The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-13
JN6ENJIrVIv STREET. KIToHFNs
Outdoor rooasng Arrangements In san
Francisco.
From me San Francisco ch,ons.

From me San Francisco Chronicle
Mother Necessity was never buster than
now Inventions we're never 40 numerous
ingenuity was never 80 probably exercised
The people have settled down 10 stree, living
as O matter OF course and the pater ate CALMLY
on O soap box agsinst the curb. beside a DO,
Of stew. holding q wooden poker In one hand.
o newspaper In the other and q pipe in hi.
mouth. with as little concern as he formerly
planted his heels under the dining room table
and read the headlines 10 the family The
mater comes to the door twice every five
minutes 70 ask Il the coffee's boilinE-wha,
she really wants IL a line on dads capabilitv
as q teakettle freman-and the kids, mean.
while. are either out hustling wood or Just
hansin' on. wondering II there will be enough
70 go round. and there always is.
Under present conditions II IL natural
that some families should be more comfortable
than others In their arrangements. for curb
stone housekeeping: but this time the poorer
classes win. The laboring man has 100 prac-
tical ideas stored In his brain. where the man
who hasn't seen a kitchen since he was q boy
Is absolutely helpless. Thus it is that the
street kitchens range from two piles OF bricks.
open at both ends and uncovered, with a ave
gallon oil can showed in between, to q modern
summer kitchen. containing a mortared brick
furnace. with q long stovepipe to carry OF
the smoke and SCOT: its walls lined with cook.
ing utensils and dishes, and Just 70 show
the nature Of the inhabitants. It's roof sur.
mounted by a fagpole. Haunting Old Glory.
When the order first went forth prohibiting
indoor fires, many had It figured that the In.
convenience would last for a couple days
only. and made no special efforts to cool
outside. a loaf Of bread and a pot Of coffee
being considered a sufficient menu for the
restricted season. But the wise ones got
busy with fallen chimneys and built miniature
furnaces. sometimes three or four feet Ia
height. Over these they spread their oven
CRATES, which served equally well for boil
ing coffee, stepping tea. frying eggs and
meat or cooking stews. Then came the
stiff winds. which blew ashes and clndera
wise man rebelled against the erimy invasion.
Wind breaks were required, The nearest
and easiest way to obtain them was from the
bill boards which enclosed practically every
vacant lot In the city.
Only an example was required. The
attack upon the inanimate exploiters OF
public amusements became general. By
the time the %neighbors had dulled their
axes there was nothing left OF the bill boards
but varney 4 Green's offer OF $50 reward
for, the arrest Of any person caught mutt
lating them.
The result was that when day dawned
on the Saturday following the disaster q
majority Of the street kitchens were we'll
sheltered from the wind and rain, and many
were completely boxed. curtains. canvas,
tar paper and other adequate material being
used to cover the wooden frames.
One energetic builder on Pierce street
managed to tear down a whole section Of
billboard, on which every show In town at
the time OF the disaster was advertised. He
made two rooms. one as a kitchen and the
other as a banquet hall. The front wall Of
the kitchen exploits Dangers OF Working
Girls and the three other sides proclaim
Show Girl" and Cherry Blossoms" Wills
the ceiling impertinently inquiries Are You
a Mason2"
The billboards have disappeared. Owners
Of houses tore their shutters from the win
dows and converted them into tall wind
breaks, using burlap and carpets for ceilings.
1t then occurred to many that there was a
CASTOR stove or two In the cellar, These
were hurriedly resdrrected and put into
condition without the aid Of blacHsmitis.
A piece OF wire was good enough to hold them
together. The more fortunate disconnected
their kitchen ranges and moved them into
the street, others brought out the old
fashioned parlor stoves. Improvements
were so rapid. In fact, that ZEN puzzled their
minds in efforts to show something just a
little bit better than that Of their nearest
nelghbor.
Peter Smith. who was burned out near
Van Ness. on Geary street, has built a two
room cottage In the square. In order 70
have a slzable parlor he has installed upper
and lower berths for the accommodation OF
all his near relatives. and does the cooking
In the annex, that the aroma may not offend
his guests. He calls the place Pullman
Palace" Robert Smith. no relation. is COM
fortably housed in sn oilcloth apartment on
the outer edge Of the south side walk Of Suffer
street. handy TO Fillmore. The front door ia
indicated by a broken sowing machine, and
the wall to wlndward is braoed by a plano.
The kitchen is fitted with every necessity.
from sofa cushion TO meat saw,
In fact. about all that houseless San Fran
cisco needs now Is a cookbook.