Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-31
A Sequel to the Recent Cut in
Prices.
BAKER SCHNEIDER GETS OUT POSTERS
The Result of a Beef Company's
Selling Below Rates.
TALK OF THE BOSS BAKERS

The bread situation continues to be in
teresting and the latest phase of 1t Is
war between Chas. Schneider. the baker.
and the Enrich Beef Company. The Star
man talked this afternoon with Mr.. Schnei-
der and Mr.. b. b. Smith, the manager of
the Enrich Company.
Mr. Schneider has been supplying the En-
rich Company with bread at cents loaf
wholesale, and they have been retailing it
at cents Mr. Schneider claimed that this
was an injustice to his other retailers;
trouble ensued, and now other bakers are
furnishing the beef company with bread.
Mr.. Schneider has posted flaming notices
around all the Enrich branch stores and In
other places setting forth that they no
longer handle his bread
Baker Schneider was not In the happlest
mood when the reporter waited upon MIN.
After looking The Star man over and pull
ing several vigorous puffs out of his cigar,
he remarked that The Star probably
thought that it had settled the bread ques-
ton. but 1t was wrong: The question,
he said, could not be settled by the press.
1t was impossible to make bread at such
prices the papers were putting the peo-
pie up to demand. Just give calf rope
enough and it will hang ITSELF and MIR.
Schneider took several more whins. There
is no trouble between me and the Emrich
Beef Company. There was some trouble,
but it has been settled, and the papers have
got it wrong.
They are all mixed up. They never do get
ything right on the bread business They
know TOO much about other peoples busi-
ness. The Enrich company were selling
my bread cheaper than they bought 1t, and
refused to let them continue 1t. 1t was
wrong to the other buyers of my bread, who
bought it at cents and sold 1t at D. They
bought 1t at and sold 1t at cents" More
puffs. Then they went to buying cheaper
bread at cents a loaf, and are now selling
it at 21z. Most of their customers thought
that they were still getting my bread. and
l refused to have the public believe this. so
1 notified the public by poster and news
paper advertisement that my bread could
not be bought from that company. l re
fused to have them sell their inferior bread
and palm 1t off on the public as mine.
The Other Side.
Mr.. b. B. Smith. manager of the Enrich
Beef Company, told the reporter a some
what different story. 1--WE were buying
Schneiders bread at what was asked for
1t and sold it at our price. We had right
to do that. When the cut in bread took
place we reduced the price. Schneider could
not follow the cut because he had entered
into a years contract with a flour firm. and
is paying, and will have to pay for months
to come. the prevailing price of -four few
months back. That Is why Schneider says
1T is impossible to sell bread cheaper than
he has been selling it. Because of his long
contract he cannot set the benefit OF the
from other bakers now at 3 cents loaf
and selling 1t at 1-2 cents. This 3-cent bread
is as good as any We were paying Schneider
4 cents for. / will bet on this
MIR. Schneider and His WOrkmen.
The reporter also had a conference with
Mr.. Schneider on the subject of his reported
trouble with the Knights of Labor. 1t has
been charged that he dismissed two local
bakers and imported two from New York.
He explained the matter in this way
Last summer two Of my men went to
Europe. 1t was a busy season. Bread was
selling in big quantities and bakers were
scarce for many of them were out OF town,
being employed at summer resorts. l sent
to the bureau Of labor here for two men
and they could not furnish them. / had to
have them. Then 1 went to New York and
asked the labor people there to send me two
bakers. They were to pay their own fare
to Washington, and. If they didn't suit me-
they were to pay their fare back to New
York. In time they came and were put to
work. They paid their $25 each and were
admitted to the Knights of Labor here A
little while ago when you people got every
thing excited about bread, people went to
making their own bread, and now the buck
wheat season Is on and families are buy ing
that. Last week 1 could have done away
with three men, but l laid off only two
During the last day or so two of my men
have been sick, and the two men 1 laid off
last week are at work today
MI. schneider puned his cigar again, and
the reporter got out.
The BOSS Bakers Side of 1t,
The Star man had several talks this af-
ternoon with the boss bakers. AS a rule
they do not care to be quoted. They all
say that If the question is allowed to rest
right here a solution of the problem will
be brought around all right. 1t may take
some time, but it will come. The boss
bakers dissatisfied with the situation
If the profits were such as the public seem
to think, they say everybody would be
rushing into the bakery business.
They told the reporter that the public did
not seem to appreciate the cut in rates.
The sales had not increased, they had alb
solUtely declined. Storekeepers sent I'm
statements that their customers were in
quiring for five-cept bread. AS rule they
did not seem to feel that the four-cent
bread of the same quality that for
which they had been paying five. Those
who use pass book, in large number of
cases, did not seem to realize that a re-
duction had been made at all. Business all
round, they say, Is in an unsatisfactory
condition. The bakers with whom The Star
man talked drew for him a dark picture of
the bakery situation.