Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-24
WHAT BOSTON PAYS FOR BEANS
millions Cheeriiy paid out Annually
for the Favoritc Connection
OF the Huh.

More money is spent each year in Boston
i'm buying baked beans than would buy the
largest battleship in the United States navy.
In 1904 the gross receipts of beans in Bos-
ton were more than $500 barrels. In each
barrel are five bushels. The average price
at which these were sold by the wholesalers
was As5 "A bushel and when these beans
were sold again by retailers to their custo-
mers they brought an average Of IL cents a
pound or a grand total of s6,59S,272
There are other places where beans are
used but they are not Boston beans, and
/ can never be. unless the man who superin-
tends their baking happens to have served
an apprenticeship in some Of the Boston
| bakeries.
So tremendous has the demand for baked
beans become in Boston that two companies
have been formed whose business is to bake
beans for restaurants and quick lunch es-
Establishments. One of these companies uses
| an average of 1000 quarts week and the
other 10000, yet the beans that these COM
| panies bake are but a drop in the bucket
compared with the consumption of the city.
The most remarkable feature of this re-
markable consumption of beans is that the
demand is steadily increasing, and that Is,
900 more barrels OF beans were sold in Bos-
ton in 1904 than in 1903 There are seasons
| in which the demand for this staple is
greater than in others notably the months
! from Thanksgiving to April.
| Taking the receipts in Boston for 1904 OF
| S. 1872 barrels, that would give the number OF
| bushels 343.660 or l0,997l20 quarts, weighing
2. 1894, 2iO pounds.
| Accepting as the population OF Boston APP
proximatey $4,000. this would give each in
habitant men and women, boys. girls and
| babies, an average Of thirty-seven quarts
| These thirty-seven quarts OF beans would
| weigh l4s pounds.
The bean baking establishments. which
are fitted with the most improved methods
| have large porcelain kettle built over a
| furnace in one corner of the cellar. In this
huge thing the beans are soaked during the
day and parboiled at night. Early the sec
ond morning the pots in which they are &c
be baked which vary in size from those
holding twelve quarts to ones which hold a
single quart, are arranged around on floor
and tables. Into them the beans are poured
from large dippers.
Then the baker goes about from pot 70
pot and puts in his seasoning.
There is as much mystery over this par
OF the performance as there is in makinS
chemical combinations Good bakers ar
in great demand, Tor II Il more ulHlcul
matter TO mix molasses, spices and whatno
for 800 or 800 quarts of beans than 1t is t.
season only a small pot which is to h
eaten in a family where perclrance, even /
the flavor is not good no mention viii! h
made OF the fact, for fear of hurting tn
feelings OF the mother, sister, wife o
|, sweetheart.
Once this precious part Of the baking |
done. an under helper goes about putting 4
pieces OF salt pork, allotted at the proper
ton of one pound to each gallon of beans.
Several hours are consumed in gettin
the beans into the pots and making then
ready for the oven, and while this is bein
done the head baker is giving attention L
his oven.
On the same side OF the cellar with tn
parboiling kettle is the oven, which mus
hold 800 TO 1900 quarts OF beans.
The work is so arranged that all the pot
are ready for baking about - o'clock moor
Then as quickly as possible they are pu
into the oven, and once in, are allowed t
remain till O'Clock the following morning
when the work of taking them out begins
, As fast as one pot is out IL IL sent up on a
elevator to the floor above, and from Their
loaded into two-horse wagons, which dis
tribute the beans TO the restaurants.
The demand for beans in the bake shop
is greater on Saturday than on any othe
day Of the week. although on Wednesda
the bakers prepare more than on the inter
/ vening days.-New York Herald