REPORT OF OLIVER T. GIFFORD, STATE FOOD INSPECTOR. HUNT, ILL., January 4, 1908. To the Hon. Alfred H. Jones, State Food Commissioner, Chicago, Ill.: DEAR SIR-In accordance with your request, I herewith submit a report of my work as State Food Inspector since June 15, 1908, the time of my appointment, to December 31, 1908. During this period I have inspected the grocery stores, restaurants and other places where food products are manufactured or offered for sale in fifty-six cities and villages located principally in the western part of the State. I have collected and expressed to Mr. A. L. Nehls, Assistant State Analyst, 1627 Manhattan building, Chicago, 221 food samples for analysis. Of this number I find that about forty have been reported by the State Analyst as not complying with the State pure food law. On examining my inspection record, I find that I have taken more illegal samples of tomato catsup, extracts of various kinds and vinegars, than all other kinds of food products put together. In my rounds as food inspector, calling on the different men who either sell or manufacture food products, I have been accorded most courteous treatment by all. Each one seemed glad to have his place inspected, saying that if he was selling anything that did not comply with the law he did not know it and would be glad to make anything right that was not already so and I believe that the great majority are trying to observe all the requirements of the State dairy and food laws, though some were not as familiar with its provisions as they should be and in such cases I recommended that they procure a copy and read it carefully. I find the manufacturers, wholesalers and jobbers heartily in favor of the law and its rigid enforcement while the consumers give evidence of faith in its power to keep our food pure and increase the health and happiness of an intelligent and appreciative public. OLIVER T. GIFFORD, REPORT OF H. W. COLVER, STATE FOOD INSPECTOR. To the Hon. Alfred H. Jones, State Food Commissioner, Chicago, Ill.: DEAR SIR-I have the honor to submit my report as State Food Inspector for 1908 as follows: Having received my appointment in July this year this report will only cover a period of six months. During the six months, I have been connected with this department, I have collected about 400 samples, and visited about fifty cities and towns in the northwestern part of the State, including the following: Galena, Apple River, Warren, Stockton, Freeport, Lena, Grangeville, Winslow, Dakotah, Davis and every store in Stephenson county, also Oregon, Byron, Stillman Valley, Adline, Leaf. River, Forreston, Mt. Morris, Savanna, Mt. Carroll, Lanark, Shannon, Chadwick, Milledgeville, Thompson, Rock Island, Kirkland, Genoa, and a few other places. I have found that the merchants are very kind and courteous and do all they can to assist in looking over their stock of goods, and are anxious to destroy any article which they are told is bad, and want to remove from their shelves all goods which are not in strict conformity with our food laws. Wherever I go I hear from the merchants nothing but praise of the food law and many times customers who are present while the samples are being taken express themselves on the law and are much pleased with the work that has been done and are in sympathy with the law in all its details. Having had a number of years experience in the grocery business I am very familiar with the various brands of goods and labels. I also have a good acquaintance with several of the largest and many of the smaller wholesale houses. My attention is almost daily called to the matter of stale and rotten eggs and the merchant, and his town customers, are anxious that the law may be made to take in this subject and put a stop to this imposition. The food law certainly has been one of the best laws ever passed and it has been, and is, giving great satisfaction to the citizens of our great State. Respectfully submitted, Lanark, Illinois, Dec. 30, 1908. H. W. COLVER, State Food Inspector. REPORT OF A. R. LEWIS, STATE FOOD INSPECTOR. MORRISON, ILL., Dec. 31, 1908. To the Hon. Alfred H. Jones, State Food Commissioner, Chicago, Ill.: DEAR SIR-As per your request, I herewith submit a brief report of my work as State Food Inspector for the six months ending December 31, 1908. For the above period I will report having called upon more than 150 retail dealers and have been received with the greatest courtesy by every merchant visited. The retailers without exception are, in my judgment, endeavoring to live up to the law and are anxious to see it enforced. They are always ready to receive any suggestions an inspector has to offer and in fact almost invariably ask for any suggestions I may have to make. I have collected and sent to the State Food Laboratory at Chicago, during the past six months, almost 500 samples of food products and there have been less than 10 per cent reported adulterated or not properly branded. I think there has been a great improvement in the quality of goods offered in the markets since the passage of the pure food law, and the enforcement of the law is sure to make a still greater improvement. Respectfully submitted, A. R. LEWIS, State Food Inspector. REPORT OF S. VANDEUSEN, INSPECTOR. GREENVILLE, ILL., Dec. 31, 1908. Hon. Alfred H. Jones, State Food Commissioner, Chicago, Illinois : DEAR SIR-I herewith submit report of work done by me as inspector of stock food during the year ending December 31, 1908. During the year, I have taken 354 samples for analysis, made nearly 2,000 inspections and visited 165 cities and towns. While making inspections in the city of Peoria, I was assisted by Inspector Fox. The following are the cities and towns throughout the State that I have visited in behalf of the stock food department: Greenville, Pocahontas, Highland, Mulberry Grove, Peoria, Decatur, Vandalia, E. St. Louis, Collinsville, Centralia, Donaldson, Salem, St. Elmo, Brownstown, Hookdale, Altamont, Mt. Vernon, Nashville, Chester, Sparta, Murphysboro, Pinckneyville, Carbondale, Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Benton, Kinmundy, St. Jacobs, Smithboro, Ramsey, Herrick, Fillmore, Coffeen, Sorento, Troy, Edwardsville, Carlyle, Flora, Olney, Newton, Effingham, Pana, Nokomis, Irving, Hillsboro, Litchfield, Cairo, Anna, Duquoin, Pierron, Caseyville, Edgmont, Lebanon, O'Fallan, Belleville, Patoka, Cowden, Tower Hill, Shelbyville, Tamalco, Keysport, Wisetown, Dudleyville, Greenup, Casey, Marshall, Paris, Vermilion, Alton, Upper Alton, East Alton, Worden, Staunton, Mt. Olive, Warrensburg, Vernon, Sandoval, Oden, Shobonier, Grantfork, Marine, Alhambra, New Douglas, Benld, Gillespie, Carlinville, Nilwood, Girard, Virden, Panama, Waverly, Franklin, Mattoon, Charleston, Arcola, Tuscola, Champaign, Bloomington, Clinton, Farina, Lewisville, Iuka, Xenia, Carter, Call, St. Peter, Augsburg, St. Paul, Loogootee, St. James, Vera, Breese, Millersburg, Jamestown, St. Rose, Aveston, Trenton, Summerfield, Springfield, Riverton, Auburn, Old Ripley, Ayers, Reno, Carmi, Fairview, Lincoln, Mt. Pulaski, Elkhart, Williamsville, Buffalo, Chatham, Thayers, Whitehall, Winchester, Chapin, Arenzville, Beardstown, Virginia, Ashland, Woburn, Lawrenceville, Mt. Carmel, Jerseyville, Roodhouse, Carrolton, Pittsburg, Hagerstown, Rock Island, Milan, Searstown, Moline, Orion, Cambridge, Galva, Aledo, Galesburg, Joy, Quincy, New Athens, Marissa, Bingham, Hamel, Maryville. While visiting the above mentioned cities and towns, I inspected all grocery stores, drug stores, feed stores, wholesale stores and manufacturers of stock foods, etc., and gave to each a copy of the pure food law or informed them of the contents, etc. |