Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 139, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1918 — OLIVER HAD TOO MUCH SUGAR [ARTICLE]

OLIVER HAD TOO MUCH SUGAR

COUNTY FOOD ADMINISTRATOR CONFISCATED FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS. John Eger takes his duties as County Food Administrator seriously and is determined that no one shall disobey the food regulation if he can help it. The other day Mr. Eger was informed that Ed Oliver, of Newland, had five hundred pounds of sugar and the food administrator got busy and now has possession of the big bunch of sweetness. Oliver got the sugar through the G. E. Murray Co., of this city, on order from the food administrator of Illinois. . . Mr. Eger is of the opinion that the Illinois ffrod' administrator had been worked by Oliver. In an interview with a reporter of the Republican this Wednesday morning, Mr. Oliver had the following to say about the matter: “I was in Chicago and my folks phoned me that there had been a rain and that the strewberries were ripening very fast and that unless they had a large supply of sugar many of the berries would go to waste. He said that on his farm and that of his tenants there were at least twelve hundred quarts of strawberries. Mr. Oliver says he went to the food administrator at Chicago and told him the condition of the affair. The food administrator at first told Oliver that he could do nothing for him and Mr. Oliver was advised to get the sugar through the Indiana food administrator. “Oliver told the Chicago party that by the time he would get the sugar through the Indiana authorities that his berries would be spoiled. He says the Chicago administrator then said that he would help him out.

He asked Oliver where he generally purchased his groceries and Oliver said through the firm of G. E. Murray, of Rensselaer. Oliver says he told the Chicago party that previously they had each year bought one thousand pounds of sugar, but that Mrs. Oliver had purchased this through the Saratoga Hotel in which she held a large interest. By buying through the hotel they were able to get the sugar at wholesale price.” The matter will come up before the County Council of Defense at the meeting to be held this Thursday afternoon.