The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-24
Novelties in Catering.
An Elaborate SYSTEM for Supplying Rs.i-
lies with Meals sssan- Heated WaEsas
and Food.Bsxes,
IN. Y. Evening Poss.)

IN. Y. Evening Post)
The practice of supplying meals to fami-
lies by caterers for regular sum per week
has been greatly fostered in this city by the
custom of living in flats, and its growth
became so notable a year or two ago that
considerable space was devoted to the sub
ject in the Evening Post. Within few
months an attempt has been made to reduce
this practice to science, providing for its
| operation on a very extensive scale under
single management, and introducing feat
nres designed to make 1t much more popu-
lar than before.
Under the old plan of the private cater
ers, who sent out meals in ordinary dishes,
carried in basket or tray by walters on
foot, it was impossible for one establish
ment 10 supply many patrons living In diff
ferent parts of the city. Last September,
however, a company was incorporated for
the purpose Of serving meals to families
over wide area, and, to do this in q salts
factory manner, dishes, boxes, and two.
horse wagons have been used, all specially
constructed for this purpose. The meal for
each family of oficustomers is put UP In the
company's kitchen In silver plated dishes.
With tight covers, all Of which fit exactly In
to large copper box, made with double
walls. BY inserting lille Iunnsi sw0
small apertures in the rim Of this box, when
the cover Is removed. the space between the
double walls is filed with boiling hot water.
The cover being replaced and securely fast
ened, the box is then put with nine others
In close Wagon, having doors In the rear
cad. At the bottom of the wagon 10 cor
cred tank, and In this each box rests, be-
ing lowered into 1t through hole In the
cover, in which the top Of the box remains
fixed. Beneath the wagon is small gaso-
line heater, communicating with little
lboiler, and pipes extend from the boiler
Through the bottom of the tank. The sur
ace Of the latter being covered with few
| iehes Of water, q quantity Of steam Is gen.
erted, which envelopes all the foed-boxes,
| AM the contents Of the latter are therefore
kek hot until the moment Of delivery to the
connmer. The heat of the box can then be
mainained for any time required, simply By
piaclig it on range or over an ordinary
gas-lanp and stand.
| food, a'arge tin box is placed in the wagon,
being hug up on side of the vehicle, In
the cool art above the covered tank. Each
| OF these BIKES contains the cold portions Of
the iaeal, 'uch as bread, butter, sugar, sal
ads, ice Cram, etc. In summer such arti-
cles will becarried in small refrigerator
built into tie wagon. Some hours after the
delivery OF tie meals the driver, who Is 30
companied bya boy assistant, makes bis
| rounds again md collects the emptied dish
| es and boxes.
| The meals areserved, as the patrons may
order, during the following hours: Break.
fast, on week day, from to IL A. NJ, and
| on Sundays from Ito II A. NJ; dinner, on
| week days from b s P NJ, and on San.
days from l TO 7 P. Il. When desired spec
| ial arrangements are made for serving din
ner near the middle q the day, and also in
regard to the meals ofehiIdren, according to
| age, etc. A clock Is placed above the dri-
| ver's seat in each wagon, and, each driver
having certain number Of places to visit
| In specified district within a certain hour
1t is alleged that the meals are delt-sred at
| each dwelling within hve minutes Of the
| appointed time.
| As to the character Of the meals furnish
| ed, the manager Of the company, when
| questioned on the subject to-day, replied
| that the breakfast consisted Of fruit In sea-
son; oatmeal, wheaton erits, or some other
| dish TO DO eaten with milk; fish; steak or
chops; a side dish, such as stewed kidneys,
sausages, or liver and bacon; eggs; coffes,
| tea, or chocolate, and milk, sugar, bread,
| butter, etc. The dinner Is composed OF
1 soup, fish, an entree, a roast, potatoes and
two other vegetables, some kind Of sauce or
| preserve, dessert, and, of course, bread
and butter, etc. All of the food, the man&-
| ger asserted. ia the very best quality.
On account OF the number of courses, the
| amount of food furnished for one person 10
reckoned sufficient for two, while portion
for two suftices for three, portion for three
| is enough for five, etc. The present prices
charge per week, for dinner and beakfsst,
are s12 for one person, SIS for two, SsS for
three, $28 for four, S33 for five, and $2S for
SIX, with s. for each person in addition 10
/ six. With an extension Of the facilities Of
the company to be shortly made, the ratsa
| will be raised to the following figures: $l4
| per week for one person, 500 week for two,
| $26 for three, $34 for four, and $50 for ave,
| with Sc for each person in addition to i've.
The manager said that on the 26th Of Sep
tember last the company began to use one
wagon, supplying ten families with meals.
| At that time there was little expectation of
building up much custom during lhis win
| ter. Now, however, they were using three
wagons and supplying about 100 families.
| From their kitchen in Twentieth Street they
sent meals as far south as Waverly Place, as
| far north as Sixty-second Street, as far east
as Second Avenue, and as far west as Tenth.
Many OF their patrons were people Of wealth
who wished to avoid the trouble Of ordinary
| bookkeeping. The demands upon the com
| pany had far outgrown their facilities, and
during the present month they would open
an additional kitchen In Fifty-fourth Stree,
besides increasing the number OF their wag-
ong. From the inquiries and applications
| made, he beliebed that they would then be-
| gin supplying 200 moro families at once.