Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-29
The St. Paul Coffee House.

1t is deemed desirable by the managers
of the Coffee House, to bring before the
public, without whose subscriptions they
could not have begun their work in the
first place, and to whose patronage they
owe their continued success, a statement
Of the work done by the Coffee House en-
terprise in the past five months.
The Coffee House association OF st. Paul
was incorporated in October last as be-
! nevolent society.
A suitable building was found at 142
| East Third Street, which could be arranged
to suit the purposes of Coffee House.
| Expensive alterations, though a heavy
drain, on the small capital in the hands
| of the association, were made in the lower
| floor and basement. Along one side of
| the dining room was placed lunch coun-
| ter where dishes at the uniform price of
| five cents are served.
The bill of fare comprises stews of all
| kinds, pies, soups, coffee, etc. The re-
mainder of the room is fitted with tables,
| and chairs, and meals are served as at any
| restaurant. Below is the basement and
the kitchen, and laundry.
On November 10TH, the Coffee House
| was opened and 700 people we're fed at its
| tables, and counter. The fact was estab-
lished on that first day, that the city of st.
Paul needed, and would patronize such an
institution. Each day the experience has
been the same. Boot blacks and new-boys
thronged its counters three times daily
while the tables are no less crowded.
Through out the entire five months thatthe
Coffee House, has been running, the pat
ronage has been steady, greater than could
be attended to in fact, as the room will
not hold all who come, and numbers go
away, every day unable to find accommo-
dalton.
During the winter the prices of all arti-
cles of food in the market have been
greatly increased, but the Coffee House list
remains the same that it was in November.
The association has endeavored to make
the Coffee House what the original circular
claims it would be, temperance restau-
rant where we'll cooked food could be OBJ
tanned at the lowest prices compatible
with making it self-supporting.
The Coffee House is self-supporting.
Excepting the sum of S2,055.35 subscribed
at the beginning of the work, not one dol
lar has been solicited to aid i'll carrying it
on. The receipts have exceeded slightly
the expenses daring the past few months.
The close proximity of the present kitch-
en- and pantry to the dining room made it
imperative that a new kitchen should be
added in the rear of the building and also
an ice house. The kitchen now being
built will shortly be finished, and the space
at present occupied by the pantry will be
thrown in the dining room, thus increas-
ing its seating capacity somewhat.
A branch counter has been started on
SibIey street prominently located opposite
the Union Depot, within the past fortnight.
As the receipts warrant it, branch estab
l1shmeuts will be started in localities,
where in the Judgment of the association.
and its patrons, they are most needed.
All the surplus money, after the running
expenses of each month are paid, is strict
ly 10 be set aside toward fund for estab-
fishing branch coffee houses, or lunch
counters, as has already been done on
Sibley street.
The amount of work done by this insti-
tuition cannot be understood by any per-
son unless he is actually in the Coffee
House, and sees the stream of people com
ing, and going, and the packed counters
and tables.
In three weeks more than sixteen thous-
and 10000 people have been fed the
average number of meals served daily be-
ing nine hundred.
The following statement gives the
/ figures up to March 31st, 18S3-Receipts
for November, $343S.0S, December,
S50755S, January S4205.23, February
$347921, March, $43O230, total S2O,40O.4O
Coffee House fund by sub scription 81
O5535 total S22,455.75, disbursements
| $20,7S2.21.
L. E. WHITE,
Sec'y. Coffee House Assoc.