The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-11-12
IN THE CAR KITCHEN
SNUG MANNER IN WHlc4 EATAsLeS
ARE SLOWED AWAY.

picntshcu Which Give Out I'm
Routc--1hc Uoom For the walters.
The Cooks and Their work.
The actual standing room in the car
kitchen consists of an aisle only wide
enough for two men 20 pass each other
and about fifteen feet long. On one
side is an unbrokcn row of ranges the
very best sort invented, for when men
do womcn's work they are not content
with makeshift tools. On the other
aside Is steam table for keeping things
hot, other tables and some of the re-
frigcrators, for there are many. Hot
water and cold is held in cylinders
which lie along the Getting and look
like the projectilcs used on torpedo
boats.
One refrigerator is devoted exclusive
ly to fish, which lie shining on blocks
of clear ice as tempting as in any fish
market. Until | had actually seen this
refrigerator 1t had been my practice to
refuse fish in travelling. feeling there
was some mystery about its preserva-
ton, but now-indccd, no such thing. /
had fancied the whole menu cooked at
once in enormous quantities, like n sol
diers' mess at camp. and my fastidious
car appetite had revoltcd and faded
away during the first course, but now
l eat with relish, knowing the condl-
tiou of the source of supply.
Another refrigerator is entirely for
meats and game, another for fruit, aud
even bread and cake are kept In re-
frigerator that they retain their mois-
ture outside the kitchen there Is a
sacred iccboX under lock and key. and
no man may put his hand therein OK
cept The steward or housekcepcr of the
dining car There twenty-five kinds OF
wine are kept and there will he shown
to you, with a manner awed but proud,
the royal family Of champagne with
cool, gold crowned heads sitting on an
icy throne.
But TO go bacl, TO the kitchen. that
apartment is occupied by three men
all in white, with perhaps n blue cor
don for traditions sake. who serve
deftly and capably the hiveful Of wait
ers that swarm at the open square at
the inner end of the room IL Is
wise provision that prevents close con-
facts, for cooks are apt TO be "redhot"
at the crucial hour of dinner serving.
and, besides, the car kitchen can con
tain no more men than the three cooks.
who broil, roast. stew and fry the
numberless fancies of the patrons pal
ates. These men work hard. The
head cook. whose salary is about $40
per month. stands farthcst from the
window where the walters clamor and
is bit more serious The middle
ca k. on $40 salary. Is lively or sub
mis>vc according TO the man he ad-
dresses ana the end cook finds time
to chatf the owners of the dark faces
who call orders, and sometimes he
sings as happily as couccitcd boy
who fanclcs his future on the operate
stage.
These three mon make Up the white
capped trio we see pcering out of the
windows of the dining car as it slips
into the station. All the other en-
riotccs of the train come into contact
with passengers and have interesting
experiences, but these are confined in
the galley and arc eager for Scant
glimpscs at the station. Sometimes
the car has little balcony at the end.
where they can escape the heat Of
their quarters. u needed relief in sum
mcr time.
The walters have pantry adjoining
the Kitchen and opening into it only
by the little square window with "A
counter on either side When your or
der is given and the waiter disappears,
this is whore he has gone. Here are
kept supplies of dishes aud silver. and
here It Is the waiter makes up the
dishes of cakes. fruit and cheese you
call for with which to tie up the ends
of your appetite.
Before the dining car is drawn away
from the caryards the special house
keeper who has IT in charge must see
that every sort of supply is on hand
and in sufficient. but not too lavish.
quantity. Sometimes there are ninety
persons TO feed, sometimes one-t third
that number, but the probable number
on the various runs is known. In long
journeys there are commiSsary sta
tions along the way where the car may
be restocked, but this is seldom neccs-
sary except with such perishables as
cream and milk. Have you ever heard
a porter agtatng that subject with
station employees at Buffalo or else
whege? That means the emergency
has arisen i'm the dining car, Such
things might easily happen i'm larder
where demands are irregular and mar
kets scores of miles away. 1t Is n won
der they do not happen oftener when
we reflect that economy in perishabie
things is eXacted from the steward
housekeeper.
Just before he sends his black COM
missary TO announce dinner TO the hun
gering passengers every man slips on
Jacket and apron of whitest linen and
by this little act of costuming is con