Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03
A HOUSEKEEPERS' TRUST.
Cooperative Cooking and Table Service
Successful Operation,


Successful Operation.
There is nothing so perplexing in the whole
round Of housekeeping, says the New York
Herald, as the question Of food. The lord of
the manor must have food well prepared and
well served, but the scarcity of good cooks at
reasonable wages precludes such condition in
most families Of moderate circumstances. II
would seem, therefore, that plan which would
close the kitchen entirely, reduce the force of
servants and lessen the cost of living, while at
the same time bringing better service at
meals. would be something Utopian-an '.iri-
descent DREAM
SOLVING THE PRoBLEM.
But the dream. after all, is not dream. The
problem Is solved, and its solution is 80 simple
and satisfactory that the wonder is it was not
made clear before. Some weeks since the heads
OF i've Utica. NY, families entered into an
agreement after mature elaboration under
which provision was made for leasing and fur
nishing house, employing cook and servants
and making arrangements for trial of CO.
operative housekeeping in 30 far as the dining
room and kitchen we're concerned. The gentle-
men interested are all business men in moder-
ate circumstances, who had come to the con-
ciusion that better service at less cost could be
obtained In this way than by the usual indi-
vidual housekeeping method. Choosing a
president, secretary and treasurer and q
board OF governors" the gentlemen set them
selves to work. The first thing to be done was
to draft a compact by which all were bound to
give the plan trial Of three months. All are
so well satisfied that there will be no changes
at the end of that time, three weeks hence In
the original number twenty-five persons we're
included, which number has been augmented
10 nearly hfty, as many as can be commo-
dated In the present quarters.
THE WAY IT Is DONE.
In the beginning it was necessary to DUR
chase an entire new outfit Of kitchen and din
ing-room furniture, as well as the conveniences
for the cook and five WATERS who. in addition
to their regular duties, look after the house
which they occupy, rented by the club
competent cook Of many years experience was
employed, into whose charge the full manage
ment OF affairs was given, with the exception of
the purchase of food. which duty deyolyes upon
one Of the club, designated by the president at
the beginning Of each month. Books are kept
In which Is entered every cent Of expenditure,
and they are balanced at the end of the month,
when an assessment is levied upon each men,
first few weeks of the life of the club the as
sessments were necessarily somewhat heavier
than they are at present As regards the table,
the very best of everything is provided, with ali
the delicacies In season. while no extravaganza
Is countenanced by any member. II any men,
Der brings visitors they must be paid for at tho
rate Of twenty-five cents per meal, and notice
must be given beforehand Of their coming The
system has been brought SO far on the road to
perfection that 1t would be indeed difficult to
make it better in any way.
LUXURY AT THREE DOLLARS A wEEK
At present the amount levied upon each
person is a trifle less than 90 week, and those
in charge confidently expect to reduce this to
$3.50. when greater knowledge is acquired by
experience. This assessment is very small in
deed, when the quality Of the service is con-
sidered. The bill of fare cannot be duplicated
in any first-class boarding house for twice or
three times s.. Besides this, wives and
daughters are released from the care of kitchens
and dining rooms, and the worry incident to
the supervision Of cooks and other servants.
too often incompetent, is thing of the past.
The only Inconvenience, which is slight by
comparison, is the necessity Of leaving homes
All those interested, however, live near by and
count this us nothing.