Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-19
DENIES PROFIT IN NICKEL LOAF
NEW YORK BAKER TAKES IS
SUE WITH HASKELL.
Rent, Fuel, Labor, Etc, Not Figured
in Is Complaint-Allowe
for, Says Sealer.

10 the figures advanced some time age
by Col. w. c. Haskell. sealer of weights
and measures of the District, to show
there is big profit in bread at 5 cents
per pound loaf. F. Callard, a New York
baker, has taken exception in q COM
munication to The Evening Star.
He says his experience has been that
labor and fuel are necessary in making
bread, that it takes money to advertise
sell and deliver the staff Of life from his
factory, that there is rent to pay, books te
keep and his own living expenses to make
AND yet, he says, Col. Haskell has not
counted on these items in his figures
showing the cost of bread loaves.
Col. Haskell was shown this analysis OF
MS conclusions this morning. He pointed
OUT IN turn, that the figures which he
supplied cover about 6 2-3 per cent OF
the amount for which loaf Of bread is
soid. The remaining BIB 1-3 per cent, he
animated. is more than ample to pay the
expenses he has not numerated
Mr.. Callard's Contention.
Mr.. Callard says:
Il nave just received a copy of your
valuable paper of the 18th ultimo and
nave read with considerable interest the
article concerning Big Profit in Bread,
winch you have given such prominent
place in your paper
i am in a similar business and have
had more or less trouble during the past
year In making both ends meet; and
therefore, am taking the liberty of inQuir.
Ing for further particulars, because have
no doubt you thoroughly investigated this
matter before showing the public the in.
justice of reducing the weight of the LOAF
or aSYancing the price of bread.
have carefully gone over your costs
nvp CT, 10 T. q
and l find certain costs which enter into
my business which are not included In
your list
For example. 1 am forced to pay rent
which enters into my cost. Haskell seems
to pay no rent. Does the government fur.
nish bakeries free of charge?
ma large item of expense in my
business Is the cost of labor. May l in.
qulre whether manufacturing bread under
the Haskeyy system is done with fairy
hands. or by some method where this fea-
ture is eliminated?
Il also find that one of the large items
of expense at my bakery is that of coal
for heating purposes to bake the bread
have made inquiries, even in scientific
directions, and find that bread cannot be
baked and Drowned without the use of
heat Is 1t fair to inquire how Haskell
can manufacture bread without this ex-
penSe?
Then There Are Other Expenses.
Among several other large items of
cost not included in Haskelrs list is that
Of the cost of delivery and cost Of selling
expense. l find in my business that 1t
is absolutely necessary to hire statesmen
to sell my bread. otherwise the other fell
low gets the business. And, strange to
say. they insist upon having living
wages. We are also required. after we
have sold the bread in my city to deliver
it and that costs lot of money.
"All these expenses apply to retail
bakers. as well as to the wholesale
bakers.
There is the expense for advertising,
paper. Irvine. bookkeeping. the living ex-
penses If the owner. and, naturally. some
interest on his investment.
Il am writing this letter at the insti-
cation of some friends also in the same
business. We will all be grateful If you
will point out to us, through the medium
of the figures which you have to prove
the article in your paper, how we can
or. rather. 1t may be more fair to you TO
say, the expenses which seem necessary
to us"
Haskell Defends Figures.
1.-The figures which 1 presented before,
declared Col. Haskell. this morning. were
very liberal. For instance, l gave the
cost of barrel Of -four as $685.. 1 have
since learned that many bakers used -four
that costs them $3.50 to SO per barrel
MY figures for the cost of the ingredi-
ents covered about 66 % per cent of the
selling price. For factory expenses an
usual allowance of TO- to Is per cent is
made This still leaves the baker a profit