The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-17
The BIGGEST DINNER.
Two Thousand Men will Sit Down
to This Feast.

The biggest dinner given on earth
since the emperor Nero banqueted 1000
on his royal barge will be partaken Of
in st. Louis during the month Of May
under the roof of the Coliseum. It will
be political dinner, a democratic din
ner. Two thousand men will be feast
ed. The dinner will cost $4,000, at the
very least estimate. William ]. Bry-
an, Carter H. Harrison, mayor Of Chi
cago, and other speakers Of national
reputation will be present. The western
| hemisphere has never seen such din
ner as this will be. Yet the cost will
be small, compared with the great
number to be entertained. The expense
to the committee will be only 81 a
| plate.
The idea Of holding this great feast
originated in the brain of Harry B.
Halves, president of the Jefferson club
and vice president of the board Of po-
lice commissioners Of St. Louis. It all
came about through the postponement
Of the annual banquet usually given by
l3. the birthday of Thomas Jefferson.
| Mr.. Halves communicated with Sam
| B. Cook, chairman of the Finance COM
mittee of the national democratic COM
mittee. Mr.. Cook is also chairman Of
the democratic state central committee
of Missouri. They conferred and de-
cided to give monster political din
ner-a democratic love feast-under the
auspices Of the democracy of Missouri,
managed by the Jefferson club of st.
Louis.
The Idea met with the approval of
party men everywhere. 1t was decided
that true Jeffersonian simplicity should
prevail The cost of the feast as set
before the guests should not exceed 81
q plate.
The actual work Of preparing this
greatest of modern banquets has not
ty-five has been appointed to assume
the responsibility. Two regiments Of
men are to be fed.
How can this gigantic feast be pre-
pared?
How many men will be required?
sumed?
How much china and glassware will
be necessary?
What does such feast mean? What
will be its proportions?
The Sunday Post Dispatch has secur-
schraps. He has been in the hotel and
restaurant business many years. He
was steward at the Planters hotel three
years. He has been in the employ Of
other hotels in st. Louis, Chicago and
other cities in the same capacity. He 10
now In business In this city.
Mr.. schraps has made the following
estimate of a dinner which can be given
to 1000 men at 81 q plate:
Green sea turtle soup. olives, radishes,
striped sea bass au court bouillon.
sweetbread patties. Toulouse, tender
loin Of beef with mushrooms, green
peas, new potatoes, Neapolitan cream
with Strawberries, assorted cakes. cof-
fee, claret, cigars.
The tables must be arranged to seat
guests easily, and in such manner as
to facilitate service. Each table and
zach seat must be numbered. Numbered
cards must be issued to guests. and
each seat must be numbered as in a
theater, to simplify the task Of the
ushers.
The following estimates are made by
c. r. Schraps:
Besides the caterer and his assistant
the banquet will require these:
Two head walters.
-Four assistant head waters. usually
called captains
Two hundred walters.
Forty boys for ice water and assist
Ing; 20 women to wash dishes, silver,
glasses: one head cook; 10 cooks. 10 as
sistant cooks. 10 helpers. 10 porters,
s1oo water glasses. 200 claret glasses.
900 gallons Of crystal water. 1880 lbs.
Ice.
Ushers-To be furnished by the club.
Seven hundred yards table cloth.
Two thousand one hundred napkins.
Two hundred and nifty side towels. for
walters.
Two hundred towels for kitchen and
pantry.
Two thousand one hundred soup
plates; $500 dinner plates, for flsh. en-
tree and roast course; 300 dessert
plates; 400 coffee cups; 200 coffee
saucers: 30 bread plates: 24o olive
dishes; 1000 individual salts; 30 cake
stands: 1000 tablespoons; 5000 forks:
5000 knives: 1000 teaspoons.
FOR FOOD.
One hundred and thirty-fve gallons Of
soup. 1000 pounds Of fish, 50 gallons Of
sauce for fsh. 1000 pattie crusts. 1.15o
pounds Of sweetbreads. 1900 pounds Of
beef tenderloin from 125 beeves, 200
cans Of mushrooms.2s gallons Of sauce,
$50 cans Of peas. 20 bushels Of potatoes.
$50 quarts Of strawberries. 90 gallons Of
Ice cream. $50 pounds Of assorted cakes.
80 pounds Of sliced cakes, 100 gallons Of
coffee. $50 pounds Of loaf sugar. 30
gallons Of cream. 300 rolls, 400 loaves
Of bread. 50 pounds Of butter, 80 gall
Ions Of olives. 80 gallons Of pickles. one
barrel Of radishes, 3,l00 bottles Of clar-