Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-04
The Christiana Steam Kitchen.

70 DO traced directly or indirectly to
hunger as motive, and then add to
these the number of deaths to be traced
directly or Indirectly to the lack Of
food, the results would DO doubt starlle
ali thinking and humane people.
II 1t we're possible to go still further
and gather together the statistics of the
Number OF poor people who, without
being driven to gross crime, or starved
! to death, by reason of the lack of food,
are yet made irritable, lazy, inefficient,
poor workers, bad fathers and mothers,
apd generally speaking. bad citizens,
because they are habitually underfed,
and fed on unwholesome and innutri-
tious foods, the result would be still
more startling.
The pailanthropic poet, Victor Hugo,
found 10y actual experiment among the
poor of the Isle of Guernsey that the
giving of a good meat dinner
once in seven days to children
very perceptibly raised their average of
health in six months. Twenty-four
good meals, only twenty-four in
half year, told on their con-
dition and bettered it 80 much that
there was no doubt left in regard
to the matter.
Who can set limits then to what
might be accomplished il phila nthro-
pists concentrated their energies and the
fortunes which they have at their dis
posal for one year on the simple pur.
pose of feeding the poor properly!
Suffering would greatly lessen; death
rates would come down; crime rates
would dwindle; and what is of vastly
more importance than lessening sui.
fering or diminishing death rates and
crime rates for one immediate genera
ton, the great human stock would be
improved.
Tho Norwegian capital, Christiana, has
recognized this law, aud acted upon it
most effectively. About thirty years
ago, thu plan was originated of great
eating house for poor people; place
where good and wholesome food should
be furnished to them at the lowest pos
sible remunerative prices, and on a
sufficiently large scale to provide for
the needs of the poor working people of
the city.
A large building was put up in o
good and central situation, the rooms
airy and light, and we'll fitted with
everything required for the business.
For the first five years, the enterprise
was not successful one. There was q
large interest to be paid on the original
outlay, and the income was inadequate.
1t was evident that there must be some
source of income derived other than the
small profit made on the food served to
the poor.
To meet this necessity, q shop was
added to the establishment, q shop for
the sale of meats and of fruit syrups.
Tho preparation of these syrups re-
Quired very little additional outlay for
service or machinery, and proved at
once to be very rem unerative busi-
| ness.
The excellent quality of tho syrups
| furnished has created so great demand
| for them that this last summer there
was used for this purpose in the Steam
kitchen eight thousand bushels OF rasp-
berries alone. Cherries, currants and
bluekerries are prepared in the same
manner, but not in such large quanti-
| ties.
In 1874, the buildings proved too
small to accommodate all who wished
to take meals there; and a good dining
room was built, in which three hun
dred and irty-eight persons can be
seated ut one time.
There has been u steady increase in
the num5ers fed daily, and if it should
continue, still further enlargement Of
| the dining-room accommodations will
be necessary. From 1859 to 1868, there
were fed each day one thousand one hun.
| dred and forty six persons; from 1863
to 1878, one thousand six hundred and
tifty-nine: from 1874 to 1878, two thou
sand four hundred and fifty-five.
| The capital invested now pays regu-
Iarly six. p A. cent interest. The build
iags are paid for, and there is reserve
fund in the company's hands of more
than twenty. five thousand dollars.
The business is under the practical
control of three managers, who have
under them one inspector, or overseer.
who makes all the purchases, and is re-
sponsible for tho general order and
working of the establishment.
There are employed in it one cashier,
one ok-keeper. one head cook, two
men servants in the kitchen, one engi-
neer, two ticket-sellers, two saleswom-
en-, eight walters, one errand-boy, and
twenty nine women servants, who deal
out, measure the food, and assist in
cooking.
THIS is very small force to accom-
plish such an amount of work, and of
course they could not do it, except by
the help of steam.
An engine of twenty five horse pow
err really does the work; and these fifty
men and women simply manipulate,
guide and use its working power.
1t was found advisable to provide for
two grades of prices; one Offering lit
tie more and better food to those able
to pay for it; but the prices of both are
incredibly low. Forty-five ore is the
highest; thirty is the lowest.
When one undertakes to turn ore into
cents, and finds that one hundred ore
are equal to only about twenty-seven
cents, it seems as if difference OF ten
ore in price could not make much diff
ference in fare. But it does, as l saw
for myself.
visited the Steam Kitchen at noon,
ut the hour when most Of the working
men Come to get their dinners. On q
neat card near the outer entrance was
printed the bill of fare for the day