The Dickinson press., 1888-12-15
A MEAL FOR A DIME.
A VISIT TO THE CHEAP EATING
HOUSES OF CHICAGO.

HOUSES OF CHICAGO.
Places Where IL Man Can Fill His
Stomach at Small Cost-Bll of Fare.
Boartlcrs.
Say, Jimmy, that blole goin' yonder gin
me Il dim an I'm agoin' ter git q solid,
square meal"
The speaker was q bootblack. His COM
panion, of the same class, regarded him CHI
viouslv.
y reporter followed the lad into a West
Madison street ''tcn cent eating house, in
order to learn how much of n square meal
one can get for n dime. 1t was about ii
O'Clock i'll the morning and n dozen or more
men were seated at the tahles. When n tall
and robust blonde damsel approached the lad
for lis order he said, in authoritative tones:
"Iet it be beef an plenty with, Kitty"
In IL very short time tho waitress returned,
bringing n large bowl of vegetable soup, Il
plate of beef, potatoes, n large bowl of coffee
md some pudding. On each table stood Il
hcaping plate of bread. pickles of two kinds
and Il dish of butter. While tho bootblack
was vigorously attacking tho viands before
him the reporter engaged the proprietor in
conversation.
What classes of men frequent your
place.
'Oh, all classes; small merchants, clerks,
mechanics, dock laborers, tramps and ped
dlcrs. | feed an average of 700 n day. This
is the first of the month and business is not
us good tho first two weeks as it is the last
two"
GLOW do you explain this?"
That's easy enough. Lots of fellows are
paid off tho first OF tho month. They havo
plenty Of stuff then, and are too stuck up to
come into Il house of this kind; but later they
arc glad to get the meals furnish"
You charge but 10 cents for any mealF
That is nil. This entities Il man to but ono
kind Of meat, though. If they want two
kinds they must pay five cents extra"
"Eut can you afford to give n hearty man
! I'LL he can cat for so small q sum!"
"I'vc never heard any complaints. They
have all the bread they want. Cast your eye
around and see if you don't think enough is
brought every one"
sit must demand fairly rigid economy to
make money in this business" said tho re-
porter.
1T does, but 1 como out ahead. l don't
give my customers napkins or tab!cclotbs;
there's Il saving. don't buy the best porter
house steaks, but the food is solid. Tho way
come out ahead is by keeping expenses down
and by feeding such large numbers of peo-
pie
"Do you make any discount where one buys
meal 1icSctsI'
'Crrtaiuly; l sell twcnty-ono tickets for
800. y good many of my customers take Il
5 rent lunch for both breakfast and sup
per. In that way they get through a month
for about $3.50"
"What is Il 3 cent lunch!"
"a bowl of co!Tco md all tho bread and
butter one wants to eat"
Presently tho bootblac!i ended his rcpast
and walked up to tho counter with the air Of
Il society man after Il choice Inner at his
club. lie paid his score with tho remark:
Look fur ne agin, Dickie; yer bill er
fares improvin'."
Having seen the inside of one of these
places the reporter proceeded to mako the
round of a dozen or moro on the west and
south sides. On Desplaines street, is a 10
cent house which furnished bread as white
and apparently as clean and sweet US could
be found anywhere. To IL query of the re-
porter tho proprietor said:
~ have been feeding some eight hundred u
day, mostly working people,"
The reporter observed white and colored
people at the same table. "Colored people
and Cinnamon have to bo fed US well as white
people; l don't SEQ any difference in their
money! the proprietor added.
At the place were several newsboys and
bootblacks. Their uniform order was a cup
of coffee with II roll and butter.
In q Clark street eating house u steady tide
was pouring in and out. At this place the
majority wcro anything but workingmen.
Tho word '.buln'' was written on their dirty
faces, and in their bloated hands, in theil
very shabby clothing, and their ragged shoes.
1t was observed that they took all the advaE.
tagcs possible of their situation, eating every
particle of food served them.
s.That there won't do" said tho keeper to
red noscd chap with a stovepipe hat that had
passed through many u drinking bout, and
suit of clothes which left the factory half 6
dozen years ago; sit won't do, Isay. If you'd
AVE taken two slices l wouldn't have said {
word; but you've hooked six, for l seen "
do it,
.'That's my last dime, Joe,n muttered th,
poor devil, 'and l didn't know where in the
name of God to get any more. This is tn
first meal Two had in two days"
"Then why don't you go to work?"
"Go to worka Who would hire me? VIVA
manner of work could l do? l wish I wer
dead" he cried, bitterly.
Atthis place were tottering age, whose era,
hairs had brought it no honor; middle age
stranded and enfcebled; young manhood
!. red eyed and besotted; boys with faces o
men. No noise prevailed. Not a single fac
of them all revealed the possibility of a smile
, What is there left of humanity when it la
lost all prile and all expectations, when j
l exists but to drink as often as drink is to b
had, and begrudges the bare pittance require
for food?
r In one of the cheap places Of Halsted stree
was Il couely young woman neatly dressed
and her husband was also clearly attired. Fl
!. was communicative, declaring that he clcare
$1,000 q year. ~ could make more,'' he az
ded, "if l didn't buy, as l do, tho best of CO..
4 fec and nice meats. But l nave Il nice, II
spectacle trade"
\ man entered while tho reporter W;
!, there and called for Il plate of pork nj
, beans. \. fairly liberal quantity of this Bo
tonian delicacy was served tho custome
together with two slices of clean, viii
bread. Wien he had eaten he paid five cent
a Desplaines street eating house advertise
&c on Il card in tho window: "Three rolls and
10 big cup of coffee for five cents" The report.
entered. One man called for Il meat ste,
10 with bread and coffee. This meal cost hi
10 just IL nickel. The same muniicient sum W
N asked for hash, with bread and coffee, or sol
=. with bread and coffee.
AT all the places visited the maximum pri
H. for q ''squurc meal" was ten cents.
Of
&c in Rather Small Business.
rs l was sitting i'll u street car when Il
p neighbo. nudgcd Inc and said: do you s
5, that bald headed, sanctimonious looking c