The St. Johns herald., 1890-08-07
CHICAGO'S NIGHT COOKS.
Queer Characters Who Furnish
 Food for Street Prowlers.
Peripatetic Restaurants Which Do Good Business from Ten P. F. Until Dawn A Pretty Fair Lunch for Five
 Cents-VValking Cafes.

Acting on the facts given him, Chi cago News reporter selected Detective Morgan Thomas, of the Harrison street station, and at eleven o'clock started out to explore this paradise of intiner- ant cooks and restaurants on wheels. At the hour when the West and North sides were silent in sleep the levee was lively scene. The usual throng of painted women, white and black, alleged sporting men, with barber-pole pants, bill-poster shirt-fronts, and dance-house neckties, were to be seen.
 "There comes one of the cafes," said Thomas.
 Around the corner of Polk street and Fourth avenue appeared swarthy lit tie man. He carried a small folding table beneath one arm, and in the other hand he held what looked like a hotel consomme boiler. It was made of cop per and it shone like full moon. He cried in sing-song voice: "Hash and wieners, gut wurst.
 "This class is the most common" said the detective. ''See. he sells hash, bread and Frankfort sausage, red-hot."
 ''Vill de shen clemens haf some red hots un1 brod?" asked the cook, as he placed his copper kettle on the curb. In twiukling the table was set up. His wares were good. Hot, homemade hash, with good bread and butter, made excellent sandwiches for hungry rounder or policeman. The red-hots were generally cutin two o1ongitudinally and smouhored 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 1 cook de red-hots vile I carries dem. Lots of fellows make money nit dis business. See, in dis part 1 keeps de hash, and here are de red-hots. Under is de lamp what keeps de place hot Tn dis box I carries the brOd und mustard. 1 shust walk me round, und de peoples what is hungry dey buys. Dey be peoples what only work aroun' nights. Some be tievess some gamblers, some policemen und pdder ting. Oh, yes, make more money als vorkin' in restaurant"
 ''IIe is only a 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 snowfalles done up in pretty paper bags. During the warm autumn evenings every good nook shelters @ nocturnal sweet corn cook. He gives you big, fresh boiled ear of corn wiGh plenty of butter, such as it is, and seasoning for nickel
 It was not until the negro quarters were reached that the night cook was seen in all his glory, With his little movable stall, where he displays appe- tizing roasted tidbits of chicken, opos- sum, corn and sweet potatoes. Who could resist stopping to see the white clothed fellows who assume gre tesque shapes fitting about their ovens in tho darkness, now and then crying: Come on, brethren, an partako ob de feast. Choice cuts heah. All yoh wants fer two bits.'
 4 great many well-dressed white men stopped to get lunch of chicken orsweet potatoes. These cooks are patronized all night long. Not a sign of their booths is left by daylight, for as dawn appears they pack up and go home. Those fellows just making meal of chicken legs, toast and sweet-potato sandwiches are actors," said the officer. These lunches save them time and money. On their way to their rooms they take 8 bite and satisfy the inner man with choice dainties at small cost"
 Leaving the darker portions of the levee, and upon reaching State street, the itinerant night-cook is supplantod by the all-niGht restaurant. These 1 itinerant merchants do not like the !! lightest streets. because their custom 1 CTS arc found only in the darker streets. !
 "Sneaking about variety actors as 'ham-fat song-and-Ganco artists" said | a theatrical manager, Il think the man | who first called them E.v that name must ] have seen them about inidnight CT the ! levoe. getting away with 2 placa or eggs and ham just prepared by enc of these nigh t-cooEs."
 These cooks know every touFh and bad character in tha locality, and very often supply s2ica men with the o1ly meals tie l"t!e: get when in hid:sg rom the police, so they ag3 very often l used tc advantage Y the police as stool D;geons. Ih2y are Q necessity in this i locality. aGd :. .2oy w>ro prohibited from doi"s: business every loul&ol would striEo.
 The e.isi:.- c,S Foasonezs.
 It does beat a,i, as tae Cood country people say, how p3'.go som2 people ars. A Boston lady tells of q gentleman. SC called, who asked permission t. smoke o:oer IT 7.e1 r~"scere. soe does not