Wichita eagle., 1888-05-16


daughter. The same conditions and classes
are to be found in America as in London or
Liverpool, Glasgow or Manchester, Birming7
ham or Bristol The cities of the United
States like New York and Philadelphia, Bos-
ton and Chicago, have had growing up the
past twenty-five years the same lunch or res
taurant system which has long obtained in
the cities beyond the sea-
CHICAGO RESTAURANTS.
Chicago is as well supplied with excellent
restaurants as Paris or New York, according
to its SIZE No visitor from the near or far
east fails to compliment this city in these
particulars. The travelled, cultured and we'll
TODD classes recognize and appreciate such
comforts and conyeniences more readily than
any other. There is, however, a portion of
the community whose members are not often
heard on these matters. They are not the
opulent or middle classes, but the wage work
erS. How many places are there down town
where respectable shop girls, for example,
earning from So to S. and s. week, could
afford to go and get warm noon meal, or
even lunch, suitable to q brain or hand
workerl There are restaurants without
number where persons earning from $40 to
$50 or 500 week can suit themselves as to
the bill of fare, and yet how does the case
stand with respect to those who cannot afford
to pay more than so, Is cents OF 81 week
out Of their hard earnings for lunches, and
who feel they must have some nutritious
food in the middle of the day? The w. c.
T. y. he's undertaken and maintains lunch
establishment where healthful, plain, nutri-
tive food can be obtained at about cost, but
in the nature of the case this coffee house can
do no more than suggest what might be done.
In the average restaurant all articles of food
cost five cents or multiples of FIVE There
are several establishments where from 5000
to 4, 900 persons are fed daily. The charges
are reasonable, the coffee, rolls, milk, etc,
are excellent, the places scrupulously clean
and neat, and the service all that could be
wished; and yet many Of the working people
are unable to patronize them because of the
scanty wages they receive, and the strict
economy they must constantly exercise. In
some of the experiments in Great Britain,
Philadelphia and elsewhere, there have been
maintained eating houses for just these
classes, and they have been successful Why
might not some of our philanthropic citizens
find in this field for their practical benevo-
lencel Is it not worthy Of attentions
PHILADELPHIA MODEL.
A model coffee house has been maintained
in Philadelphia for years It began in one
room. The food was good, well cooked, clean
and cheap. A pint of the best coffee, with
cream and sugar and roll. cost five cents.
1t was no charity. Patrons paid for what
they got, and got what they paid for. The
idea was not one of profit, but purely of phi
lanthropy 1t steadily grew in favor, and
its generous founder, leader in the Society
of Friends, has had it enlarged time and
again. Then a room was opened to women.
The workingmen were benefited, and work
| ing women came to be by the addition of the
department for them. A reading room was
| added in time, and hall that would seat 800
| persons.
| Other coffee houses have been established
on the same general plan. The original re-
| freshment room, opened in 1874, has grown
| to accommodate 400 persons at time, and
! over 5000 meals are served daily. The bill
of fare provides for some seventy articles,
whose cost is from three to ten cents. This
will give some idea Of expense to customers:
| Oatmeal, grits, mush, stews, pot pie, Goldfish
cakes, liver eggs, potatoes, corn, peas, and
tea, coffee or milk, with bread, five cents;
peaches, frozen custards and melon in season,
six cents; beef, veal, mutton, ham, fish or
baked beans, eight cents, and sirloin steak,