Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-13

First, one of the members of the
board. in urging the adoption of the
ordinance last evening, said, 1T is
time to act in this matter. Much of
the stuff that is sold as ice cream
is not fit to eat. There is some good
ice cream made and sold, and good
ice cream can, be manufactured. The
ordinance is designed TO protect chill
dren, whom, we venture TO say, con-
sumo nearly rs per cent of the ice
cream sold in the city" DR. First
Informed the council that in the re-
cent spell of hot weather. there had
been any number of cases of Illness
in children, due directly to eating
ice cream that contained harmful
substances such as would be forbid
den under the ordinance proposed.
He argued firmly against the use of
eggs, gelatin. corn flour and corn
starch, and condensed milk. He adj
mitted that these substances might
not be harmful i'm all cases, but held
that as ingredients of ice cream they
have tendency to make ice cream
harder to digest.
What Makers Wanted.
Seven manufacturers, the Bell
Jones company, Barr e. Co.. the
Woods Creamery, company and the
Davenport Ice Cream & Supply com
pany and Larmore & Co., all of Dav-
export and l.. z. Emery and the Be-
man depot of Rock Island, presented
communication proposing an or
dinance permitting the use of fresh
eggs. one per cent of gelatin, and
establishing standard of IL per
cent butterfat for natural and nine
per cent for fruit and nut llavors.
A. l.. Larson of this city was pres
ent and as a manufacturer argued
for the adoption of the ordinance. He
declared that he makes ice cream of
the standard provided, and is willing
and anxious to see the ordinance en-
forced. He declared that when he
sold ice cream at 80 cents a gallon
TO a relative he thought it was a do
nation, but he found other dealers
offering ice cream at 60 and 65
cents a gallon. The product at so
low price. he declared, could not
be pure. He held that gelatine is
used merely to save ice and make a
cheaper product. DR.. First, when
asked why gelatine is used, said Ito
make it cheaper and make the ice
cream stand -. He said that when
gelatine is not used the ice cream
can not be packed and allowed to
stand, while when gelatine is used
the stuff can be packed Saturday, and
allowed to stand till the next Satur-
day if desired.
Is GeIatine Harmful.
There was difference of opinion
between the physicians and the max
ers of ice cream as to whether gela-
tine is harmful substance. DR.. AL
bert n Mueller. the health commits
Sioner, maintained that it is, and so
did DR.. First. City Attorney j. F.
Witter, discussing the validity of the
measure, expressed the opinion that
it could not be enforced. DR.. Mueller
pointed to court decisions where even
so harmless a substance as water
| has been declared an adulteration
can be enforced.
A representative of Barr & Co., ar
| gued that it costs more to use gela-
tine than to make the ice cream with.
out using gelatine, and that gelatine
is not harmful.
John Linn, employed by the Natl
confectionery, said that gelatine is
not necessary ingredient and thai
in all his experience he had never
used any of it. although he had uset
eggs. 1t was explained that the OBJ
lection to eggs is not to strictly fresf
eggs. but to spoiled or powdered
eggs. These can not be detected b,
any test, though the use of egg
can be detected.
Mr. Prinz of the Davenport lc'
Cream & Supply company objected Il
the elimination of gelatine, and 9th
er substances not injurious to health
on the ground that the ordinance
would so increase the cost as to plac
the product out of the reach of tn
lpoOrer classes.
l.. II. Emery argued that it woul'
kill his business to adopt such al
ordinance He stated that he is oc
cupying plant costing $4,000 TO
the building alone, and that he em
ploys eight Eien and two girls in tn
Ice cream factory and three men an
one girl in the bakery in connection
with the plant.
Objections were made to the vot
on the ordinance, but the mayor hel
that the measure was not new ord
nance, and could not be laid owe
under the rules Alderman Cars
asked for assurance that the mayo
would approve the ordinance, bu
lnone was given. The vote on tn
Iordinance showed four aldermen OF
posing it; LaVanway, Schmid, ELL
wood and Borst.
No Drug samples.