The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-02
HOW The WORLD
GETS ITS BREAD
Eighteen Square Miles Of Wheat a
Days Grinding at WASH
burn Crosby Mills.

What is the most interesting ques-
tion of the century," asked President
George Emory Fellows of the Uni
yersity OF Maine, in lecture on ma
tional progress
"The bread question" promptly re-
piled man in the audience.
And while the reply probably re-
ferred to the bread question as in
cluding the very broad question of
struggle for livelihood, neverthe-
less It has most interesting side
when taken literally.
Whence comes the almost countless
tons OF flour with which the daily de-
mand Of the rich and por alike is
supplied? And how are all the i'm
purlties and indigestible parts OF the
grain removed, and only the wonder
ful pnre white product retained,
which the grocer's boy delivers to
your door?
Many more readers can give more
or less definite answers to these ques-
tions today than a few years ago
due chiefly to the great educational
campaigns on the output OF the larg-
est flour mills OF TIE world--those
of the Washburn-CIosby Co., OF Min
neapolis, Mlnn., manufacturers OF
Gold Medal Flour.
Some indication of the vast indust-
ry which the demand for the staff of
life has created is afforded in the
figures OF the daily capacity of these
big mills-35,000 barrels of -four.
More than 10000 bushels OF grain
may be used In this establishment IN
one dly-the product of 10000 acres
or nearly 19 square miles. Last
year over G,O00,O0O barrels of flour
were shipped from this plant alone.
From the start to hefinish the flour
making in these mills employ more
than thousand men who are given
steady employment at high grade
labor, the year around.
Many interesting facts are fur
nished in the extent TO which other
industries are drawn on by these
mills as, for instance, the amount OF
wood used.
If all the wooden slaves used in
their flour barrels last year were laid
end to end, It would make a continu-
GUS line of slaves approximately $500
miles long, or an air line drawn from
the British Isles across the Atlantic
Ocean, across the American Contin-.
ent, across the Pacific Ocean to the
Peninsula of Kamchatka. Yet, only
about one-sixth OF the flour is put in
wooden barrels, the remainder being
packed in jute and cotton bags.
The process of cleaning and mill
ing the wheat from which the flour
is obtained that Is not touched by
hands until the bag is opened In the
purchasers home. Is long and varied.
AZ the outset the chemist analyzss
fhe samples of wheat and decides
what shall be bought. The grain is
cleaned first by arestion and sitting
machinery. and then by securing in
a rapidly whirling cylinder. After
this II IS furiously brushed until ev-
en n microscope would fail to reveal
any foreign particle.
Then begins the milling TO separ-
ate the Ave layers OF the outer hull
or the grain from the inner starch
and gluten producing cells.
1t may surprise many to know that
-four Is not dust or pulverized wheat.
II really consists of sharp granules
of uniform size composed of starch
and gluten, all impurities having
been removed.
The grain Is crushed In a series OF
rollers, and silk bolting cloth, costing
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