Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-21

The 6ovERNMKsr BAKERY Few are aware Of
the extent Of the arrangements made by Uncle
Sam for supplying bis army here with good fresh
bread Hundreds pass daily over the hery ovens
a. the Capitol as they promenade on the broad
terrace, who, II their attention IL attracted by the
chimneys along its outer edge, content themselves
sheds without peering into the esta blishment or
considering for moment the immense amount Of
labor PERFORMED daily, or the enormous stores
consumed In the manufacture Of the huge wagon
loads Of bread which are seen constantly winding
out OF the Capitol grounds and stretching away 70
the various camps about the city. just Inside the
arches, BY the fountain, are the departments for
the manufacture Of yeast, where several men are
ous'ly engaged stirring In casks mixture Of
boiled potatoes, malt, &c, which, when thorough
Iy mixed, Is allowed TO stand about two hours,
when 10 10 ready for At the left In the vaults
formerly used for storing wood, coal and cinders
six huge brick ovens have been constructed, into
whose tery mouths the loaves are thrust by hun
swirl manipulations Of the four w hitened bakers
Atached to each oven IL kneading room, where,
In tbs long deep troughs, the yeast is pour into
rolled TO the shoulders staIwart men plunge and
tumble 10 about until IL becomes SO stiff as to re-
quire cutting and spreading out in large layers
Thoroughly Ieavenrd II i. then taken ont mon
the tables, rolled out into loaves, and n large
pans, holding fifteen loaves each, slid away into
the dark, cavernous depths Of the ovens, where IL
rests in pence until made 1T To supply the wants
of the inner man. When done, the loaves are
taken out and placed upon the edges on long
shelves, where they become cooled before removal
TO the wagons These are not the only bakeries,
however, as inside the Capitol are found, in the
rooms once occupied by the Superintendent Of
Public Printing and his clerks-where soft car
pets mutsed the tread-piles Of bricks and mortar,
Into which hundreds Of barrels Of -four pass
weekly, emerging beautifully Drowned, soft,
sweet bread. The mesamorphosis extends through
all the lower rooms Of the old building, and the
visitor n struck as he passes through at the con-
trsst presented to their appearance one year since
Each door has upon 10 number or other designs
ton, az "Mess Room !" "Bread Room, ~ &c, the
former Of which 10 used by the bakers who mess
st the Capitol, aid whose provisions are cooked
In room at the right Of the entrance opposite the
apartment, formerly occupied by DR.. Wooster and
bis electric bath, now ornamented with long rows
Of tin-cups. &c and filed up three times a day
with hungry men engaged at the bakeries SEll
and stone and plaster grew into the Likeness Of
man, are found the steaming ovens and fragrant
bread, while at every turn the visitor stumbles
upon carpesed rooms filed to the ceiling with the
STAFF Of life.
Beside the numerous wagons connected with
the establishment, great number from the sew
eral camps crowd the approaches to the bakery,
and enliven the surroundings with the vehement
peTsuasions Of teamsters whose obstinate mules
too often strive to initiate the lobster's mode Of
locomotion. Each wagon In Its turn is backed
up to q window, through which the leaves fly
swiftly, propelled by the muscle of some stalwart
chap inside, and, when filed, makes way for the
next customer, who impatiently waits bis turn
Of (which about so cords are consumed per month.
The establishment Is under the supervision Of
Lieut. Thomas J. Cate, of the 10Th infantry, q 5.
A who arrived here with the Massachusetts
Sixth, and at once began preparations for supply
ing the troops with bread. Under his superin-
tendence all the ovens at the Capitol-fourteen In
nunber-have been built, Of which two were
Constructed Immediately upon the arrival Of the
Maeachusetts boys In the manufacture of bread
AZ this bakery there are used every twenty four
hours "a bushels of potatoes, 240 barrels Of -four,
and !, 400 gallons Of yesst-turning out about
60, 900 loves Of bread. One hundred and ffty men
afe employed, who represent all parts Of the coun-
Hy-North, South, East, and West. One, from
South Carolina, was In Charleston at the time Of
the bombardment Of Fort Sumter. The amount
paid to the employees falls but ue short Of IS 90
per month, and the whole expense Of maintaining
the establishment Is enormous. All the other pro-
visions for the troops are obtained elsewhere-the
Quartermaster OF q regiment receiving from Capt.
Beckwith requisition upon the ofdcer at the
Post Once building who furnishes the coffee,
rice, crackers, &c, and who then gives a requi-
sition upon the officer at the Capitol for bread.
Occasionally the teams belonging to the bakery
are impressed into the service Of regimentw when
SAINT out with bread and fail to return until after
several days; In the case Of Massachusetts
regiment which was encamped near the city, and
receiving orders to proceed up the river, i'm
him TO accompany them TO POOlesville.
Besides this establishment there immense
army bakeries over the river, which turn out, by
the thouSand loaves, excellent wheat bread, 1T
TO "place before king"