The morning call., 1894-07-28
About the Size of Their
LOaVeS.
NEW DEPARTURE INAUOURATED
One Baker Thinks the Public Should
Have the Benefit of the Drop
in Flour.

In the spacious show-window of down.
town bakery huge pile of loaves of bread
daily occupies a conspicuous place and
stares out at the throngs of passers-by
with as supreme an expression Of blissful
content as an iDanimate object can as
sumo.
Not only as whole does the pile of
brown loaves seem to smile good-naturedly
at every one who fayors them with glance
through the window-pane, but each indI-
vidual loaf is a pleasing picture in itself
that is quite charming.
They are not these long skinny loaves
which the average baker piles up like so
much cordwood and which wear sharp,
pained expression, as if they were in
misery at being compressed into such mar
row confines.
No, indeed. These loaves are fat, round
and jolly looking as old Friar Tuck him
self. They had been allowed to swell up
in the heat of the oven and puff them
selves up to the first degree of magnitude
with pride because they were different
from the product Of other bakers skill in
the bread line.
There was another mark of distinction
which probably conduced to their ten
dency 10 smile bengnly alike upon the
bustling business man who only glanced
at them as he hurried by 90 the pinched
lace of poverty clad in rags that gaZed so
long and wistfully upon them.
1t was sign which stood between two
insignificant and quite awestruck pies at
the base OF the pile, and which bore the
legend, Two lOaveS for 15 cents"
In that legend lay the secret of the story
of the loaves, and why they appeared to
swell their brown sides almost to bursting
and say TO the world, Look at US; we are
twice as big as ordinary loaves, aud yet
we are sold cheaper"
These loaves represent new N ovement
in the bakery business in this city, and
one which it is hoped Will become popular
among the men of the dOughbOaTd and
oven.
Flour is down. and that is probably the
cause of this new departure on the part of
the enterprising baker. In fact. -four
never was as cheap as it is now, and there
is a very good pros spect of its remaining at
the present notch in the comm ercial scale
for some time.
In former wears -four has fluctuated up
and down. 1t has sold as high as Sl6 and
$40 barrel, and it mas sold as low as S4
aud SO 80; but whether flour went up or
-four went down the bakers always acted
upon one rule There was general aver
age size of loaf that was made when flour
was normal or low in price. Ii the article
went up Ioaves were at once made smaller.
The baker would not lose. Even cakes
would shrink alarmingly in size.
In speaking of this phase of the bust
ness yesterday the man who makes the
Frlar Tuck loaves said:
II have been in the bakery business In
this city good many years, and uatiI re-
Gently l generally supplied my customers
with loaves of the average size. Flour is
| so cheap now that l do not see why it is
not good time to give the public the
benefit OF a larger sized loaf of bread. |
can we'll afford to make those large loaves
and sell them at the reduced price without
losing any of my regular profit. Certainly
| if -four went up TO IS or SO barrel il
| could not be done.
Yes, am in favor of making the loaves
| larger when flour is cheaper. Then, again,
times are hard now. and for people with
large families who buy bakers bread the
difference in size means considerable"
The number Of loaves OF bread which
can be got out of a barrel of flour is &
secret that is jealously guarded by the
! bakers and even the man who makes the
fat luaves would not commit himself upon
this vital point. To person who ha:
ever penetrated into bakery during the
wee sma' hours of the morning, and seer
| the tiny Jumps of dough which afterwarG
|
puffiness. the thought must often have
| occurred that barrel of flour is endowed
with marvellously prolific powers of pro-
ducton.
"a great deal depends upon the quality
of flour which is used" continued the
baker, "as some -four requires mpre water
than others. There is no agreement among
bakers regarding the size of loaves. but
think they will be making lOaves larger
very soon all around. Taken altogether
bakers would not prefer to see -four Qui e
so cheap as it is. When flour is down, as
| it is now. many people bake their own
bread who would not do so otherwise"
Some of the bakers do not look with
| favor on the proposition of increasing the
size of lOaves.
st is just this way" said one of these
bakers, 'if we enlarge our loaves now the
pinch comes when -four goes up and we
are compelled to make smaller loaves.
People are very willing to get more bread
| for their money. but when it comes to re-
ducing again they find fault. For that
reason l think it is better to maintain a
fair average sized loaf all the year round,
whether -four is high or low, unless, of
course, it goes up to an abnormal figure.
| "But for an advance of dollar the
bakers never make any change in the size
| of their oaves. A g0od-siZed loaf is now
generally sold for 5 cents. or six, and even
seven, for a quarter. Taking everything
| into consideration there is no gilt-edged
profit in that"
How many loaves can be got out of a
barrel of four?" was asked.
"Well-er-thaJ would be rather diff
cult question to answer" was the hesitat-
ing reply.
"But were not the same-sized loaves
made when -four was S4 so and So barrel
| instead of from So to S3 40?''
Yes; but, as / said before, if we made
larger loaves there would be kick anon g
| our customers when we had to reduce
them in size again." replied the baker in a
tone that implied that his statement set
tied the matter.
Other bakers spoke in the same strain.
While admitting that flour is down to a
lower figure than ever they do not favor
any material increase in the size of loayes
nor reduction in the price of the staff of
| life. 1t is generally conceded that ba-
ker's profit on barrel of flour after it ba
been converted into bread is about 100 per
cent and so it is an open question for in.
quiry why when flour is so cheap bread
should not be selling in something the
same ratio of price.