The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-05-02
THE SEIZED
BAKINGPOWDER
IS RETURNED
Was Found to Be Pure But
Weight Labels Slight
ly Off.

About two months ago. a govern
ment agent seized some $50 cases Oh
Hi-Lo baking powder at Pensacola
on the charge that it did not conform
TO the weight label as required by the
pure food law. The goods were manu-
featured by the Continental Baking
Powder CO., of Nashville, and were
consigned to the Consolidated Gro
Gerry Co, of Pensacola, of which c.
NJ. CovingtOn is yice-pTesident.
1t developed on investigation by
the government experts that the bak-
ing power was absolutely pure and
that the only feature wherein the
government had cause for action was
the fact that a few of the cans We're
found to be slightly under the weight
named in the label.
The baking powder has now been
restored to the original owners on
condition that the labels as to weight
be corrected, which has been done.
ce-President Covington OF the
Consolidated Grocery Co, who are
sole distributors of Hi-Lo for this
territory, feels very much elated over
the result of the government exam
ination, and to a Journal representa-
tive yesterday he said:
President coVington interviewed.
absolute purity of this baking pow
der, which is worth a great deal to us
as well as to the public, and we offer
this product to our trade with greater
confidence than ever before. The
only mistake the manufacturer made
was in attempting to have each can
conform to an exact weight unit. As
everyone knows, the weight of baking
powder, like a great many other pro-
ducts, is affected by climatic and at
mOspheric conditions, and a ten-cent
can may weigh an ounce under or an
ounce over a pound under different
climatic conditions. 1t was not many
months ago that another popular
brand of baking powder was seized
under a similar charge, and the result
was that the weight label had to be
cancelled on every case of il. The
mistake cur people made was in I'M
dertaking to label each case with a
statement as to the exact unit of
weight in each can of their powder,
because it is absolutely impossible
for a can of baking powder to be
measured to exact weight and there
fore no baking powder can properly
have a weight label giving the exact
unit OF weight in each case.
II feel" concluded Mr. CoEingtOn,
that the investigation will prove of
great value to us because it developed
the fact that our baking powder is
of a purity that passes even the rigid
scrutiny of the government experts.
AS for the weight labels, we shall
have to do just what every other bak-
ing powder manufacturer is doing
leave off the weight mark"
Mr.. CoVington yesterday received
the following letter from Assistant
U. S. Attorney Emmett Wilson, under
whose direction the original seizure
was made:
U. S. Attorneys Letter.
Department Of Justice, Office Of
United States Attorney, Northern
District of Florida.
Pensacola, Fla. May l, 1909.
Mr.. G.. NJ. CovingtOn, City.
Dear Sir; Referring to the seizure
by the United States of lot of Hi-Lo
Baking Powder of which the ConsoIi-
dated Grocery Company is the dis
tributor at this place, l beg to state
that the seizure was made after an
examination of the powder by the
experts. Nothing can
be said against the quality of the
baking powder. for upon examination
it was found to be pure. If the i'm
preston has been made that the
seizure was due to some defect in the
quality of the powder it is entirely
The seizure was made be-
cause of a slight variation in the
brand or label as to weight and the
actual weight. 1 will say, in justice
to your company, that no fault has
to it in any respect.
Respectfully,
IVNFNFIvrT,yTT VIII CON