St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-06
THERE ARE MANY BADLY MAN.
AGED BAKE SHOPS IN THE
TWIN CITIES
DIRT AND VERMIN ABOUND.
BUILDINGS ENTIRELY tNsrITEn
FOR THE PURPOSES OF
BAKERS, K \,
G. w. LIBBEY,s INVESTIGATION
Leads Him to Make Good Recor
mendatiOns and Draw Sensf- ,
bic COncIusionS

some time ago Labor COMMISSIONS
POWERS asked George ". Libbey. am
experienced builder of Minneapolis. to
Vislt number of bakeries in st. Paul
anu minneapolis, and make a, report TO
iilh Oh their condition, together with
some suggestions as to how the law
resuiatlng the conduct of these shops
might best be enforced and with the
ieast expense to the owners. Mr.. Lib
pey, accompanied by e. B. Mayo and
+. ). Casserly, of the labor depart-
ment, has finished this tour of inspec-
tlon and has submitted his report to
MT. foWers. Speaking of the condi-
tlon OF some of the shops in a general
way, Mr.. Libbey says:
ma the majority of small bakeries
located In buildings built either for
other purposes, or what is most likely
LOT no purpose, and not suitable for.
the purpose used without considerable
renovating and changing. Many base
lhents nave partially rotted wood
floors laid on the ground. which nor
only makes a hiding place for rats and
mice and all other kinds of yermin-
but performs all the functions of a
cess-pool, catching and holding all the
Stops, dough and vegetable matter thai
Is continually working through tho
cracks and holes which are more oI,
less numerous.
The next matter of Importance i,l
the furniture and utensils. which th,,
law says shall be so arranged that
the same can be easily and perfectly
cleaned. lind that with very few ex-
ceptlons the cupboards or closets used
for raising and storing bread are set
stationary with a space under them,
Tor the accommodation of rats and
mice, and space behind them that
makes a very convenient breeding
place for smaller vermin
THE BREAD TROUGHS
are very much in the same condition.
for while the most of them are raised
up so that the owners can sweep under
them, yet the majority have a space
or from one to two inches behind.
which affords another breeding place
for vermin. To avoid this, have rec
ommended in all cases that all cup
boards and troughs be set on castors,
and when so constructed it will be an
easy matter. to move them every time
the room is swept or whitewashed
The next source of danger is when
the walls are ceiled up with matched
hoorlng, which | find in some new
buildings built expressly for the bak-
ing business. This Is in direct contra
dlction of the, laws, which state that
the side walls shall be go constructed
as to exclude rats, mice and otlier-ve
min. While this form of construction
invites and protects them.s have rec
commended that wherever 1t exists thew
be plastered. I also find a few cases
where the ceiling is not plastered and.
the Jo1st left exposed, which is a good
plan if the floor that covers them was
made tight, but in every case I find
cracks ranging from one-half inch to
one and a half inches, which catch
dirt and protect vermin, and every lit
tie jar on the floor is sure to drop some
thing on to whatever is underneath it.
L how xl.1Sl l. Il. n
construction be plastered in this way.
The lath should be nailed on the wall
sixteen inches apart, and then the lathS
that are to receive the plaster should
be put on. This leaves a space of
three-eighths of an inch apart between
the lath and the wall, which will fill
with plaster when the'plastering is put
on, making a solid wall and leaving
no space behind.'
Mr.. Libbey then deals in detail with
the condition of a number of bakeries
in the two cities, and as whole the
results of his investigation prove that
a great many conditions exist that
there is absolutely no reason for, and
which are strictly prohibited by law.
The necessity for making the cup
boards and kneading troughs portable,
and to construct the walls so as to
prevent the existence of vermin of any
kind, are the two points that he in
sists upon most forcibly in his recon-
mendations. To his report of each bak-
cry visited he adds a few suggestions
of the improvements needed in that
particular shop. In some of the larg-
est and best known shops in both
cities the entire condition is reported as
being entirely unsatisfactory, and the
conduct of the bakery anything but
as the law requires it shall be. In
conclusion Mr.. Libbey says:
CONCLUSIONS STATED.
"After making a thorough canvass OF