University of South Carolina Libraries
RIWEEKLY ED)ITION.} WINNSBORO. c.. THURSDAY, JAN UARY 9, 1879 {VOL. 2. NO. 14 "THERE'S DEATIH IN THE POT." --0 COMPOUNDS O STARCTI, LM1[ AND OPPRRAS SOLD FOlt SYlt UP. A Distinguished Chemist, Tells the Tale --Startling Stories of the Adultera tion of Syrup --Faots Every House keeper Should Know. Tho adulteration of sugars has recently caused Some inquiry, prin cipally because of the charge that importers color refined sugars in order to escape the heavy duties on the higher grades. During the investigation, leading exports testifiod that no pure sugar can be found in the market. Recently, too, Professor Kedzie, president of the Board of Health of Michigan, delivered a lecture on this subject, his attention having boon called to it by the poisoning of a family in Michigan fron eating adulterated syrup. The lecture is full of inter est but is too long to be reproduc ed. Some of its solvent points will be given. Professor Kedzio says that - the Anglo-Saxon is pro eminently the SUOAR CONSUMING RACE. As England and the United States consume annually forty-one pounds of sugar per head, while the Latin race, comprising France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Switzerland, consumsues twelve pounds, the Gernian race seven pounds, and the Russians, Poles, Greeks and Turks only tiroo pounds per head. The adulteration of this article of food then particularly interests us. In chemistry there is a group of substances similarly constituod, known as the Starch and Sugar group. There are two principal kinds of sugars, sucrose or cane sugar, and glucose or grape sugar, the latter of which crystallizes lim perfectly or not at all, and has but little sweetness. It is the sort that is soon on old raisins. Cane sugar differs from starch only in having one more molecule of water, while glucose has two more than starch. If this one moleculo could be chemically united to starch, cane sugar would result. All efforts heretofore have resulted in adding two molecules, instead of one, and thus producing grape sugar. While g rape sugar can be made of many substances, such as sawdust, rags and paper, its manufacturo from these is expensive. Yet it can be made from starch easily and cheaply. The process is thus described: MAKING SUGAR IROM STARCH. The saccharification of the starch in France is carried on in large wooden vats, capable of holding 2,800 gallons. The contents of the vat may be heated by forcing in steam through a coiled steam. pipe at the bottom. The steam-pipe is perforated to permit the steam to escape at many points into the contents of the vat. In France the steam -pipe is made of lead ; in this country I suspect they use iron pipes. When two tonls of starch are to be converted into sugar, thirty-two barrels of water and about eighty pounds of sulphuric acid are placed in the vat, and the whole heated to 212 degrees by forcing in steam. Two hundred pounds of starch are then mixed with twenty-two gallons of wvater and stirred up, and four or five gallons of this mixture are run into the vat. The temperature is kept uto the boiling point all the while, andi successive charges of -starch are run in till the whole Thestamis then shut off, and chl sadded in sufficient quantity tneutralize the sulphuric acid j bu ftolittle chalk is used, free uphrcacid wifl be loft in the conent ofthe vat. Tile sparingly slbesulphate of lime is 'formed, an uhof it settles to the bottom oftelqid ; the clear liquid is danofand evaporated by steam, hea tll heproper' density of syrnp ize onecueolin i it will crystal liz o colngand standing for several days, according as they seek to make syrup or sugar. This brief description will assist us to understand why cERTAIN IMPURITIECS ARlE FOUND Iin those starch sugar syrups. If iron pipes sre used to convey the L ~ steam for heating the contents of the vat, the suiphurio acid will attack and disolve some of the iron, and thus sulphat~e.of iro n (oonneras) will appear in the syrup. If too little chalk is used, free sulphuric acid will remain in the syrup. T he chalk being carbonate of lime, its use will explain why lime may be found in large quantity in the syrup. Sugar readily unites with lime, forming a class of substances which lose entirely the tasto of sugar and are bitter instead. Grape sugar also unites in the same way, and in the method of manufacture, given above, a large quantity of these substances remain in solution and destroy what little sweetness the pure grape sugar would have Ono part of lime will destroy the sweet. ness of six parts of sugar, forming a bitter compound. As grape sugar does not crystal lie, it is chiefly used in the adul teration of syrups. Professor Kedzio analyzed seventeen speci mons of syrup to satisfy himvelf of the charges of fraud, and for this purpose bought none but the very best brands from the largest deal ers. Of these only gwo woro of pure cane sugar, while