Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-08-29
Facts Regarding the Men Who
Knead the Staff of Life.

So that the people of Philadelphia
may be supplied daily with the staff OF
life, there are in that city LOSS baker
les, large and small. In these places
the number of hands varies from l to
20, making a total of 2,S52 men EN-.
ployed at the business.
In winter the work begins between
4 and p. NJ. when the sponge is set,
and in the small bakeries employing
but one or two men, 1t continues with
but slight intermIssion until $50
O'Clock, when the work of baking is
done. A rest Of an hour and a half
and the men are ready to start out on
the work of delivery. This occupies
the time until nearly s A. NJ, when
they begin on the next days work by
making the yeast. this is followed by
the making of pies and ordinary cakes
such as are sold in small bakeries.
This continues until 10 A. NJ. when the
days work IL done, making a total of
IL hours service, although not steady
work.
For this they receive from Sc to 81 a
week and board or Sl0.50 without
board. There has been no material
change In these wages for years, but
there is always fair demand for good
bakers. Among the small bakers there
are no particular seasons, the business
running about the same throughout
the year.
In some of the large bakeries the
system Of work Is different. The hours
are not as many as in small shops.
The work Is subdivided and the men
are given the work they can best do.
They are not boarded, but receive
wages averaging S13 a week.
- h. III =.
Philadelphia, the work is continuous,
with the exception OF Saturday night
and Sunday, There are twenty men
employed in baking-eight during the
day and twelve at night. This estab-
lishment makes speciality of certain
bread and what is called ''Zweiback. y
An average of six thousand losves
every twenty-four hours, is the COM
pliment of this place, ana among them
is an extra one that Is made especially
| for the Presidents table and shipped
| to Washington every morning. This
custom began while Mr.. Hayes was the
incumbent of the White House and has
| continued ever since. All of the bak-
ers in this place are selected for theiI
knowledge of this particular work, and
they are all imported. Their wages
will average Sl4 a week and theiI
hours OF work eleven each day. The
assistants in this department receive
from 81 week up.
In the distribution of this bread
are twelve drivers employed, whose
wages average S13 a week, and hour
of work twelve a day, some of then
beginning as early as 2 A. NJ. The
manufacture of this bread was frs
begun in Philadelphia. during the
| (,anfannial has etaaAflv In.
creased since that time. A peculiarly
of the "Zweiback" mentioned above
Is, that unlike the other bread old age
does not detract from its good quail
ties. As an illustration of this 1t i
told by one in the business that some
time since a barrel of 1t was shipped
to Liverpool and through some mis-
take was not delivered. 1t was allowed
to remain upon the wharf nearly two
years, was finally reshipped to this city
The barrel was opened. and when th,
81 weiback" was hit two or three time
with an AK it was found to be as swee
as when 6rst packed
Fancy cake bakers and ice cream
makers are classed with the above, a
they are all hand workmen. There ar
,wo classes of cake bakers, one recelv
ing an average of SO week and boar
and the other 81. 80 and board. Un
like the regular bakers these men hav
busy and slack seasons, and they ar
apt to be found in the city during tn,
winter and at the watering places dur
Ing the summer. Their work begin
about 8 A. NJ. and continues until L
NJ, making IA hours a day. Ice cream
makers have about the same seasons
their pay will average IS week an
board. Their hours will average Is
day, owing to the fact that in addItio
to their duties as ice cream maker
they must often wait upon the partie
whom their employers are serving.