Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-02
New York Eating Houses.


allow people live in New York" ought to have
been the caption of this letter. though, perhaps too
comprehensive for the limited information can i'm
part on the subject. "How and where they sleep
more general bead. The lodging and eating houses
of the city themselves curiosities. They are of
every grade from ''cheap and nasty" to extrava-
CANT and luxurious. The 'fsix penny dining saloon"
is a peculiar institution of New York, at least
know of no other city where it exists IN the same
perfection as here Nothing like it is known in
Philadelphia although there is no lack of comforts
BILE restaurants in that city, where meals be OBJ
tanned at all hours and at moderate or extravagant
rates. according to the taste and the purse of the
consumer. A large room, crowded with tables at
which may be seated from fifty to two hundred per-
sons and during the hours ordinarily devoted to
meals generally filled with eager and inpatient bolt
ers of miscellaneous messes, 2 constant cashing and
clatteI Ing of dishes as they fearfay and won
derfully Manipulated by an excited corps of wait
ers either of African MIlesian extraction; con-
slant yocferatOn of the names of the various viands
ordered; frantic hurrying to and fro of the said
CORPS each member with plates, cups, saucers
knives forks and other paraphernalla Of the dinner
table, all piled in pyramidal form upon one arm the
other hand being employed in delivering at the va
rious tables the several dishes called for-all this
affords strange spectacle to one not ito the manor
born.r The current prices at these establishments
for ordinary roast and boiled meats including po-
tatoe and small piece of breads with use of cas-
CedA, are SIX GEMS per plaLe. GOul-
try game, and other choice articles, cost double or
treble that sum. Pies buildings, and other articles
of the kiId range from three to six cents A man
of moderate appetite, and not over fastidiOus may
obtain very good dinner in one of these establish
ments for twelve cents. For breakfast and tea the
rates are equally moderate
The six penny saloons" are patronized not mere
ly by the poor and close students of economy; but
BY many who though able to afford more expen-
slve style of feeding prefer the convenient location
and prompt attendance of these noisy and busting
places. Many of them fitted up in style of con-
siderable taste and elegance. One for example in
the Bowery, occupies an entire building of no mean
architectural merits erected especially for the pur
pose. Entering by wide and handsome arched
doorway the visitor finds himself in spacious hall
one hundred feet in depth, twenty-five feet in width
and forty-eigat feet in height to the crown of the
roof, and lighted by four domes, each twenty-five
feet in diameter at the base, and surmounted by a
skyight. At either end, also, there is handsome
arched window of stained and ground glass. All
these splendors are intended attractions to the
sixpenny luXuries before mentioned. Various
grades Of restaurants from those ustreferred to up
to those of the Delmoneo rank, abound to say moth
ing of the Accommodations afforded at the hotels The
charges in these vary according to the style and
quality of the entertainments offered.
A very large proportion of our male population
regularly dimes in these various saloons and great
numbers depend upon them entirely for their daily
supplies of food-C0r. Phil North American.