Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-24
CITY BAKERY IS
JOKE, THEY SAY
Market Place Fight May Have
Inspired Labor Unions to
Begin Agitation.
WILL TURN OVER PLANT
One Proprietor Willing to Sell
City His Equipment at
Actual Cost.
WILL TURN OVER PLANT

The master bakers of Tulsa have
just one opinion in regard to the pro-
posed municipal bakery-that anyone
who can produce a 26-ounco loaf of
bread for 10 cents will have to get
,hcir supplies from some hidden
source at present unknown TO the
bakers When interviewed yesterday
jhCy all had the same story to tell
without the slightest variation that
flour had treblcd. that fat had in
creased three-fOld, that sugar had
doubled, and that the price of bread
had not increased 100 per cent.
we figure" said Hubert A. Noble
of the Middle West Bakery company,
that bread is the cheapest food ON
the market. It has not raised in pro-
portion to other foodstuffs and it has
not even begun to keep up with the in
crease in the materials which make II.
"I do not see how a municipal bake
nv could sell for the price we are
selling as equipment and labor both
have increased 40 per cent since we
established our bakery two years ago.
The initial expense of such bakery
would therefore, be much heavier
than that incurred by any bakery now
in operation.
Maybe it can be done, but we can
not figure how"
In the Neck.
O. r. Smith, master baker Nnd
manager Of tho Andre Bakery com
pany, said it looked to him as if the
baker was going to catch 1t coming
and going If the city established a
municipal bake shop. First, they
would lose their businesses, because
they couldn't compete with such low
prices Secondly, they would have
to pay increased taxes to make up for
losses incurred by the municipal bake
shop in selling a 26-ounce loaf for
10 cents
when flour sold FOR 81 barrel"
he said and sugar for 80 and short
Cring for less than one-third OF the
present price We got cents for IA
ounce loaf Now we are selling
16-ounce loaf for 10 cents. So you
sec bread has not doubled, while its
constituents have averaged a 900 per
cent increase. Extracts used in pastry
have increased 500 or 600 per cent.
"I can sea. Of course, how a mu-
niclpa, bakery. such as Is contemplat-
Cd, woGld help the very poor who
own no property. They would get the
cheaper bread and not have to pay
VI In taxes.
"None of the bakers that | know
| of have bought wheat since it took
this last flight If the new wheat
brings the market down then there
will be chance for bread remain
ing at the present price. Otherwise,
we certainly will have to raise
| again"
Wants to Get Out.
f.. GutZman, proprietor of the
Frisco bakery, 1OS East Second
street, with a capacity of 1900 loaves
each 8 to 10 hours, said;
"If the city of Tulsa thinks it
advisable to go into the baking busi-
ness, | am perfectly willing to turn
over, at actual cost. my lease, estab-
lishment and equipment, with all
stocks on hand and all contracts for
materials"
Mrs. w. T.. Fox. who in conjunc-
ton with her husband runs the Fox
bakery at 7O1 North Main street,
said that she didn't see how the city
could do what the bakers who had
been trained in the business could
not do. She had the same tale to
tell about increased cost of ma
terials.
Max Brown of the X. c. Bakery
company spoke about the high prices
of material and the fact that the
bakers were able to make bread at the
| present prices only because they had
laid in Il supply of flour and fat be,
fore the recent sharp advances.
What Prompts Movement.
Tulsans are wondering just what
there is back of the municipal bakery
movement, anyway The Trades and
Labor council is supposed to be the
main agitator having employed c. B
Rogers, an attorney to 20 before the
city commission with the proposition
it is said. The recent market place
squabbie, which resulted in the club
women of the city selecting a munici,
pal site and the labor unions choosing
public streets adjacent thereto, may
have something to do with IT, The
union men, or some of them, are
known to be rather hostile against
Mrs G, Il. Lahman president of the
Federated clubs, and other prominent
and altruistic women for the part they
have played in arranging for market
place. Mrs. Lehmans husband i:
president of the Oklahoma Master
Bakers association and principal
ckholder in the Middle West Bak.
cry company of this city, largest bread
manufacturers in oklahoma. Could
this have had anything to do with the