Work Begun on Pan-Am Kitchen

Structure Will Be Immense and Will Prepare Food for Millions

Pies Will Be Among the Chief Products

It is expected 50,000 of Them Will Be Turned Out Daily. Other Foods Will Be Cooked

Buffalo Evening News, March 7, 1901

Construction work has begun this morning at the Pan-American grounds on the immense kitchen upon which will devolve the task of preparing food for the millions of people who will visit the Exposition next summer.

The plan is to have the Kitchen apart from the restaurants which it will purvey in order that the odors of the flower beds may have a chance against the redolent tornadoes of cooking smells that are bound to escape from the pie foundry that is to be built with a capacity of 50,000 of these pastries every day, and which will enthrone Buffalo, for one season at least, as Queen of the Pie Belt. It is deemed wise, too, to have the roaring furnaces that will furnish the motive power in the manufacturing of eatables apart from the Exposition buildings.

For these reasons the Kitchen, the size of which entitles it to be pronounced with a capital initial, is being built in the north side of the grounds near the power house. Notwithstanding its proximity to this, it is believed that the pastries designed there will be largely the product of hand work. When the north winds blow the aroma of baking Boston beans will be wafted through the Beautiful Orient and Dreamland. At other times they will regale the firemen in the fire house.

The Kitchen will be 200 feet long, 150 feet deep and two stories high. It will be devoted exclusively to cooking with the exception of rooms on the second story, which will be set apart for the chef and scullions.

Although the Kitchen is not designed as an exhibit, it will be open at all times for inspection. To this end the lower story will consist largely of windows, through which visitors may watch the wondrous transformation of strange substances into mince pie.

It has not bee decided yet how to get over the difficulty of serving hot meals in the restaurants that top the kitchen when the institution will be nearly a mile away. The problem is one that involves rapid transit. A system of overhead trolley lines similar in principle to that used for transactions of cash in department stores has been considered seriously. The plan provides for large baskets mounted upon trolley wheels. One strong objection is the birds of the air, who might levy toll upon the baskets en route. The gravity of the danger will be realized when it is stated that the feathered that the feathered population of the grounds will be reinforced next summer with 500 more pigeons direct from Venice.

 

 

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