The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-21

that this very satisfactory meal has been
made on what was two hours before, Il
bare field, and that three hours before the
twelve long tables, the 16-foot range, the
5000 dishes. the huge urns for tea and cof-
fee, the broiler five feet by two on which
fifty steaks can be cooked in two minutes
all the utensils for cooking and eating,
in short, including the tent itself GIGS feet
by 10 1eeO, were securely packed in boxes
and wagons on a train two miles distant.
Here is a specimen of the ordinary bill
OF fare for dinner:
SOUP.
Scotch Mutton Broth.
FISH.
Kennebeck Salmon
Lake Trout.
ENTREES.
Irish Stew. Small Onions.
Braized Beef Smoked Shoulder.
Potatoes Cabbage.
Boiled Leg of Mutton. Onion Sauce
BOASTS.
Prime Rib Roast.
Spring Duck. Dressing.
Mutton. Currant Jelly.
Leg of Veal Dressing
Roast Ham. Mushrooms
VEGETABLES.
Stuffed Breast of Veal. Brown Potatoes
Potted Pork Isoin: Cabbage.
DESSERT.
Metropolitan Pudding, Hard Sauce.
Many and Very Strong Appctites TO
Four tables, each sixty feet long &C
commodate the canvas men, railroad men,,
groomS, drivers, elephant men, animal
men. wardrobe men, ringStock men,
blacksmiths, harnessmakers, wagon
greaSers, carpenters, who are the labor
ers of the circus, and whose appetites are
enormous. Each of these 800 men will
average three or four cups of coffee at a
meal. and no matter how expensive the
bill of fare may be their usual order is a
full house." that is, everything there is,
and they frequently repeat the order two
or three times. 1t is not an uncommon
occurrence for a. circus laborer, in the
course of a single meal to drink ten cups
of coffee or eat d dozen ears of corn.
And this is only one section of the cook
tent for on the other side of the main
entrance are drawn up four other tables,
accommodating fifty persons each, where
the acrobatS, clowns, dime museum
freaks, musicians, tight-rope performers,
JuSglerS ana other celebrities are busy
with knives and forks. Parallel with
these tables in the farther corner are two
others, where the Congress of Nations in
national costumes, the Arabs, NepauleSe,
Kings, DahomeanS, East Indians, Javan-
csc, and a score of others from all parts
OF Asia and Africa, men, women and chill
dren, are eating in their own peculiar
way, which is saying much.
Facing the main entrance, ten cooks
are busy behind q well-built wooden
counter carving meats, serving vegeta-
bles and other ways supplying the Iorty
walters who, with the orthodox white
aprons, hurry back and forth serving the
hungry crowd and doing it so quickly
and with SO little confusion that the meal
is finished and the tent cleared within an
hour. In that time 500 pounds of the best
meat has been cooked and served and
about 2,O0O cups of coffee have been emp
lied. Throughout the season the employ
ees of large circus consume every day
an average of 1880 pounds of meat, Coz
pounds of bread, So pounds of coffee, 81
| pounds of butter, L gallons of pure
Of mill b11c laI
of potatoes. These are only the chief
items, vegetables, fruits, eggs etc, being
also served in large quantities. The meats
are received daily by consignment from
Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New
York, Boston and the nearest large city.
How the Cook Tent Is Managed.
The head of probably the largest of all
circus cook tents is a pleasant faced
young German named Kohl, who has
| been with the circus for eleven years,
raised himself from the position of !
common dish washer at 81 a week.
There are many such instances in the
circus, for in no other organization does
than in this most severe of all commune
ties, where each must bear his own bur-
den or stand forth conspicuous as lag
gard. When MIR. Kohl first took charge
of q. cook tent the limit of it's capacity
was believed to be the feeding of 200 per-
sons. Now they feed 1000 without the
partner. Mr.. Klein, assumes all the fiEan-
cial risks in feeding the circus people,
charging them at the rate OF 20 cents a
head per meal, and settling all bills daily
\ new account is opened every morning
and closed every night. a system of meal
tickets has been introduced for conven-
ience and for a check on the number OF
those fed, as before this was adopted the
workmen would smuggle in a dozen or
so of their friends without detection, and
that number of meals would be furnished
without payment
One of the first changes Mr.. konl
brought about was the providing of the
best meat in the market instead OF
using a cheaper quality. lie found this
an economy instead Of an expense as
previously the hungry worlSmen had been
accustomed to throw under the table
a tough steak or other meat that did not
please them and call for a fresh order
which the caterer was Obliged to serve
according to contract. By giving the men
the best meat, ii was found that the saw
ing in waste more than made up for the
increased price per pound. Another result
was that while, a few years ago, only the
workingmen of a circus took their mea is
in a cook tent, the higher-priced people
the managers of the show. are willing
and glad to eat on the grounds.
The Cook Tent a Restaurant for All
Nations.
Dinner. is served at 1850 so as 10 be
ance and the last meal of the day, the SUP
per, begins at 3:5J, when the Orientals
are summoned from the menaeerie tent
for chou chou, the general word for eat
ing although the Arabs call il Elungee.
1t has been found necessary TO pay spec
ial attention 10 these natives of foreign
lands on account of the differences OF
their tastes and ways OF eating. AS there
are no less than Dinety-flve individuals in
this congress, and as very few or them
speak or understand English. and as they
furthermore consider themselves person
ages of great Importance and entitled Jo
have prepared for Them whatever dishes
or articles of food they desire, it is evil
dent that the waters and managers OF
the cook tent have here . difficult task
before them. Imagine an unlettered Irish
waiter, accustomed 10 shouting out ham
and eggs" pork and beans" etc, hav
ing to take an order from a, Nepaulese
warrior hungry for pana stew; or from
an Algerian dancing-girl desiring. kous-
kous; an Australian boomerang thrower
eager for fried basel; a Killing young lady
with ring in her nose in a hurry for a
plate of UNDERGONE lumboo; or a Singa-
iese maiden with a bath towel around her
Joins, who signs for ga1nbe. These are a
few of the words used by these curious
people as an equivalent for beef, mutton,
onions, rice, etc, and it is important that
the walters in the cook tent understand
r-.,f T.. no ~