The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-15
FLOATING HOTELS.
The Authority of ocean ste amers' Chiei
Cooks--Cost or the Cuisine
and Service.

ferior in rank to the captain or chic
engineer. While, like the engineer
he as far as possible recognizes the or
ders, or rather suggestions of the cap
tain, still in his own department he
reigns supreme. He disciplines anc
discharges his scullions as he pleases
and n captain would be iniudicious in
deed who would dare to enter the do
main of the cook, and dictate as TO the
making of a salad or the preparation
of soup. A Mail and Express report
er some time since formed the ac-
quaintance of an exalted being who
! fills the position of cook on steamer
of one of the leading transatlantic lines
and found the dictator of the kitchen
free TO express his views regarding the
cuisine of an ocean steamer.
''Yes. sir, said he, ''vou have
reached the proper conception of the
sunJcct when you say that cabin pas
sesgers on our steamers are more lux
uriously fed than they would be in a
iirst-class hotel. In the first place their
appetites are sharpened by the sea air,
and they require no bitters or cock
tails to make them enjoy their meals;
second, the cooking, attendance, and
surroundings are fully us good, if not
better, than they win find in any hotel
and, third. they have set before them
all the dilicaces of the season from
both sides of the ocean.
The cost of a voyage musbbe some
hing considerable, said the reporter
inqulringly.
"Yes, and to most people it seems
beyond belief that over five hundred
persons can be safely and comfortably
transported over 5000 miles of ocean
inside a week, and IL is fact. The
faster steamers use from 125 to 100
tons of coal per day, while second-rate
steamers are allowed to burn but 60
to 20 tons. The largest vessels have n
crew of about one hundred men, in
cluding officers. and the expenses of a
round trip of first class steamer may
be estimated at from $40, 1000 to $780,
000.'
'How much do you think each per-
son eats a day during the voyagePn
81 cannot answer that, but we calcu-
late on allowing pound and half of
meat per day to each person. On our
big trips we ship about 400 pounds of
fresh beef of the best quality. Any
beef do not approve of is not taken
on board. 1t is served daily to the
first and second cabins, the steerage
passengers and the crew. If any acci-
dent causing delay should occur, we
could give the first and second cabin
passengers fresh meat for several
weeks by placing the crew and steer
age passengers on the regular sea al
lowance of salt pork and beef. We
have three immense ice houses on
board-one for fresh fish, one for poul-
try, and one for fresh meats. and in
these everything edible is preserved" "
'.How much ice is required to last
through the voyage?"
''Of course the amount varies ac-
cording to the season, but we manage
to keep within from ten to twenty
TONS
'.How about butter, which is expen-
sive?''
ave use between 1.200 and 1,400
po,Ssds every trip. The cabins con-
sumo between 1000 and 5000 cigars.
There is not such large consumption
of wines, ale, etc., for the price is kept
high in order to prevent intoXication
on board
How about table service?"
.'On every well-regulated steamer
the bed-clothes, towels, table linen,
and coverings for all the furniture are
every day. Two thousand
napkins are used in the first cabin ev-
cry day and 1000 in the second cabin,
while the sheets number about 1000,
and the towels 5000 Different colors
are used in the covers of the furniture
every day to relieve the eyes of the
passengers from sense of sameness.
The steamer is newly painted from
stem to stern and thoroughly cleaned
put while in port at the end of every
voyage, and TO do this, together with
5he repairing of furniture and covering
Of upholstery, requires the services of
from two or three hundred men.
"It must take good deal of crock
sry and silverware to set the cabin ta- |
,les?"
Somewhere in the neighborhood of |
lbout four thousand pieces of crockery |
\ the first and second cabins, separ-
ltely, and about two thousand pieces !
If glassware. The silverware of the
irst cabin, about one thousand pieces, !
: valued at $4,000. and the same
quantity in the second cabin, is valued
t q out half that sum-
Regard ng the lverware, have You
yer known OF any being stolen By pas
~ have never heard of such a case.
'erhaps the, sea air drives away klep-
0mania, or a wholesome fear of mar
ne law has the same effect, but the
ict remains that the table silver is
ever disturbed.
''Do your guests ever complain Of
le cuis ne?"
Every rarely. Once in q while,
)me eocentricity, male or female,
.ates that dish is not lit to eat. L at
nee investigate the affair in person.
the complaint is well founded, l
,primand and punish the ass slant
,ok who prepared it and and sent it
} table. But generally find that the
ersons complaining have probably
item such dish for the first tina in
Ie.r lives, and so imagine unutterablc
.,,.or, =, bout II hoVa az, old ro , f,a-