The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-11-14

e Necessary Institution Which Is Run at
s s4 8 Loss Something About the
ss%. Service in It's Early
ss,SS33 s Days. 5

Sitting in the lobby Of one OF the
hetels a few evenings ago, says the Chi
eago Mail, was small group OF rail
way officials and two or three business
men. After a time conversation drifted
to the subject Of dining cars. 'sDo you
know" said a business man addressing
q general passenger agent, "that when
foreigners first travel in this country
they don't half appreciate our American
system? In England and on the CONT
nent eating stations, as a rule, are far
superior to ours. And when a foreigner
travels through the United States he at
first naturally turns his attention to-
ward the eating stations. But it takes
only few trials to convince him of his
error. The usual poor cooking, bad
service, twenty rninutes-for-dinner plan
tires him, and straightway he HES him
self to diner and eats respectfully"
.sThat's right said one agent. 81
haga, heard the Same thing regarding
IL fynxsis, ners expressed before"
spoubtless true" said the Oldest rail
zpader Of the group, ''but on the other
5hand we all know that every road in
yshe country would discontinue the sys~
tenn if it could do 500
"And why SOP" asked one Of the bust
ness men.
Because" he continued, dining
ears are an expensive luxury and are
run at an actual yearly loss. But the
ystem has become necessity; the ex-
pense goes to the operating account,
and the directors-weu, they kick. With
competition SO sharp, as it is between
the granger roads, no trouble or ex-
pense is spared to make the service per
sect. But after all this d mighty small
percentage OF the travelling public pa
sxonizes diners"
'*aow long has the service been in ex-
astence?" was asked.
sit began about twenty years ago"
answered the veteran agent. "Ihe
roads DID not place much faith in the
scheme at first, but concluded to make
sn experiment. It was about Decera-
her, 1870, when the first dining-car was
yum out Of Chicago to St. Louis. A hotel
OIL wheels was Il novelty, and at the
beginning the cars were SO well patron
szed that all the other great roads
quickly decided Il, adopt the scheme.
1t first the diners were rather crude
effai,s, Ordinary passenger cars were
6Gaed !1p sst small expense and made to
serve the purpose for two Or three years
after this system was inauguratcd. The
Kitchens were built in the middle, and
st wasn't always agreeable for the pas
seugers. The cars would become
smoky and thick with kitchen odors.
10 the trouble made by the darlSies
whenever, sI misunderstanding arose be-
tween them, which, as [ remember,
1as anot infrequent. In the early
NOS dining-car crews were often COM
posed 81 turbulent set OF blacks, aud
they were generally ready Tor scrap
whether their car was full or not. 1t
Nook Merry conductor to keep order
There seemed to be a continual feud ex-
listing between the cooks and walters.
Once, just out Of Burlington, g dispute
arose between the head cook and 3
waiter over an order. The latter final
Sy told tie cook, who was an ugly.
hooking chap, to attend to his own bust
ness, and then he started to walk away
No sooner had he turned than a good
gized rib roast struck him in the back
This was followed by dob of hos
mashed potato which missed the cook
and landed solidly On the bald head OF
one Of the passengers. For about g
minute il looked like free fight, but
the train conductor nipped it. Those
occasional rows may have been one in
oentive for changing the location OF
the kitchen, but wouldn't swear to it.
Those were lively days.