The Cream That Wasn't: A Milk War Lands in Seattle

The company at Highland, Ill., manufacturing the "Economy" brand of condensed milk, recently sent broadcast to the citizens of Seattle a circular letter which contained a most serious charge against a local condensed milk company. This circular says:

"According to a statement recently published by the Oregon state chemist, a company in the State of Washington is taking a part of the butter fat out of the milk used and furnishing merely its lean parts in the can, and the manufacturers have never denied this accusation."

A copy of this circular reached Col. Alden J. Blethen, editor-in-chief of the Seattle Daily Times, who thereupon wrote a strong editorial, which appeared in the issue of that paper of Nov. 23rd. He expressed himself with vigor on this subject as follows:

"If this charge has even the semblance of truth it ought to be ferreted out and made unpopular by prosecuting the persons engaged in the offensive business. Naturally enough, 'the Oregon chemist' gives no names and therefore The Times cannot warn the public against the parties carrying on this adulteration, but it can expose the fact if the statement be true, and that is the object of this publication."

Now the only institution of the sort in the state of Washington is the Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company, which puts up the "Carnation Cream" brand. The object of the Highland concern, of course, is to create the impression that the Kent company is selling a doctored product, and thereby prejudice people against the Carnation brand. Such tactics are not resorted to against a competitor by reputable firms.

The Ranch does not believe that the Carnation Company removes any butter fat from the milk. It does practice a deception, however, in calling the product "Carnation Cream," for it contains only six or seven per cent of butter fat, whereas condensed cream should show from 50 to 75 per cent butter fat. The process of the Carnation Company is not given out, and we are not acquainted with the particular details of its preparation, but in a general way the method followed is to purchase whole milk from the dairymen, which contains an average of 4 per cent butter fat. It is reduced by condensation and by other manipulation until it is as thick or thicker than cream. As it is very poor cream that does not test at least 20 per cent butter fat, it will be seen that this product is not all that it seems (and this is where the profit lies).

The Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company is a good and thriving industry; it has a large factory at Kent, and is putting in another at Forest Grove, Ore. The company is making a great deal of money out of the famous product. They should be given all the support possible by the people of the Northwest if they are doing a square business. If they are humbugging the people the state dairy and food commissioner should prosecute the officers according to law.