Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-24
SWEETS MADE FOR THE SWEET
Sugar and Nuts and Other InEredi-
ents Used by the TrRinIOad in
Omaha FaCtOriea.

Confectionery manufactured in Omaha in
1909 was valued at 81, 900 900, and II business
for the present year continues in the same
ratio it has set during this spring and sum-
mer, with the heavy winter and holiday
trade when the middle west leans on Omaha
to fill the stockings on the Christmas tree,
this amount will be materially eclipsed.
Omaha has seven thriving candy factories
which supply large amount of the sweet
meats for the people of the middle west.
A trainload Of sugar is used by the candy
manufacturers alone in Omaha in producing
their products, while nearly half that
amount of glucose is utilized. Peanuts by
the carload and hundreds of bushels of
nuts Of every varhy are purchased by
Omaha factories and shipped here to be
used in making candies which are sold over
a dozen states.
The candy business in this city has grown
wonderfully within the last ten years, dur
ing which time it has risen from a number
Of small factories to several OF the best
equipped houses in the west. The men at
the head of the concerns have succeeded
in pushing their interests to a point that
during the last decade the output and
profits of the Omaha companies have in
creased threefod and larger and better
equipment is daily being found necessary
The d. j. O'Brien Candy company of
this city is the largest concern of the kind
west of the Missouri river and is growing
with rapid strides. Three hundred thousand
dollars Of the confectionery business passes
through this concern, which was established
but ten years ago.
In the manufacture of their candies forty
cars Of sugar, eighteen cars of glucose, fif-
teen cars Of chocolate, eight cars of pea
nuts and two cars Of various other nuts are
yearly consumed. Six tons of candy is
produced on an average each day, which
aggregates for the year approximately 2,19C
tons from this one factory alone.
The company was first organized by MI
O'Brien on South Thirteenth street and
later moved to l2O2-4 Howard street, where
the factory has been located until press of
room made the erection of the present
building at Douglas and Eighth streets
necessary. The first years the O'Brien
Candy company produced $l25 900 worth of
confectionery, which has since practically
| tripled in volume. At the new factory,
which has a floor space OF 10000 square
feet, all heat is produced by manufactured
gas, and one of the cleanest kitchens in
the country is maintained. One hundred and
eighty men and women are employed in the
factory ana fourteen statesmen are kept on
the road, covering Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas
South Dakota, Wyoming and other states
The marvellous growth accredited to one
concern is also true of other representa-
tlves in the city. Each concern has shared
alike in prosperity and has constantly been
making anS selling greater amount of the
goods over a continually larger territory.
The great holiday rush, the time of the
year when candy makers are busy from
early dawn until late at night, makes 1t
necessary for every Omaha factory to en-
gage extra men and women and work their
factories to their capacity. Not only must
the surrounding country be served with the
best available staple goods, but the fancy
novelties are also in great demand. The
consumption in Omaha alone is not incon-
siderable and it is the local market which
uses fully 10 per cent of the total output
of Omaha factories