  Two of the inmates' dining rooms are located just above the officers' kitchen and beneath the prison chapel. The population of the prison, however, has increased so rapidly during the past few years that it was found necessary to make room for the overflow in the chapel and mess room opposite the officers' kitchen. One of the rooms in the main dining hall is devoted to first-grade prisoners and the other to the second grade. Entering the dining room, the prisoner promptly takes his seat and remains with his arms folded until the signal to eat is given by the deputy warden. There are six waiters in each dining room, and it is their business to see that the men are promptly served. Some pass nothing but bread, others coffee or water, and the rest attend to distributing the miscellaneous items on the bill of fare. Talking is forbidden in the dining room at all times. The food is very plain, but wholesome, and there is always plenty of it. The following bills of fare, one for the winter months and the other for summer, will give an idea of the food served. They were selected from the house steward's records and are authentic copies for that date: [pg 88] PRISONERS' BILL OF FARE, WEEK ENDING JANUARY 4, 1907 | SUNDAY. | Breakfast: Baked pork and beans, light biscuits, syrup, butter, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, gravy, bread, pickles, cake. | | Supper: Hot tea. | | | MONDAY. | Breakfast: Fried pork sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Vegetable soup, boiled fresh beef, bread, potatoes, pickled beets. | | Supper: Stewed Beans, white and graham bread, tea. | | | TUESDAY. | Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Boiled ham, cabbage, potatoes, gravy, bread, bread pudding. | | Supper: Apple sauce, white and graham bread, tea. | | | WEDNESDAY. | Breakfast: Fried beef livers, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast pork with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pickles, macaroni and tomatoes, bread, cake, cheese, coffee. | | Supper: Hot tea, prunes and bread. | | | THURSDAY. | Breakfast: Vienna sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, stewed beets, gravy, bread. | | Supper: Peach sauce, white and graham bread, tea. | | | FRIDAY. | Breakfast: Fried bacon, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Mutton stew, (potatoes, turnips and onions), bread. | | Supper: Oat meal and milk, white and graham bread, tea. | | | SATURDAY. | Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Boiled salt pork, potatoes, cabbage, gravy, bread, bread pudding. | | Supper: Hot tea, dried peaches and bread. | | [pg 89] WEEK ENDING JULY 4, 1908. | SUNDAY. | Breakfast: Baked pork and beans, light biscuits, syrup, butter, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, rice and tomatoes, radishes, bread, cake. | | Supper: Hot tea with sugar. | | | MONDAY. | Breakfast: Bologna sausage, green onions, potatoes, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Boiled ham, potatoes, hominy, gravy, bread, bread pudding. | | Supper: Stewed beans, white and graham bread, tea. | | | TUESDAY. | Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, gravy, stewed peas, bread. | | Supper: Prune sauce, white and graham bread, tea. | | | WEDNESDAY. | Breakfast: Fried pork sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread. | | Dinner: Mutton stew, (potatoes, turnips and onions). | | Supper: Rice and syrup, white and graham bread, tea. | | | THURSDAY. | Breakfast: Vienna sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, baked pork and beans, bread. | | Supper: Pie plant sauce, white and graham bread, tea. | | | FRIDAY | Breakfast: Fried bacon, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Boiled salt pork, potatoes, gravy, spinach, bread pudding. | | Supper: Oat meal and milk, white and graham bread, tea. | | | SATURDAY. | Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee. | | Dinner: Roast veal with dressing, mashed potatoes, beans, gravy, bread, radishes, apple pie, cheese, cake, lemonade. | | Supper: Hot tea, stewed peas and bread. | | [pg 90] The items in italics are served to first and second grade only. Items in small caps are served to the first grade only. Third-grade prisoners are required to eat in their cells and are not allowed in the dining room while in that grade. On holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, an excellent meal is served to every inmate in the institution, and they are allowed on all legal holidays to spend three hours in the prison park where they are given the privilege of talking. |
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