The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-10

We hasten to congratulate our esteemed
fellow citizen. Mr.. WALTER ScoTT, on
the possession OF the most glorious night
lunch cart hut ever stood on wheels by
a curbstone to furnish supplies to a hun
gry and thirsty world abroad after dark.
Mr.. ScoTT-widely known in this COM
munity as "scotty"- the distinction
of being the pioneer night lunch man-of
the whole universe, we guess. His stand,
many years ago, used 10 be in front OF
the present Telegram office, then The
Journal office He followed The Journal
up street, but now has returned to Turks
Head and his new palace lunch cart that
must have cost as much as a thousand
dollars to launch, eliminates the atmos-
phere just below The NEWS Office. The
cart is thing of wonderful beauty that
well repays close examination of its artis
tic points after recovering from the blind
ing effect OF the first look.
The night lunch business has developed
amazingly since "Scotty's" early days.
Down town there is a cart to almost every
other block and they string out far away
where restaurant opportunities at night
ale rather better than here In Providence,
the lunch cart idea has taken root, so to
speak, and is a familiar feature.
In the nations metropolis. New York,
the night lunch cart idea had its founda-
tion in a moral purpose rather than a
simple business expedient. The Church
Temperance Society Of that city equipped
the first "owl wagon" and 1t created no
inconsiderable sensation. 1t stood at the
square at the juno tion of Broadway, Sixth
avenue and Thirty-fourth street and like
"Scotty's" wagon, and the half hum
dred that have been standing around the
streets OF Providence for the past few
years, coffee, pies, sandwiches, cakes,
eggs and such were served out of the lit
tie window in maximum quantity at a
minimum price. The purpose OF the tenn
perance society was to combat the all
night grog shops. After a while anoths
wagon was bought from the profits and
more accumulating funds were invested
in free jce-water fountains.
1t appears to 60 back as far, or even
farther, that the beginning Of "Scotty's"
enterprise, that there were all night
coffee stands set up in Liverpool about
twenty-five years ago. 1t appears that.
Evangelist MOODY was holding reviva
meetings on the great Liverpool docks.
His attention was drawn to the fact that
who began their work at 8 a. m. and did
not get their break fasts until o'clock,
there was absolutely no place OF refresh
ment except the saloons. In response to
MooDY's appeal for some other provision
for the comfort OF these men, ten coffee
stands were opened along the line OF
docks. There are now sixty-five In all In
the city OF Liverpool They belong to
the Liverpool Workingmen's Cocoa Com
pany, which pays an average dividend OF
seven per cent. The idea has spread In
England and Ireland, and the New York
Society is now developing a plan for
coffee harrows that may be wheeled from
carriages must wait in line for long
hours, either at the opera, theaters, balls
or private entertainments, SO that the
coachmen and drivers may be supplied
with refreshment on the spot. 1t also
contemplstes an appeal to the authorities
for permission to set up coffee kiosks In
suitable places, these structures to be
rather ornamental than otherwise, and so
arranged that they can be wheeled or
easily taken apart and removed from
point TO point when desired.
From which brief survey of . modest
but effective sort of enterprise We must
regard our esteemed fellow either, WAL
TER scoTT, in the light of public bene-
factor and philanthropic society all to
himself We hope the new coffee chariot
will pay q big interest on the Investment.