Cowboy Cookin' Authentic Recipes from the Campfire by Flossteena De Witt & Arnold K. Elovaara
"The Chuck Wagon was a portable kitchen. The wagon contained compartments to store cooking utensils, food staples, dishes, store cooking utensil, food staples, and even medicine. A barrel with a spigot hitched to the wagon side provided water for cooking and for the cowboys to drink. This water often was limited only to the control of the Cookie. No face or hand washing was allowed.
It always took good grub to attract and keep good cowboys. Cattlemen, owners and ranchers recognizing the worth of a skilled cook, paid the cook well, usually with wages equal to the top hands'. In the late 1800's, pay might have amounted to $40 to $45 a month for the Cookie who deserved every penny. "
