Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-02-19
IN THE CAR KITCHEN
SNUG MANNER IN WHICH EATAeLES
ARE SLOWED AWAY

Methods by which stores Are Re-
pienished Which Give Out En-
Route-The Room 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 TO pass each other
and about fifteen feet long. On one
side is an uubroken row of ranges, the
very best sort invented, for when men
do women's work they are not content
with makeshift tools. On the other
side Is a steam table for keeping things
hot, other tables and some of the re-
frigerators. for there are many. Hot
water aud cold Is held In cylinders
which lie along the ceiling and look
like the projectiles 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 It's preserva-
ton, but now-indecd, no such thing. /
had faBcicd the whole menu cooked at
once in enormous quantities, like n SOL
Tiers mess at camp, and my fastidious
car appetite had revolted and faded
away during the first course, but now
| eat with relish, knowing tie condi-
ton Of the source Of supply.
Another refrigerator is entirely for
meats and game, another for fruit, and
even bread and cake are kept In n re-
frigcrator that they retain their mois-
ture. outside the kitchen there is a
sacred icebOx under lock and key, and
no man may put his hand therein ex-
cept the steward or housekeeper of the
dining car. There twenty-five kinds OF
wine are kept, and there will be shown
to you, with a Il awed but proud,
the royal family Of champagne with
cool, gold crowned heads sitting on an
Icy throne.
But. 10 go back TO the Kitchen, that
apartment is occupied by three men
all in white, with perhaps a blue cor
don for traditions sake, who serve
deftly and capably the hiyeful Of wait
ers that swarm Mt the open square ut
the inner end of the room. 1t is a
wise provision that prevents close con-
facts, FOR cooks are apt to be ''redhot"
Mt the crucial hour of dinner serving,
and, besides, the car Kitchen can con-
tain no more mel than the three cooks.
who bruil, roast, stew and fry the
numbcrlcss fancics Of the patrons pal
atcs. These men work hard. The
head cook. whose salary Is about so
per month. stands farthcst from the
window where the walters clamor and
Is n bit more serious. The middle
cook. on SIS salary, Is lively or sub
mlssiye according TO the mar he adj
dresses. and the end cook finds time
TO chaff the owners of the dark faces
who call orders, and sometimes he
sings as happily as n concclted boy
who fancies his future on the operate
stage.
These three men make up the white
capped trio we see peering out of the
windows Of the dining car as it slips
into the station. All the other en-
ployees Of the train come into contact
with passengers and have interesting
experiences, but these are confined in
the galley and are eager for scant
glimpses Mt the station. Sometimes
the car has a little balcony at the end.
where they can escape the heat OF
their quarters, a needed relief In sum
mer time.
The walters have n pantry adjoining
the kitchen and opening into 1t only
by the little square window with q
counter on either side. When your or
der Is given and the waiter disappears,
this Is where he has gone. Here are
kept supplies Of dishes and silver. and
here 1t 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-thlrd
that number, but the probable number
on the various runs Is known. In long
journeys there are eommissary sta
tons along the way where the car may
be restocked. but this Is seldom neces-
sary except with such perishables as
cream and milk. Have you ever heard
a porter agltatlng that subject with
station employees at Buffalo or else
where? That mean the emergency
has arisen in the dining car. Such
things might easily happen in a larder
where demands are irregular and mar
kets scores OF miles away. 1t Is a Won
der they do not happen oftener when
we reflect that economy In perlshable
things Is exacted from the steward
housekeeper.
Just before he sends his black CON-
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 costumlng Is con