The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-26
BULLETIN BY E. X. SLAYTER
Tells Public That Certain Articles Are
Not Up to Standar
From Tuesdays Daily.

Edward X. Slater, dairy and food
commissioner, has issued the following
bulletin:
The real value of the law passed
by the legislature of 1905, giving this
department authority to seize shipments
of food products into the, state, has
never been better exempIifed than just
recently. An inspector of this depart
ment tied up shipment of goods from
Hitchcock, Hill & Co., Chicago, ILL.,, and
submitted samples to the laboratory
Out of eightytwo samples of different
products taken from one shipment only
two complied with the pure food laws
Every one of the eighty packages were
short weight, thus clearly demonstrat.
ing that the fraud was not accidently
accomplished
Complaint was entered against the
agent of Hitchcock, Hill & Co., and, up
on pleading guilty he was fined $50
and costs amounting to $S6.24 Atten-
ton is called to the findings of the
chemists upon the examination of a
number of articles seized:
Lab. No. 54-Coffee, marked fifteen
pounds. Net weight thirteen pounds
eight ounces.
Lab. No. ll55-Cinamon, marked three
pounds. Net weight two pounds, twelve
ounces.
Lab. No. ll54-Cloves, marked three
pounds. Net weight two pounds, twelve
ounces.
Lab. No. ll5l-White pepper, marker
five pounds. Net weight four pounds,
eleven ounces.
Lab. No. 90-Rice, marked five pounds.
Weight of bag and contents four pounds
thirteen ounces.
The average net weight of the So
called three pound packages of spices
is about two pounds twelve and one
half ounces, representing an illegitimate
saving to the company of nearly one
fourth pound on each package. The
price asked for the goods are not an in
ducement for the purchaser to be con-
tent with short weight packages.
Attention is called to the following
analyses made recently:
Lab. No. l6-Ground Coffee, manu-
featured by Charles E. Peck & Co.,
Chicago Illegal. Sample is adulterat
ed with ground roasted beans.
Lab. No. Blackberry cordial
manufactured by Imperial Distilling
company, Chicago, ILL.,, legal. Con-
tains salicylic acid and is colored with
coal tar dye.
Lab. No. ll65-White pepper, manu-
featured by HI. B. Strait, st. Paul. IL
legal. Sample is adulterated with ground
cocoanut shells: also contains consider
able amount of starchy matter.
The attention of producers and deal
ers in eggs is called to the provisions of
Chapter 3s4, general laws of 1907, which
provide that ''no person shall deal in or
sell for use as food any filthy, decom-
posed, deceased or otherwise unwhole
some food or dairy products, either in a
natural state or in any manufactured
mixed or prepared condition, etc" Nio
lators of this law are liable to fine Of
$50 or imprisonment for sixty days.
All producers are warned not to offer
eggs for sale which are not fresh and
wholesome, and all dealers who buy or
deal in stale or rotten eggs will be
prosecuted.
The attention of cream producers and
cream buyers is also called to the pro-
vision of this law.
This department will enforce this
law with special reference to the sale OF
the above mentioned food articles, and
prosecutions will follow against offend
i rs wherever evidence can be obtained.