New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-01
THE BEEFsTEAK EATERS.
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF A JOLLY CLUB

ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF A JOLLY CLUR
FOUNDED AT BEEFsTEAK JOHNS. AND DEvEr.
oPED BY WEALTHY BREWERS AND
THE GAS STOVE
Tie Bsefsteak Club Is founded, Of course, on beef
steak, but Its towering fame and glitterng successes
are buttrcssed by the gas stove and the refrgeratng
machine II there were no beefsteaks there would
have been no Beefsteak Club This Is a sefcvident
proposition. But 1t is equally true, though not 50
self-cvident, that II there were gas stoves the
club would have died before 1t was really born, anl
that II there were no cold storage plants the output
Of the club could not be Of such succulency and flavor
to tempt Its members to gorge themselves at every
meeting to degree that temporarily turns the o..
ganzatOn into a stuffed club.
The Beefsteak Club is distinctvely New-York
affair. Neither the elfete monarchies OF Europe nor
the gorgeous empires Of the Orient have Beefsteak
Club. The reasons for this are clear. In the first
place. they have no beefsteaks worthy Of the name
In the second place, they have had no Beefs,eak
Jchn.' BY ttuar prerogave and BY the divine right
Of good cookery Beefsteak John was the founder OF
the Beefseak Club Not the degenerate Johns OF that
ilk whose signs allure the hungry public OF to-day in
various parts Of the city, bat the genuine Bcefsteak
John who ran his famous little place the East sido
IN days gone blythe only original Beefsteak John ON
the block, SO TO speak.
In private life he plain John Miller and his
family were among the Old settlers Of the ses~.th
Ward. lie had little barroom over beyond Division.
st.. and he imported sherry wine under the old dock
system. What the old dock system was, deponent
saith not but whatever the system, the wine was
good. His little barro0m q model In Its way.
1t was opened at a. m. and closed at p m, and
there was no side door Sundays. Besides good
wine, John owned old sheetiron stove OF peculiar
construction which had come down to HIM from pre-.
vious generations. and whose origin was lost in the
mists OF antiquity In this stove John was wont to
build huge fire Of white oak and over the resulting
bed Of live Goals he would cook steak In manner
that would n 5000 French cook TO die Of envy
and an overloaded stomach.
Many great men OF ye olden time wended their way
down Beefsteak Johns little barroom sat around
upon misc ellancous collection OF Did barrels and soap
boxes. ate Of his steaks and drank of his sherry wine,
imported as aforesaid. Their names are written In
a big book, which is preserved TO this day. President
Arthur and many New-Yorl politicians Of that time
gave beefsteak dinners there, and their in
the book In the funess OF time 1t to pass tina.
Beefsteak John grew old and retired from business.
Among his customers were number Of Jolly brewers,
Dave, Yuenging and many others. In the effort TO
perpetuate the beefsteak cult, Mr. Yuenging had
copy OF the famous old stove m1de. II was Just like
the old one, except that 1t wouldn't cook beefstcak
1t was dead failure. Then mechanic in the employ
OF the Consolidated Gas Company tackled the problem.
He turned out gas stove that did even better work
than the old shectron affair, and the future Of the
Beesteak Club was secure.
The first dinner OF the club on the gas stove basis
OF organization given on the property OF Fred'
Opperlnann at Forty ffthst. and Second-ave, about
six years ago. Al the Jolly brewers who had sat
upon Beefsteal Johns soap boxes and learned 10 know
good steak when they set their teeth into + came 10
the dinner. Each in his turn bought gas stove
and gave similar dinner at his brewery, and so the
bcefseak propaganda has gone bravely on, even unto
this day.
Only the finest porterlouse steaks are used by the
club, and the best English mutton chops The steaks
are cut about two inches thick, and average eight
pound, each In weight. They are kept In cold storage
vaults for about two months before the day 10 make
them tender. The flame of the gas stove plays upon the
steak from above. \ drip pan beneath catches the
tu,ce. The steak IS dipped in this every time It Is
turned A dressing OF melted butter properly sea-
soned is prepared. In this toasted bread Is dipped
The steak Is carved crossways in strips about three
cichtls OF an inch thick and strips placed ON each
slice Of toast. Each guest takes portion OF steak
on the half shell and eats 1t from his fingers Ale ana
beer are served to wash the steak down. Two rounds
OF chops ore served at the end Of the dinner
The Beefsteak Club has no officers constitution or
cerc,nonlaI. The host prcsides. A leather medal y
awarded to the man who Is adtudged to have eaten
tho most steak and he IS expected 10 give the next
exceptional honor are the cooks The beefsteak COOK
ing genius Is born, not made. He turns up In al
walks Of life. one OF the best cooks OF the club Is
bookbeeper another is a brewer, third Is a butcher
The dinners begin about o'clock and are usually
over about 8. In the old days at Beefseak Johns,
they were modest affairs Forty dollars would pay FOR
all the steak and sherry wine that could be consumed
BY an assemblge such the little barroom couu
accommodate To-day 800 or $500 Is often expended
On one of these affairs. Music and professional enter
tanners are employed to help the guests digest the
steak Any member Is allowed ID bring lrlend. Al
those present write Their names III the cluD reestr,
and flOm this list the invitations 10: subsequent uil'
sent out. .,.,
Charles A. siladler is a club member of long stand
ing and when the Legislature several year, age 20
go; up a cub dinner. ~ Abtny. lie cu9 W NJ uplns
body taking their stove, with them. They can.Iei
cut TN C. A. Taylor's malt house. and gave dinner
that will not be forgotten in Al any loc many gay
There about 2oc guests, including Governor I'M,
Llcue Governor Jones' every member 81 inc ssio
except Mr.. Fassett, who was unable 10 attelu, anu
working majority Of the House. Two hundred ana
nitV pants OF steak LIS pounds OF chops, ana many
ru lions OF Mr.. TAvl6r's fine Old ale were consumed
Another famous dinner was given In the new h2uSe
ciub made trip TO Cleveland, Ohio, some ume ago on
Invitation from that town. Detroit ana N,l sHuheo
have started clubs whose cooks have been duly lhua
ed By the New York brotherhood and many New lorA
clubs have introduced the beefsteak dinner among ter
fixed nd movable festivals Carefully compiled statls'
tics show that the average man can eat more AZ ohe
OF these dinners than can be forced INTO clVlnze
stomach in any other way, excepting Always inc sHian
boy In green apple ume