Tigg would call this "absurdly low figure." A plate of
potatoes, an egg, or a cup of coffee, cost no more. The very novelty of
the thing drew thousands to the cooking depot who had no economical
purpose to serve. They were more than satisfied. Many who came, like the
scoffer to the church in Goldsmith's "Deserted Village," to criticise
and condemn the new institution, remained to admire and praise it. The
depot became so popular that other branches had to be opened up in a
very short time in the most central parts of the city. Mr. Corbett did
not hesitate to supply the funds necessary for the development of his
scheme. He bestowed his means ungrudgingly, stipulating only that the
books should be periodically examined by competent accountants, and that
the profits should be divided among the charitable and benevolent
institutions in the city. Beyond receiving a certain interest for his
money, Mr. Corbett has never fingered a farthing of the profits, and
when he left Glasgow a few years ago he had invested altogether upwards
of L8000 in the scheme. The accumulated profits, which have been
divided, according to his behest, for charitable purposes, amount to
upwards of L7000.

With the management and chief characteristics of the Great Western
Cooking Depot every citizen must be familiar. The cooking establishment
is situated in Pitt Street, from whence enormous supplies of victuals
are sent out every morning to all parts of the city. Including Glasgow
and its suburbs, there are now twenty-eight branches of the Cooking
Depot in operation. Most of them are in the immediate vicinity of public
works, and are largely taken advantage of by the workmen, who, in the
great majority of cases, reside at a considerable distance from the
works, and could only go home to dinner at great personal inconvenience.
The same tariff of charges prevails at every one of the branches, and
all of them are supplied direct from the Central Depot. The business of
the institution has become so gigantic that applications to establish
other branches in different parts of the city have had to be refused.
The principal branches are in Jamaica Street and Mitchell Lane. These
two buildings were built by Mr. Corbett himself; but the branches at the
public works have mostly been built by the employers, who rent it to the
manager of the Cooking Depot for a nominal sum. At the Mitchell Lane
branch from 1400 to 1600 people dine daily. The Jamaica Street branch
d