The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-21
AN ASSIZE OF BREAD.
Mobiles Regulation of Bakeries Early
In the Last Century.


In the latter half of the seventeenth
and the early part of the eighteenth
centuries the regulation of the price Of
bread by public authority was famil-
lar principle in the English colonies Of
America In New Haven, for instance.
the weight of the penny loaf was regu,
lated by law about 1000. and in 1906
the Massachusetts general court also
provide regular assize. fixing the
weight Of the loaf according 10 the
price OF -four. At various times dur
ing the first quarter of the eighteenth
century tie selectinen of Boston like
wise Performed this duty.
Ii Is Interesting. however. to note
survival or perhaps a revival of this
principle as late as the nine eenth CEN
fury In the town OF Mobile. place
whose economic history is marked by
many peculiar features After fifty
two years of French, seventeen years
OF English and thirty three years OF
Spanish rule Mobile came under the
control of the United States govern
menr in April. 1913. and was included
in the Mississippi territory. On Jan.
-. 1914. by an act OF the territorial
legislature the town received q charter
of Incorporation. and at two meetings
OF the Inhabitants, on March II and
II. the municipal government was Or
gained and the charter publicly read
in English and in French. The popula-
ton at this time was composed OF
French. English and Irish elements.
On April following. three weeks after
the organization OF the municipal gov
ernment tariff for bakers" or as
size of bread. was drawn up by the
commissioners the governing body of
the town. and proclaimed in English
and in French. This fixed the weight
of the loaf for the ensuing month In
accordance with the price Of -four. In
stead of changing the price OF bread
1t was more convenient to make the
loaves lighter or heavier as the price of
-four rose or fell On May 2, 1914. the
weight OF the bit loaf the bit being a
coin worth 12h cents) was fixed al
twenty eight ounces. and the weight OF
the half bit loaf was fixed at fourteen
ounces.
On July 8, 1915. Mr.. Martin. the bak'
err. appeared before the board and paid
the sum of $40. fine inflicted on him
for having his bread too light. one-hali
of which sum was paid to the police
officer. On Jan. "a. 1877. a regular
scale of weights for the bit loaf was
adopted.
Beginning May 3. 1917. the assize OF
bread was proclaimed weekly instead
of monthly. as before. and this system
was continued for little more thar
two years. The records do not show
that the assize was proclaimed after
1919. but the town continued to exer
else a control over the business Of bak
ing. Every baker was required t.
procure a license and to register hi,
trademark, which was stamped on hi!
loaves. A public bakehouse was also
established and seems to have beer
managed in the same way that munich
palities control public markets. the
bakers renting the stalls from the towr
and being subject to inspection. As
late as 1926 In the annual statement oil
the city clerk the following entry oc
ours in the statement of receipts dur
ing the year: ''Sales of condemned
bread. $1.S7."-Quarterly Journal OF
Economics.