Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
AMERICAN INVASION OF PARIS.

| room, and several hundred women in
rooms adjoining. The big dining-room
| must cover at least half an acre It has
eighty windows and is six hundred feet
long. 1 noticed that each man had a
quart bottle Of wine at his place, and
was told that even the wine is free, and
that every one has coffee and a glass Of
brandy, rum or other liquor at the close
OF the meal. Indeed, I saw the brandy
served.
From the dining-rooms I was taken
into the Kitchens, where at least score
Of cooks, solutions and butchers were at
work Most of the cooking is done in
enormous gas ranges and steam boilers
There are nine boilers, each as big as
hogshead, used to make the soups and
stews. Three of these contain 800 quarts
and two others have each capacity Of
more than 100 gallons. When the hole
store takes mutton chops for dinner the
meat is cooked in grills which open and
shut just like waffle iron. If you would
take two iron-barred garden gates and
hinge them together SO that they could
be laid on the Goals you might have
something like one of these grlls. Each
will hold hundred chops, and the ar
rangements are such that 600 steaks or
chops can be broiled in twelve minutes.
Seventeen hundred pounds of potatoes
are fried at the same time, and 1 400 eggs
can be boiled at once.
EVERY CLERK A PARTNER.
Connected with the Bon Marche are
lodging houses for the women employees,
who are given house, linen, fire, and
food free of charge. All employees after
five years service have an interest in
what is called the Bouccault Provident
Firm, consisting of a certain amount of
the profits of the house proportionate to
the salary received. Four per cent. in
terest is paid on the accumulat tons Of
this kind. and this is added to the CAPT.
tai. After woman has been employed
for fifteen years, or q man for twenty,
he or she can withdraw this capital or
the same right is given upon reaching
fifty years of age. If 4 girl marries.
however. she is given the entire amount
of her capital, irrespective Of the term
of service. Since the foundation of the
firm more than s350,G0O has been paid
out to employees. and the capital OF
the fund at present is about 500, OCo.
PENSIONS FOR CLERKS.
In addition to this there is another
fund which provides pensions for such
employees as have worked in the cs-
Establishment for twenty years or have
reached the age of fifty. The capital of
this fund is $1,000 Co., and it gives life
pensions Of from s1oo to $500 per year
The wages paid are, I understand. about
tho same as those Of other establish
ments. but the employees receipts largely
depend on the amount of their sales,
regular commissions on such sales be-
ing given.
ICE CREAM FREEzERs AND RE-
PERPETRATORS.
Among the curious American goods for
sale In the Bon Narche are ice cream
freezers and refrigerators. as we'll as
churns and washing machines. The Eng
lish clerk who acted as my interpreter
told me that the ice cream freezers are
very popular. The French do not know
Ice cream as we make it. Indeed, have
not had a good plate OF ice cream since
left the United States. Ices are served
at the hotels and restaurants but in
many cases the amount given is not
more than a tablespoonful, and It is
served In a little glass with bowl like
the hole In the bottom oe wine bottle.
Tie amount Of Ice cream given with the
usual glass of soda water in our drug
stores IS about four times ne much as
you receive here in a DISH and the usual
restaurant portion at home would make
twenty portions as served in Paris. |
YANKEE SHOES AND HATS.
You can get the chief makes Of Ameri-
'an hats In Paris. but they cost fully as
oh -