Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-02-21
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DINING CAR KITCHENS.
fhey Are Conducted by Rule, ana All
Portions Are the Same.


"The kitchen departments on railroad
dining cars are run according to fixed
rates." said an old Pullman conductor,
"and nothing is left to chance or caprice.
The cook is furnished with manual CIV
ing expli,it directions for the prepare.
tion of everything on the bill of fare, and
he is held strictly accountable for any
waste. He Is even told how thick to
cut the bread and how much butter to
put on in case he is making sandwiches.
Sometimes a hungry traveller, who nat
urally wants big portions, thinks the
man in the kitchen is trying to economic
on him, but he may rest assured he is
getting exactly what the law allows-no
more and no less.
II remember a picture in one Of the
satirical papers a few years ago of fat
gentleman looking scornfully at several
small sections Of bread and butter.
What do you call those' he asks. Pull
man sandwiches replies the waiter.
Huh grunts the tourist, Mr.. Pullman
must cut 'em out with conductors
punch! We haven't got 1t down quito
as fine as that, but we come pretty near
It. The kitchens are stocked ut regular
intervals, and careful calculation Is
made Of the exact number Of portions in
every article furnished. At the end Of
the run an inspection Is made, and the
cook must account for everything, either
in supplies or meal checks. Under that
system petty pilfering is absolutely i'm
possible. The purchasing agents who lay
in the stock at important points from
which travel Is heavy are exceedingly
important members Of the company's
staff.
"They can easily render the dining
service over any route profitable or the
reverse, and something more than mere
experience and intelligence Is required to
make success Of the job. The men who
have done the best at 1t seem to be guild.
ed by a sort Of instinct, but as a matter
Of fact they are continually studying the
conditions Of travel. They learn what
the general run Of their patrons like ut
certain seasons Of the year and compile
curious sort of table of averages that
they use as basis in purchasing perish.
able stock, such as meats, fruits and
fresh vegetab les. There Is line In the
northwest that Is known among the din.
ing car men as the 'beefsteak route on
account Of the extraordinary call for
that particular article Of diet, and l
know of another that Is nicknamed the
oatmeal express for similar reasons.
The oatmeal express carries a good many
ladies and children, and the beefsteak
route Is a favorite highway for drum.
mers, so, after, all the explanation Is
simple enough. An expert stock pur-
chaser can command good salary, and
not long ago a man who had been sta
toned for some years in New York was
offered a very handsome position as su.
perintendent Of the refreshment service
for a big railroad In England. 1t had
been run at a loss ever since It was In
stalled, but within 90 days after he took
hold It began to return profit. At the
same time it was greatly improved. Dim
ing cars are a comparatively new thing
abroad, and they are far behind the
American. both In system and luxury."-
New Orleans Times Democrat.