The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1908-10-24
Famous BIeached Flour Case
Opened Today
BEFORE POLLOCK In FARGO
WHAT PROMISES TO BE ONE OF
THE GREATEST LEGAL BAT
TIES EVER WAGED IN THE
NORTHWEST STARTED THIS
MORNING.

The eyes Of the -four manufacturers
of the entire United States are CEN
tered upon Fargo today, for in this
city has been started what promises
to be one of the greatest legal battles
that has ever been fought out in the
history Of the country, a battle, the
outcome of which may decide whether
or not the process of bleaching -four
Is entirely harmless and therefore
may be continued unnampered by any
legal restrictions and may decide
whether or not the process is to be
condemned entirely.
For months both sides to the con-
test have been preparing-she country
has been secured for testimony on the
subject. millers and chemists by the
dozen have been engaged in expert
ments with the -four and a great mass
Of testimony will be introduced by
both sides to the case.
On one side is arrayed practically
the whole of the milling industry OF
the northwest-and when that is said,
it includes the bulk of the -four man
ufacturers of the United States-on
the other side is arrayed one man.
Prof. e. F.. Ladd, the pure food COM
missioner of North Dakota.
Contention of MilIers.
The millers contend that the process
of bleaching flour is not in the least
harmful, Prof. Ladd contends that 1t
is harmful and in his capacity as pure
food commissioner he got out some
bulletins which were intended for dis
tribution to the public and which, 1T
is said, contained records of expert
ments showing the harmful nature of
-four that had been put through this
process. These bulletins, the millers
contended, were Injurious to their
! business, they contained records they
contend that are not facts and there
! fore secured an injunction against
Prof Ladd, restraining him tempo
| rariIy from issuing these bulletins.
The action started today is brought
for the purpose of making this tenn
porary injunction permanent. 1t is
entitled, "The Russell Miller Milling
Co. ct al VS.. e. F. Ladd as pure food
commissioner of North Dakota"
1t was called this morning at 10
o'clock before Judge c. A. Pollock in
the Cass county district court and
from the little testimony that has been
put on today it is evident that the
attorneys on both sides are prepared
to fight every inch of the ground. 1t
is battle to the bitter end and there
was in the court room during the
entire day a tension which showed
how momentous was the question in
volved.
Bleaching Man Testifiec.
The first witness called and the
only witness on the stand up to a late
hour this afternoon was John A.
Mitchell. the manager of the Alsop
Manufacturing Co. This company is
the company which sells the -four
bleaching machinery, controls the pat
ents of the process, etc.
Mr.. MitchelPs testimony was large
ly technical. He told how the -four
is bleached and testified as to the
number of mills that use the process.
etc He claims that every mill in
Minneapolis, the largest flour manu-
featuring center in the world use the
bleached flour process and he claims
that there are about 1900 mills
throughout the United States that use
the process.
The attorneys in the case are w. II.
Barnett of the firm OF Barnett & Rich
ardson and Edward Engerud of the
| firm of Eengerud, Holt & Frame,
both Of Fargo for the defendant, Prof. .
Ladd, and Ball, Watson, Young &c
Lawrence of Fargo and Bruce & FL
liott and Sam e. Jeffries Of ST. Louis
for the plaintiff milling companies.