently
among packers on the Eastern Shore by
a report that the authorities at Wash
ington would or had set a standard for
cans which might interfere with the in
dustry to a serious extent. Many Of the
larger packers purchase tin plate in
quantity and have 1t made up into cans
in their own establishments. and this d.
vision of the canning industery has be-
come very important one, representing
much capital and giving employment to
a considerable number of young men in
scores Of towns on tho Eastern Shore
Can making has been a growth Of the
last few years, the packers finding that
they could save money by making their
own cans, instead of buying them in the
cities already made and having them
shipped. with the consequent bulk and
heavy freight charges
The impression has gained ground that
there was action In contemplation by the
committee on food standards which would
necessitate heavy losses by ruling the
tinplate on hand below a standard to be
set up by the committee and adopted by
the Secretary of Agriculture in the ad-
ministration of the pure food law. While
the packers have SO far been unable to
ascertain what would happen in this re-
spect the persistent rumor that there
by the Department Of Agriculture Is
claimed to be having the effect of causing
q depression in business through feel
Ing Of uncertainty as to whether the
same tinplate used in 1905 would be per-
mitted hereafter.
communication from Representative ].
r. Mann of Illinois, the chief advocate of
the pure food law. and who. in his object
lesson grocery" on the floor of the House
at the last session. paid particular at
tention to Maryland canned goods, and
whose efforts in behalf Of the weight and
measure clause of the bill gave much anx-
iety to Representatives Gill. Talbot and
Smith before they were able to convince
the House of it's injurious effect upon
leading Maryland industry. Is said to be
reassuring. Mr. Mann states that he is
not aware of any intention to supplement
the pure food law with an additional
enactment relative to tinplate, but that
the committee on food standards may,
and of right ought to, protect the purity
of canned goods by requiring such a
standard as would preserve fruits and
vegetables from the contamination likely
to result from an insufficient coating Of
tin.
discussed the subject. but has taken only
the tentative action Of voicing the opin-
Ion that suitable containers for keeping
moist food products. such as syrups,
honey, condensed milk, soups, meat ex-
tracts, meats, manufactured meats and
undried fruits and vegetables, and wrap
pers In contact with food products con-
tain on their surfaces in contact with the
food product no lead, anthony, arsenic.
zinc or copper or any compounds thereof
or any other poisonous or injurious sub
stance. If the containers are made Of tin
plate they are outside soldered, and the
plate In no place contains less than 113
milligrams Of tin on a piece centime-
ters square or 1.S grains on a piece
inches square. The inner coating of the
containers is free from pinholes, blisters
and cracks. If the tinplate Is lacquered
surface within the container and yields
to the contents no poisonous or injurious
substance 1t is believed that the tin
plate used by the Eastern Shore packers
will fully come up to these requirements.