Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1896 — FILTH IN BAKESHOPS. [ARTICLE]

FILTH IN BAKESHOPS.

Startling Discoveries bjr New York ' Bakery inspectors. •.* Brace tETncw law requiring inspecting of the, bakeshops of New York went into effect, about half a year ago, many startling discoveries have been made by the inspectors of that city. But it was not until the other night that the State authorities were given an insight into the filthiness of some of the bakeshops of the metropolis. Deputy State Factory Inspector Frnney and Bakeshop Inspector Hanlon staffed out together to take a peep at some of the city’s bakeries. Whatever doubts Mr. Franey might have had as to the necessity of the bakeshop law they were removed. The shop, thO condition of which produced the strongest impression on Mr. Franey’s mind, .is located in Bayard street, and is kept by an Italian. It is a cellar shop. -Its floor area is small, its ceiling is low, and, on the night of the expedition, the place was excecdirgly dirty. ; .

Not only is the bnking of bread, cakes, pies aud other flour itroducts carried on in the cclla r in -question, but the boss bakcf'iS entire family, together’ with the workmen in the shop, make it tkeir constant abode. It was the middle of the evening when they entered the shop. In the front part of the'cellar, in a little store partitioned off from the shop, the boss baker’s wife was selling bread and other baked things. "In the shop, near the door connecting it and the store, two workmen were asleep on a cot. In a long, coffin-like bread box, such as Italian and French bakers use in preference to the square ones Used by bakers, of other nationalities, another workman was asleep. These were “day hands.” At the molding board the two night hands, stripped to the waist, were busy mixing dough. On a cot near the board two children of from 7 to 10 years were slumbering peacefully, while in the dough trough was a child less than a year old. Mr. Hanlon has encountered stranger things, however, than Babies'in dough troughs. In one' shop an open barrel stood ,in tbe middle es the floor. From the top of the barrel there was rising at the moment of his entrance a thin, whitish cloud, evidently of dust, steam, smoke or flour. Investigation showed it to be

es flour, and that it was -caused by the fluttering and Scratching of a hen in the flour that was soon to be made into bread. The 'operation of the Jaw will be rendered even more effective by the passage of certain amendments which are now beforc the Legislature; 1