Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-21
A LARGE BAKESHOP.
U TURNS OUT TWENTY MILLION
 LoAVES OF BREAD A YEAR.

Making Bread-An Army of Night Work
 CTS In the Big Brooklyn Concern.
 The largest soft bread bakery in the world is located in Belfast, while tho next most extensive plant of the kind is located in Brooklyn. What is meant by the term "soft'' bread bakery is that noth- ing but bread Is baked on the premises. Crackers, sea biscuits, pies, cakes and the almost endless variety of products of the average bakeshop nre not made in this establishment, which Is located at tho cor ner of Harrison avenue and Rutledge street.
 Somo idea of the magnitude of the busi- ness can be had from the statement that from its 40 ovens the product of 2,0o0 bar rels of flour Is distributed each week in this city, New York and tho vicinity. This is at tho rate of l04, 900 barrels per nnnum and signifies tho baking of b6, GOO loayes of bread per day, 392, 900 loayes per week, l, ,736, 900 per month and tho enormous to- tai of 20, 440, GOO loaves every year.
 The employees of this establishments, with the exception of few who knead and bake tho ryo bread output, are included in the great army of night workers, who toll while the average citizen is resting from the labors of the day. To partially supply the million of people who do not mako fhoir own bread, but who depend upon the baker for the staff of life over 300 people arc employed In the various departments. So quietly and systematically is the work performed that the casual passerby, hear ing no noise, and seeing no evidence of stir about tho premises, can form no ade quate idea of the busy scene which takes place nightly beneath his very feet nor can he conceive the appearance of the place when the white aproned bakers arc at work
 The first relay of workmen makes it's ap pearanco st o'clock in the morning. These are the men who set the sponge for the following nights work. At 5:30 the men who work exclusively on rye bread come on duty and remain until 6 in the afternoon. These two gangs constitute the entire day force. To thcso men is dele gated the duty of getting everything in readiness for largo force of bakers, who make their appearance at 6 p. m., whom the real work of tho establishment may be said to begin. The flour, which will soon come from tho ovens In the various shapes so well known to the consumers, has been sifted in the storerooms overhead. Follow ing this, it passes through the several aerating machines f"d is sent below, through several great chutes, which lead to various sections of the bakeshop floor In the basement. Here it is again put in barrels where it is left to settle and cool until it reaches the proper condition to be run through the mixing machines.
 The sponge, which has been set during the day, is distributed in long, deep wood- en troughs, situated in localities convenient to the work benches. Its transfer to and from tho mixers is one of the most inter- esting details of the entire brcadmaking process. Every thrifty housewife knows the consistency of bread sponge, but can, with difficulty realize that it requires the services of several stalwart men and large cart to carry the sponge of one baking from the trough to the machines This cart contains possibly 500 pounds of solid unwieldy bread dough, which is dumped into revolving cylinder, the interior of which has been treated precisely as the housewife treats her shining pans when about to bake batch of bread. When the sponge is once in the mixer, the various Ingredients, including milk, water and Ealt are exactly and carefully added, and the mass Is allowed to stand for few mo- ments, when it is ready for the -four. Again would tho average housewife be astonished At the manner in which the flour is added to tho sponge
 No scoop, dpper, pan or pail would answer the requirements of this gigantic sponge. Strong men pick up an open bar rel and toss the entire contents into tho mixer. Barrel after barrel follows in quick succession until nearly 1,200 pounds have been thus distributed. The machine is started, and thus begins the first step in the kneading process. As the cylinder slowly revolyes, the kneading being assist cd by iron arms which revolve inside the chamber in opposite direction so that the mixing may be more thoroughly and quickly done, the head baker stands by to stop the machine. As soon as the dough has reached consistency in which 1t can be taken out in great masses of from so to 100 pounds it is again loaded into tho cart and taken back to tho troughs to raise.
 A very interesting feature is the actual kneading of the various shaped loaves, their transfer to the ovens in raw state and their exit therefrom, brown, plump and giving out pungent and pleasant aroma.
 When the dough has "raised' sufficient ly the busy time in bread making Is at hand. At each. work bench is stationed man who weighs the dough which makes up each loaf. The scales arc uncrring and the loaves consequently hover vary in size Each kind of bread has a separate scale and a separate crowd of bakers, who have become so proficient that where eight or ten are working at one bench it is impos- sible to distinguish one loaf from another, either before or after leaving tho oven Tho dough having reached oven proof, the hand kncading and rolling process begins Practiced hands beat it and roll it, play ing what may Do likencd unto a drum chorus as they rapidly prepare it for the oyen Every lover of Mother Goose will recall her admonition to the baker. Patty cakel Patty cakel Bakers man. Roll it and bake 1t as fast as you can" Surely this old woman of blessed memory must have mastered the secret of broadmaking.
 Much of the bread is baked in pans, yet there arc several of tho popular shaped and higher priced varieties which are baked on the oven bottom. The work progresses from hour to hour and the samo routine is repeated with never failing precision until the towering piles of bread admonish the foreman that enough has been baked to fill the orders in sight Brooklyn Eagle
 Mind and Music.
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