Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-06-17
Bread and Bakers.

|
| When public meeting of bakers was called
few days ago, we abored under the misap-
prehenslon that the sight of their ovens in full
blast had suggested some ideas of future reir-
button and SO inspired them with an anxious
desire 10 amend some of the naughty practices
10 which mol a few members of their worship
ful fraternity are thought 10 be addicted But
/, has since appeared that al the meeting refer
red 10, IL was not resolved that the custom of
using pernlcous drugs in the preparation Of
their bread, should be discontinued II was
not resolved that All asiringent mineral which
enables the flour TO hold double quantity of wa
ter, and thus increase The weight of the oaves
without adding much 10 their value, should be
dispensed with. Ii was not resolved that an
other drug of still more poisonous nature, de-
signed to give unnatural whi,eness to the
bread, should be banished from every bakery.
No no such resolutions were passed 1t was
merely decided in this solemn conclave, thai,
in consequence of the adv 'ance in flour, il was
necessary that the price of bread should be
raised At the first glimpse, this seems rea
sonable enough Nobody denies that The prof
lis OF The bakers are less now than they were
when flour was purchasable at five dollars per
barrel,-but The question is if their profits are
not still large enough without the additional
taxation which they propose to levy on our Cit
iZens.
Were we 10 mention The amount Of flour W hich
enters into the composition OF an Eight cent loai,
our readers would be asOnshed perhaps in
credulous. The principal ingredient, as we
limited above, is aUater thence the nsipdiiy
which is so remarkable in almost all bakers
bread. If the supply of water should fail, the
plea for raising the price o. bread would be
much more valid than it is q, present. TIE
price of flour has some effect on the bakers prof
fits, bu, not much, for the proportion OF that in
gredlent is so small that llle variation in the
cost Of i, is hardly worth talking about The
bakers, most of them we mean, practice a de-
iesable kind of economy in the manufacture of
The staff of life," which in our candid opinion
is often converted by them into the dar, of death
Our country readers who have the happiness to
reside where bakers bread is luxury known
only by name, would be enabled to guess why
dyspepsia ,dyseniery, inflammation and uicera-
.ion of the stomach and bowels are diseases so
prevalent in our large cities, if they knew what
saving expedients are adopted by many Of our
bread-makers. The substance used 10 make
twelve ounces Of flour absorb two pounds Of
water, cannoi be swallowed in any considerable
quantity without great injury TO health, and in
some states of the human system small por,
tion of i, might be fatal Another drug used
by some unprinciped bakers for purpose spe-
Gifted above, is considered by physicians too
dangerous to be administered internally, even
as q nledic1ne
| We do no, mention the names oflhese drugs,
because there probably some bakers who
do not understand the use of them and are BET.
ter without the knowledge ,heTeof
| The everyday experience of our readers will
present curious fact for observation = barrels
of flour just purchased may often be seen at the
doors OF our city bakers Just cast your eye
on the lettering and you will remark that very
lnlle of this -four is OF the best brands much
OF II is Of such an inferior quality that house
wife would pronounce ii impracticable. And
yet baker can make whittier aud finer looking
bread Of such flour than housewife could make
of the bes, Patterson's or Rochester What is
the secret Why mischierous drug is used
TO correct the dun color and heavy nature Of the
material, and thus very cheap and ordinary
flour is made to answer the purpose, and while
that may be done, very few bakers will choose
TO provide any thing better.
The inference TO be drawn from all we have
said, Is that there is no necessity for raising
The price of bread, unless the quality of the
article is improved If the bakers will call a
meeting and enter into solemn obligation to
furnish the public with good and wholesome bread
we shall make no complaint against an advance
in price. Let them economze their chemicals
and put ia more ofthe nutritious Ingredient, and
the public will generously remhnerale them.
Besides, they will then be enabled TO look al
their glowing and sparkling ovens withou, shud-
dering at the idea of thai fiery reribu'ion which
awaits sinners who tfihe with The health and
lives OF their fellow creature. .--Scott'S Weekly
Paper.