New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-17
CANNED GOODS TO DUMP
Heavy Seizures by Health Board
Cause Grocers to Protest.
CONFERENCE WITH LEDERLE
Retailers Want Chance to Get
Rebates, but They Must In
sure Destruction.

Since January of this year 1,5O2, g7S
pounds of canned goods have been de-
stroyed by the Health Department. 1t was
because of this that three representatives
OF the wholesale and retail grocery inter.
ests OF this city held an extended session
yesterday morning with Health Commits
sioner Lederle.
Following the session the Commissioner
explained the purpose of the conference
The retail grocery interests, he said, main
tanned that under the present system of
destroying all defective canned goods they
received no rebates for such from the
wholesale houses. In years past they had
they said, been permitted to send back to
the wholesale houses such canned products
as were found TO be unfit for sale. When
they did so the rebate was forthcoming.
But this year the Health Commissioner
adopted different plan with regard TO the
seized articles. He has had them sent to
the offal heap. Truckload after truckload,
so he said yesterday had thus been surely
and safely done away with.
Il do not want TO appear unreasonable"
said the Health Commissioner, but that
seemed the surest way of disposing of the
defective articles. I do not say that in
previous years a large quantity OF the
canned goods thus returned found their
way once more TO the shelves of the re-
'tallers. but there has been evidence to show
some have. I want TO be fair to both the
retail and the wholesale grocers, and we
will confer again and try to come to some
agreement which will be for the best in
terests of the consumer and the merchant"
In other words, the Commissioner means
to remain in his Missouri attitude until he
is convinced that the modifying of the
order will not put things back where they
once were.
Are the canned goods sold in this city
defective TO a large extent" the Commits
sioner was asked.
There have been many such articles
condemned by the food inspectors was
his answer.
Statistics of the bureau Of food inspec-
ton Of his department are even more con-
vincing than the statement Of the Commits
sioner. During the present month alone
fully $1,000 pounds of canned goods have
been confiscated and taken to the offal
dump. From July l to October l the total
number of pounds seized was 45676l.
Some of the figures give an idea as TO the
seizures by the department inspectors.
From January l to the end of March 9l,327
pounds were destroyed. From May l TO
July the total amount was 34S,933 pounds.
During the month of October more than
10000 pounds were removed from the shelves
of grocers.
On being informed that the Health Com
missioner would confer with them on the
subject Of the destruction OF canned goods
where it was found they were faulty,
large body of wholesale and retail grocers
called on the Commissioner a few days ago.
He, however, asked them to appoint
committee of three to consider the matter
with him. and yesterday was the first ses-
sion. In the last few months hundreds of
protests have come from grocers.
No agreement was reached at the con-
ference Many ways were suggested as a
relief for the present situation. and one the
Commissioner suggested-that of establish
ing a central station in the city. at the
grocers' expense. where such goods could
be properly looked tnto-was considered by
the merchants as entailing too much cost
II have not receded an inch from the
stand | have taken in the matter the
Health Commissioner said, but want to
be understood as not opposed to some plan
which would in the long run work to the
best interest Of all
A large quantity Of the goods handled by
retail grocers, II was said came from
wholesale establishments outside the city.