fifteen were chemical preparations from starch. One spocimon, No. 3, in his list, contained iu one gallon of syrup, plenty of copperas and 297 grains of lime. No. 11 contained 142 grains of sulphuric acid, 28 grains of copporas and 725 grains, or one tonth of a pound of lime. No. 13 contained 58 grains of copperas, 83 grains of sulphurie acid and 440 grains of lime; while the syrup that poisoned the family tuntained 72 grains of sulphuric acid, 28 grains of copperas and 363 grains of lime. All the others exceept two wero adulterated, more or loss. As to the taste, one pound of cano sugar has the same sweetness as two and a half pounds of grape sugar. Hence the general coim plaint that the syrups nowadays are not as sweet as they used to be. Professor Kodzie closes this branch of the subject by remarking: "The thought of using such mixUires as a relish for our food is not very appetizing; some of these drips seem to be made up of about equal parts of fraud and dirt. A facetious friend has quoted, in this connec tion, the old saying: 'A man must eat his peck of dirt before he dies.' If any one feels uneasy lost he be defrauded of 'his peck of dirt,' let him eat % few gallons of No. 11, and he may rest on his laurels the ba. anco of his days." As to tests, a little strong tea will turn the syrup black, if cop peras be present. For lime, dis solve oxalic acid (a deadly poison) in water, and pour it into a tumbler of "sweetened water," and if lime is present it will be precipitated to the bottomn. After reading this, it will occur that the refined syrups are not as clean and safe eating as the old fashioned dark molasses and syrup that once satisfied the people. When "Golden Drip" or "Sugar House Syrup" can be made of sawdust and old shirts it is time to speak a word of expostulation. WrboA, E1mu~ !-The New York World says: The phrase, Whoa Emma, was first brought out in a police-court trial in London last year, where a woman brought up a neighbor for persecuting and "aggerawating" her, one method of "aggerawation" specified being accosting her on the street, in the hearing of all men, with a shout of "Whoa, Emma I" The lady object.. ed to this familiar use of her Christian name ; also to the sub~ stitution of "Whoa I" for "Stop I" or even "Hulklo1" The thing got into all the papers, one or two of which gave articles commenting on this new and pecular method of perse cution; the phrase was made the chorus of a comic song, and soon became popular in England and America. It has fallen ito disuse of late months among those who keep themselves informed in current slang. The new First Presbyterian church at Quincy, Illinois, was comp)letely destroyed by fireo Thurs day night. Loss $60,000. The church wvas to have been dedicated next Sunday. The fire caught from the heating apparatus. Resumption in St. Louis was en tirely successful, not having pro duced evon a ripple in banking or commercial circles. The banks and many business firms paid ouit gold when requested to do so, but cur - rency was most in demand. Consumption may be prevented by checking a cough or cold in time, and nothing equals Dr. Bull's Cough Syrup for the throat an d GENEJ2dAL JACIKSON'S NJElWRy. The Extraordiinary Manner in Which He Put a Veto on Swindling on a Tennessee Race Course. NASHVILLE, December 24.-Many are the intoresting scoos of An drew Jackson's life which his biographer, Parton, has omitted, and not broutbt to light. When a boy I saw him scare and put to flight twenty thousand men. The occasion was this :-Greyhound, a Kentucky horse, had beaten Double Hoad, a Tennessee horse, and they wore afterward matchod for .$5,000 a side, to be run on the Clwer Bot ton Course. My uncle, osophus H. Conn, carried me on I rsoback behind him to see the raco. He set me on the cedar fence and told me to remain till lie returned. n those days not only counties, but. Statos, in full feather, attended the race course as a great national amuso ment, and the same is still kept up in France and England unior the fostering care of each government. There must have boon twenty thou sand persons present. never witnessed such fierco bett pg be tween the States. Hors s and negroes woro put up. , large pound was filled with hor es and negroes bot on the result of this race. Tho timo had now arrived for the competitors to ap ear on the track. I heard some lou( talking and, looking down the track, saw, for the first time, General Jackson, riding slowly on a gray horse, with long pistols held one in eaclf hind. I think they woro as long as my arm and had a piouth that a round squirrel could enter. In h wake followed my uncle Conn, Sitkeloy, Donelson, Patton, Anderson and several others as fiorce as bulldogs. As General Jackson led the van and approached the judges' stand he was rapidly talking and gesbicila ting. As he camo by ine he said that ho had irrofragable proof that this was to be a jockey race, that Grey hound