Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
BUILDS UP BIG BUSINESS
RECORD OF PROGRESS BY THE
WEINBERG BAKERY.
Large Plant in Southeast Washing
ton Develops From Small Begin
ning-Big Force Needed.

Standing as monument to the unaided
industry of one man. it is declared. the
bakery of John G. Weinberg at 714-T16
18th street southeast. is classed as one
of the most valuable business propositions
in all of that section of the Capital city.
1t is valuable not only to the man who
owns it, but to the entire community, be-
cause Mr.. Weinberg is large employer
of labor and his weekly outlay in wages
is therefore no inconsiderabe factor in
the material affairs of the city.
Mr.. Weinberg came to this country from
Germany in 1885 and settled in Washing
ton. He had only his trade as baker as
his capital, but with it was coupled an in
domitahle energy. For several years he
was in the employ of different local
bakers. Then his energy reaped its first
reward because he was enabled to pur
chase a small established bakery at the
corner of eth and X streets southeast.
Success in that initial venture was
spelled only by hard work. said MIR.
Weinberg Yesterday, in recounting the
story of his early struggles. Twenty
hours out Of twenty-four was the daily
requirement. / was baker and sales
man and delivery man all In one"
Nucleus Of Large Establishment.
The bakery at It'll and K streets was
in rented building. and there were no
conveniences, so after nine months ex-
pertinent had demonstrated the probable
success of the venture, Mr. Weinberg pur-
chased a small frame house and the lots
at 711-713 18th street southeast. That
constituted the nucleus of the large estab-
lishment of the present time, which ex-
tends all the way through the square to
11th street. AT. first the young baker
employed only one man and a boy and
two or three delivery wagons and horses
completed the equipment. while 500 to 6OO
loaves Of bread each day was the average
output of the establishment.
Success and progress were united in
the Weinberg bakery from thesvery be-
ginning, and improvements in the build
tngs and in the bakery itself were made
from time to time the needs OF the
business dictated until at the present
day 1t Is said Mr.. Meinbergs plant is
one of the most complete and up-to-
date of its kind In Washington Inn
mense warerooms are filled to overflow
ing with stacks of bags of -four, and
Of machinery is provided for carrying
the soft white flour through the various
processes and bringing it out at the end
as the finished product-bread.
Hive Of Industry.
The Weinberg bakery and confection-
cry store and offices front Oh 18th
street. but the staid three-story brick
building gives little outward indication
OF the hive of industry which is behind
1T. The bakery proper is also tkree sto-
ries in height. and in 1t electrically
driven machinery handles everything
but the actual loaves of bread. The
floors. and as it is needed for the bakt
ing each day it is dumped into long
chutes to begin its march toward the
market place.
Slipping down by gravity into cen
trail bin, the flour is picked up in the
pockets of an endless elevator belt and
carried again to the third floor and into
great round sitter. In this the screen
matter that the flour might contain is
removed, and the flour. carried into ar
other great tightly sealed bin. does not
again see the light of day until it slips
into chute. is automatically weighed
and dropped into mixing or kneading
machine there to be combined with the
other. also automatically weighed. in
gradients 4 certain number of min
utes In the machine brings the dough
out dry" and then. Just like mother
used to do" in the evenly heated
kitchen at home, it is set to rise"
Twice in this modern bakery L. the
risen dough cut down, and not until
1t has risen the third time is it ready
for the work of the journeymen bakers,
who make it up into accurately weigh
ed loaves. Seven great ovens are re-
quired to bake the daily bread of the
Weinberg make.
Increase Of the Output.
From the unpretentious beginning less
thar a score Of years ago. when one man
and a boy constituted his entire staff of
assistants and so a week was the out
lay for wages. Mr.. Meinberg's bakery
has grown until today it gives employ
nient to twenty journeymen bakers. ten
laborers. twelve regular route men,. or
delivery men, and three four suosti-
tutes besides two bookkeepersfi a stable
boss and other helpers and the week
ly payroll is in excess of $500 The little
rerted bakery at 9TH and streets has
given way to a group of buildings on the
lot running clear through the block. a
total length of 235 feet. and width vary
ing from fifty to sixty feet.
More than 5000 loaves of bread, be-
sides endless dozens of rolls and cakes
in varieties too numerous to count, are
the daily put of the establishment, and
the popularity of the product has in
creased to such an extent that the loaves
be airing the little ''sticker" with the Mein-
berg name find their way. every day in
the year into thousands of homes in
Washington. Nor is the market for Mein-
berg's bread re stricted alone to this city,
for. 1t Is declared, many nearby towns
and villages in Maryland and Virginia
depend almost wholly upon shipments
from the local bakery for their required
supply of the staff of life"
Means Of Delivering Bread.
Thirty horses furnish the motive mower
for the delivery wagons of the bakery
and on another lot in the center of the
adjoining block. between 18th and 18th
streets, Mr.. Weinberg has erected a mod