New-York tribune., 1906-07-29
THE BLOCK KITCHEN.
Charles R. lamb Points Out Its Many Ad-
vantages to Urbanites.

Among the many questions which call for deci-
sion on the part Of the city housekeeper the SER
want problem appears most often in the public
prints and has been the Inspiration OF many ideas
and theories having their object its elimination
from the domestic economy But IL must not he
supposed from he frequency with which It crops
out IN newspaper columns that the servant nroh.
lem IS any more than one OF the vexstIone 4bat
the city matron has to contend with. II NAV come
up one or twice year. or even once a month but
the Tact that there are hungry mouths 20 be- fed
ana meals 70 90 cooked is ever present three times
oay calling for heat and smells IN the kitchen
In addition there is dependence on the grocer 4Io
butcher, the baker, all of whom ara st times 4I
callse OF bitterness and wrath. resulting from books
and accounts and payments errors in which are
with astonishing regularity in favor of the dealer
Ine cooperative colonies, from long before Tho
Gays OF Brook Farm down TO the latest experi-
ment by Upton Sinclair. have devoted time en-
eFsy ana money 70 the solution of these exas-
perattng but not TO be ignored factors in boma
ne They have all involved. however, getting away
from the city. and founding a place apart where
tho manifold annoyances in the individual home
could be Strengthened out. The idea has, Of course
IeIt out OF consideration the thousands who while
agreeing with the thought underlying the move
A"enC nave been utterly unable, for financial rea-
sons TO join forces with the seekers after freedom
Hom worry, and it is to those who have to re-
man in town year in and year out that the plan
advanced by Charles r. Lamb. president OF the
3Iuhiclpo4 Art Society, will commend itself qor
consideration Mr. Eamb says:
II the artists can get together as they have done
IN IN Lhe new Arts Club studios, and have their meals
t ood "a one kitchen; II the great hotels can Feed
tIousanoS ana thousands. with entire satsfacfion
day after day. IL the summer resorts can cstar 5 -
LnT0nSS care free OF the questions OF suDnIv ana
90 c99oKlag; H. on an ocean steamer, small cityfni
oI people are red with regularity and ease fsr
beyond the base OF supplies. is il not folly Tor the
people In the rectangle which makes the avereoe
CITY block TO so with the present systenn Win
its heat dirt and discomfort-Enentai as well az az
pnyslcal-to say nothing of the almost oTITntDoI
waste involved in having the cooking Tor each
Individual house carried in each house when II
might just as well-in fact, much better-be done
for all hands in central kitchen?
Just see how many Of the things which ao m
make the life Of the average housekeeper one long
string Of annoyances would be done away vytfR
by having in the centre OF a city block a well
equipped, carefully conducted kitchen. A steward
chef and the necessary complement OF cooks and
handlers OF dishes would not take anywhere near
the aggregate employed for those purposes under
the individual system, and the saving in that item
alone would a considerable sum In q year
Then the saving brought about by buying in bulk
the mass OF food which would be required Is no
small sum, for 1t Is well known that the difference
IN price and weight between wholesale buying and
retail selling has meant more than fortune IN
New York City alone. Another question 70 be