wais seen in the wheat field the night before, which disqualified him for the race, and that his rider was to receive $500 to throw it off, and "by the eternal God" IE WOULD SHOOT THE FIST MAN who brought his horse upon the track ; that the people's money should not be stolen from them in this m'inner. He talked incessantly while tho spittle rolled from his mouth and the fire from his eyes. I have seen bears anl wolves, but he was certainly the most ferocious looking animal that I had over seen. His appearance and mannor struck terror into the hearts of 20,000 people. If they felt as I did every one expected to be slain. He announced to the parties if they wanted some lead in their hidos to first bring their horses on the track, for "by the eternal" lie would kill the first man that attempted to do so. There was no response to this challenge, and, after waiting some time and they failing to appear, General Jackson said it was a groat mistake in the opinion of some, that he had acted hastily, without consideration. He wvould GIVE THlE sUoUNDR ELs A FAIIi TIRT L, and to that end he would constitute a court to inves tigate this matter, who would hear the proof and do justice to all parties. Ther eupon he appointed a sheriff to keep order and five judges to hear' the case. Proclamation wvas made that the court wvas open and was ready to proceed to business, and for the parties to appear and defend then selves. No one appearing General Jackson introduced the witnesses, proving the bribery of Greyhound's rider, who was to receive $500 to throw off the race, having received $250 in advance, and that Grey hound had been turned into the wheat field the night before. He again called on the par'ties toap pear and contradict this proof and vindicate their innocence. They failing to appear, General Jackson told the cours that the proof wvas closed, and for themi to render their ,judgment in the premises, which, mn a few moments, was done in accordance with the facts proved. I was still on the fence forming one line of the large pound containing the property bet on the race. Each man was anxious to get back his prop)erty. General Jackson waved his hand and announced the decision and said, "Now, gentlemen, go calmly and in order, and each man take his own property." When the word was given the people came with p rdish. It was more terrible than an army with banners. Thiey came bulging against the fence, and, in the struggle to get over, they knocked it dow'n for hunidreds of vardit I mas 'overturned and nearly trampled to death. Each man got his property, and thus the fraudulent race was broken up by an exhibition of the most extraordinary courage. He did that day what it would have required two thousand armed men to have effected. All this was offected by the presence and action of one man, and without the drawing of one drop of blood. A cortain knowledge that. in one event streams of blood would have flowed offected this groat andi worthy object. ojt.R ESToRED To LIFE. C ion the Joplin (.Mo. ) D-MU Ilcraki.] From a lady who arrived at the St. James Hotel S.iturday from the central portion of Arkansas we learn the particulars of an affair which possesses many features of interest and to the medical profession in particular. The lady left her home at the beginning of the recent cold snap, with the intention of coming to Joplin, and there being no other conveyance was compelled to make the entire trip by stage. The only passenger in the stage, with her was a m.,n . very thinly clad. While crossing the Boston Mountains he complained very much of the cold; and in fact the weather was re markably cold, even for the top of those mountains. After a while he apparently fell asleep. Arriving at the station on the north side of the mountains, the driver attempted to awaken the passenger. bilt to his horror found him frozen stiff and apparontly dead. He was taken out of the hack and placed in a room, which was rather cold though not as low as the freezing point by several degrees. The lady remained at the station until next day, and just as she was preparing to resume her journey was surprised to learn that signs of life had been detected in the supposed dead man, who was to have been buried that afternoon. True enough, signs of life were plain to be observed, and by lively rubbing with flannels satura ed with whiskey fur about aun hour he was able to speak. When the lady left he was fast recovering from his stupor, and she had no doubt by this time he has fully re covered. Had he continued in that condition three hours longer, he would doubtless have been buried, as all thought he was dead. Being placed in a room of just the right temperature no doubt assisted his recovery. RELICS OF R PASIN A WAr. Old Si had been sitting by the fire in a brown study. ")e relicks ob de wah am slowly passin' away 1" he finally remarked. "What in the world made you think of that?" "Woll, Chrismus an' new