A STATE STORE.

Southland Times, Issue 14095, 29 April 1909, Page 2

A STATE STORE.

There is (says a contemporary) probably nothing In the world in the way of general State enterprise to equal the “department store” run by the United States Government on the Isthmus of Panama, State railways and such like public services being left out of the account. Uncle Sam’s store does business to the extent of £300,000 every year. He is running a big laundry, manufacturing ice and distributing it over a route fifty miles long, baking bread, making pies and freezing and Belling his own ice cream. Through the Commissary Department Uncle Sam supplies mest of the 35,000 employee? on the Isthmus with tlie necessaries of life at little more than the cost price. Through it tlie cunai employee is enabled to buy his food cheaper than ho could if he lived in New York City, and that, too, in the face of the fact that the bulk of the food supplies are carried to the Isthmus from the States. An actual comparison of tlie price? charged by the department with the retail prices charged in New York City showed that in nineteen instances the prices charged on the Isthmus were slightly higher than those charged in New York, in thirty-seven instances they were lower, and in eight instance? equal. Through his Commissary Department Uncle Sam conducts -fourteen hotels and a string of fifty-five mosse? and kitchens. Those are scattered along tlie lino of the canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific. At the hotels the canal employee can get a go-si, wholesonu dinner for 30 cents. At the messes, which are patronised chiefiy by the Spanish labourers. Uncle Sam servo.meals at the rate of 40 cents, a day. and at the kitchens, where many of the West Indian negroes cat, Iris rate is J” cents a day. All told. Uncle Sam feeddaily between SOOO and SOOO mouths a: his hotels, messes and kitchens. The Government takes four million poundof beef, mutton and veal from the Chicago packers every year, 2 ton? chickens a week, 1230 dozen eggs. 5001b of butter, 6F; tons of potatoes, JOOolh of ham and a ton of bacon a day. From New York comes pasteurised milk to the extent of 500 gallons a day, and of condense! milk tire Isthmus takes 450' cases a month. The bakery turns out 15,000 loaves a day.