THE DAINTIES AT THE BANQUET.
What Hoboes Eat-A Jungle Cook’s Confession.
by John X. Kelly, Chicago.
The Stomach Robbing Employment Sharks who control the food supply at the different Railroad Construction Camps, are reaping a harvest.
The wage paid to the Railroad Laborer is $1.50 per day, board $4.00 per week.
If a laborer buys any goods, shirts, overalls, shoes or socks, he will have to “dig up” three times the actual amount that he would pay if he were in the city; for the Stomach Robbers who control the job, control also the Commissary stores. You are sent down the track talking to yourself.
At the present time there is a shortage of experienced railroad laborers in Chicago at $1.50 per day. The workingmen who have been holding back watchfully waiting, are being stopped by our good friends, the police, who ask them if they are working. If they answer “No”, they are told to ship out from one of the “Employment Sharks”, or they will arrested and charged with vagrancy. It is said that the rooks working for the Stomach Robbers who control the jobs, average about $45.00 per month, and the flunkies receive $18.00. Some wages!
Some of these cooks receive a bonus of $50.00 and an overcoat, if they are faithful and efficient. To be a good Company Cook, he must cook the food in such a way that the men will not be able to eat it.
The hot-cakes are made in this manner. All the stale bread, cake, rice, tapioca and meal are mixed in the batter, and oh! how the men do love their hot-cakes in the morning!
The fresh meat which the men are expected to eat is put into the press and the juice extracted. Meat juice is worth money.
The sausage is ninety per cent cereal and ten per cent fat.
The fruit and vegetables are “seconds”.
An inspector who made a visit to some of the railroad camps near Chicago, called them “Garbage Cans”, also that it was a short road to the Graveyard. This must be the reason why the Railroad Companies deduct a Hospital Fee from every Hobo’s wages.
Some of the preachers who say that Hoboes are made in Saloons should visit the railroad camps and get wise.
Oh, Lord, give us clean hearts, give us pure hearts, give us sweethearts. Amen.