yoh al is makes me kinder look back ober do pas'. I sorter reviews de track I'so bin runnin' on-" "And what makes you think the rolics of the war are going ?" "Lots o' things dat I mought s)eak ob. Fustly, of yer notis, de bress-wvorks 'round hyar is gittin' lower an' lower ebery yeah, an sum bez done bin plow'd ober long 'go. Do rifle- pits iz mnos'ly fill'd up an' de fotes is lebbel'd down for sicher washuns far bran nowv houses far fokes tor lib in I" That wvas all very true "Yes, an' dere aint so meny widdors an' orphins in de lan' an speoshil shops fer patint arms an' legs lhes drapped outon de trade. Do's no mo' dispezieshun ter 'list wvid do molishy an' dar aint so monny fokos in town wid de rumatiz an' so'-oyos 1" "WelJ, you have been observant I" "I looks 'round whonobber I'se awake, an' I got er good pa'r o' specs!1 Yes, do freeater cums 'long reg'lar now an' de sirkus arribes obory yeah de samea time wid do season ter pay yer taxes. 'Twarnt so in de wahi 1' "WVolh, nowv, what else 1" "Dar's moughty leetle lef' ob de wab, now, 'ceptin do mancerpashion, 'lecktif french-ize an' hard time we'se gittin' on risin' groun' enny how, tho' munney is skase an' or konfodrit bill ar' almos' ez hard ter git oz or groonback I" "You think times are improv ing ?" "Slowly-lowly, but still dey's on de mend. Dem aquonomerkal paper-collars is goin' outer fashin an Yankee obercorts bez disappear'd fum do culled race!i Mo' fokes ez cumin tar town in homespun elo's an trane-lodes of furrin bakin is gittin' shorter I Laziness is do las' riliek dat we wants tsr trade off tek sum odder kuntry, an' shako wid do res' ok miankin'!' Then the old man got what be was after-more egg.-nogg.~'-Atlan-. La Cons8tittion. TYFoG RAPHIIC AL BLUINDBRE. A Fresh Compilation of Amusing Il-. lustrations. A groat many columds have been written concerning typopaubial errors, and many of the iotances sound so witty or so stupid that it seems as if they must be rather inventions than actual happenings, but we never saw one cited so unlikely that we couldn't remember its match. Once we wrote that it was "like evoking the shadow of a shado" to quoto forgotten writers. The phrase appeared in print thus: "Like cooking the shadow of a shad." The printer had, in burlesquing the sentimont, actually preserved and intensified it in a most striking image of unsubstantiality. At another time we had quoted the proverbial opinion of Rosalind, "Mon have died and worms have eaten them-but not for love." The printer may have been a miso gynist ; at all events he substituted "women" for "worms." There are Shakespeare emnations not much better than that, perhaps. In one of the country weeklies thore was recently an account of the presen tation to some of a Bible "bound in guilt." In a discussion one spoke of the "the 'divine totality of boinq;'" it was reported as "the sublime brutality of feeling." This may have been the reporter's error ; but not so when a Methodist college president spoke of sin as "a dark, guilty, damning fact," and found it published as "a dark, quietly, dawn ing fact," and describing the death of Jesus as "vivacious." This was in a very religious paper, and anoth er into.an eloquent hymn adinitted this. questionable temperance son timent-"I praise The still." Sometimes these things are. so funny that the writer can't be as angry a3 he would Jike, but still that Virginia editor must have been "hopping mad" when his powerful leader 'wound up with "Courage, tillers of the land I and forg6t, in the excitement of politics, your pantry and your nursery I" He had witten "poverty" and "misery." And how must Astronomer Proctor have felt when1, having written of "lines, hands and strite near the violet end of the spectra," he was represented as seeing "links, bonds and stripes for the violent kind of spectres I" Perhaps as if he had had a peep. into a spiritual lunatic asylum which must be necessary enough, if the mediums have got the rights of it, to store Diakkas in. EXCHANGE! COME TO-DAY, COME EVERY DAY, And .Exchange YOUR CASH for DRY GOODS, . CLOTHING AND HATS, BOOTS AND SHOES. -0 GROCERIES. Coffee at from 15 ets. to 20 ots. per pound. Sugar at 12 pounds for $1.00. Parched Rio Coffee, Ground Coffee, Brown Sugar, Extra C, Gran hated Sugar, Pulverized Su gar, Candy, Crackers, Cheese, Macaroni, Raisins, &e. GOOD GOODS AT LOW PRICES. Remember those substantial Boots and Shoes, the "Bay State" stan-' dard screwed and wire sewed. J. M. BEATY. If you detest a bursting lamp buy he Vestal Oil. If yon like a bil t ant light buy the Vestal Oil. dee 24- 3. M. BEATY. LIVES ARE OFTEN LOST B Y the une of cheap Kerone. Get one of our safety Lamp in which even the mod d1angerous oil is safe. $20,000 Saved Yearly to F!airfild, When'our farmiers learn to purchase Chemicals and make their own fertilisers. Call and get a book telling how i6 can be done. dec 28 MoMASTER & BRIOE. .SHOES AT COST.- - S\ pMir, abso'utly atqed.