The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-08-23
CHICAGO'S NIGHT COOKS,
Queer Characters Who Furnish
Food for Street Providers.
Peripatetic Restaurants Which Do Good
business from Ten =. M. Until DAWN
A Pretty Fair Lunch for Five
Cents-Walking Cafes.


n cago News reporter selected Detective
4 Morgan Thomas, of the Harrison street
station, and at eleven o'clock started
\ out to explore. this paradise Of intiner-
4 ant cooks and restaurants on wheels.
Y At the hour when the West and North
4 sides were silent in sleep the levee was
a lively scene. The usual throng of
4 painted women, white and black, alleged
n sporting men, with barber-pole pants,
d bill-poster shirt-fronts, and dance-house
" neck ties, were to be seen.
Il There comes one Of the cafes" said
N Thomas. .
II Around the corner Of Polk street and
n Fourth avenue appeared swarthy lit
4 tie man. He carried a small folding
Y table beneath one arm, and in the other
M hand he held what looked like hotel
cOnsomme boiler. 1t was made of cop
yer and it shone like a full moon. He
cried in sing-song voice: clash and
wieners, gut wurst." D..
This class is the most common" said
The detective. "See. he sells hash, bread
and Frankfort sausage, red-hot." -
"Vill de shentlemens haf some red
hots und brod| asked the cook, as he
placed his copper kettle on the curb. In
twinkling the table was set up. His
wares were good. Hot, homemade
hash, with good bread and butter, made
excellent sandwiches for a hungry
rounder or policeman. The red-hots
were generally cutin two o1ongitudinallv
and smothered in mustard. The mer-
chant willingly told how he made his
living. ;.
You see, frents, I sleeps me in de
daytime, cause de beeblers what wants
mine stock dey be sleepin, too. Mine
woman, she cooks de hash efery after
noon und l cook de red-hots vile I
carries dem. Lots of fellows make
money init dis business. See, in dis
part keeps de hash, and here are de
red-hots. Under is de lamp what keeps
y de blace hot. In dis box l carries the
brod und mustard. l shust walk me
round, und de peoples what is hungry
h dey buys. Dey be peoples What only
work aroun' nights. Some be tieves,
some gamblers, some policemen und
odder ting Oh, yes, make more money
ais vorkin' in restaurant"
HE is only sample," said the de-
tective, as the gay fellow picked up his
paraphernalia and departed shouting
his weird sing-song cry.
The waffle man was also encountered,
but merchants Of his kind are too
numerous In the daytime to merit much
comment. A little farther on the pop
corn man held forth his little court,
Gasoline torch and supply of buttered
showhakes 81 done up in pretty paper bags.
Durihg the warm autumn evenings every
gooo nook shelters nocturnal sweet
corn cook. He gives you a big, fresh
ooiied ear OF corn witch plenty of butter,
'uch as 1T is, and seasoning for nickel.
IL was not until the negro quarters
we're reached that the night cook was
seen in all his glory, with his little
movable stall, where he displays appe-
Nzihg roasted tidbits Of chicken, opos-
'um, corn and sweet potatoes. Who
0ouid resist stopping to see the white
ciothed fellows who assume grotesque
Shapes fitting about their ovens in the
uafkness, now and then crying: "Come
On' brethren, an partake OBJ de feast.
xo trolca S;,, cuts J, heah. All yoh wants fer
a great many well-dressed white men
'~pped to geta lunch of chicken or sweet
%'atoes. These cooks are patronized
an night long. Not sign OF their
OOoths is left by daylight, for as dawn
"ppears s.M they pack up and go home.
ihose fellows just making a meal of
quicken legs, toast and sweet-potato
'amdwiches 'm. are actors" said the officer.
lhese lunches save them time and
money. On their way to their rooms
'ney take bite and satisfy the inner
u'an with choice dainties at small
Cost"
Leaving the darker portions Of the
.eVee, and upon reaching State street,
sne 1tinerant night-cook is supplanted
~ the all-night restaurant. These
,,unerant merchants do not like the
'Rntest streets, because their CUSTOM