The New York herald., 1877-07-01
HOTEL SECRETS.


REcaurrING WATERS. aRUMBLINa GUESTS
AND @, uTroNous NURSES.
To most Of our citizens who paironize the hotels At
the summer resorts the inner workings of the same
the thousand details Of anagoment the arrangement
Of the cuisine, laundry and housckeepsr's DEPART
ments are a sealed book. IL with view 10 lay
these hidden hapers open that HERALD representa-
live paid visits OF the large caravansaries At
long Branch Saratoga on the shores OF Long Island
Sound Staten Island, &C., IN order 10 learn IRON the
lips OF the managers and propretors how they con-
Quoted those establishments Tor the accommo modation
OF guests. A vast fund OF Information was thus
gained which cannot but be oil great interest to the
csneral reader As was natural, tho proprietors Of
such large Establishments at Long Branch as the West
End. ocean House, Howlands, Mansion House, United
Stutcs and others not disposed 10 have
their names used as sponsors for certain
facts pleasant and unpleasant, but Mr. Leland,
Of the Ocean; Mr. Rowland, OF Howiand's, and
another gentleman gave the writer The following gen.
sral information, which applied not only 10 Long
Branch hotels, but as rule TO summer hosteiries
throughout the States The question OF lease between
landlord aud tenant OF was matter OF private
and personal agreement, but the term OF lease was
generally from three TO i've years; as rule II did not
pay lessee take helei for less time than i've
years because his arrangements Tor opening. Incl
menccment and when The whole machinery OF an ex-
tcusive establishment is to be put IN order the water
works made perfect by plumbers skin, the spriug
repairs all made i: would be generally iound tnat one
years rent In addition ~ the terms oil tho lease had
been expended by The lessee VA such improvements
PREPARING FOR GUESTS.
As rule the grounds about hotel are 10 be put In
order gardener, and the place Is large an assist
ant gardener TO be employed, and the putting IN
order o. paths, the planting OF shruboefy and the
hundred little details vi The same make up an item
Of expense by no means insish ueant iet lnis sum
is reduced II kitchen gurden Is attached
the hotel. tor then tho SAVING IN tie purchase VI
ircsn ana early vegetables compcnsa'es anu o-iances
the expense oil keeping II up, aud sometimes even
saves money to the proprietor. The oatu houses are
generally vi income than expenditure, ior
only tney rough ~ CONSTRUCTION ana cost but
Ii,tle 10 repair put, rule, they can be suDet 10
some one al gooa round lgure Tor the privilege OF
hiring oul rooms bathing dresses 10 guests and
transient visitors. AS to the staues Attached 10
holeIs proprieors hnd them more source oil annoy
snce han OF profit aud only keep them W
dalion some Of wealthy guests wo like " BRING
their oans to tho sea side III them The livery
stables as rule, however, furnish sood conveyances,
and considering the sh0rtncss OF the season. al rea-
sonabIe prices.
: Leaving these general remarks OF the Long Branch
proprIelors more AS an Introduction TO the Interesting
details OF interior management OF summer notes the
HERALD rcpres NATIVE received the following Iporma-
lion from Sir. X +. Cole the proprietor oi 81 MARKS
Hotel at staten Islam, situated on The heghis OF New
Brighton ana overlooking lie bay oil New \ orK. Dir.
Cole said "Ihe irst thing lessee oil
hole taking possession Is 10 organize his work.
Ing Gepartnent-thaL ls alter making all REPAIRS 10
organize his Kitchen laundry, store roon meat room.
panlrcs, dining rooms &c. Second, ne must select
his officers OF the house; these consist manly OF chei
cook, ch ef pastry COOK with many assistants
as exipences require competent mead waters. nouse
keeper, chambcrmads, Office clerks, hall and bell
boys, engineer porters night watchmen, waiters ana
subordinate nelp oil all descriptions.
~ wish II understood, however, that generally the
walters and ordinary help are hired by ;hc heads oi
the departments to which they are attached, always,
oi cou arse under the direction OF the proprietor.
now WATERS ARE REcRuiiED.
''There is German walters socIcty' said the IN
formant, onc Tor the Irish and IN fact Tor nearly all
rccs and coors They propose to protect each other
and TO give advantages 10 members not possessed by
outsiders; they as understand do not compel their
members to follow strictly schedule or iarii o prces
but permit contracts be maue according 10 viii.
Then there Is an organization known as tho Meat
Cooks society one the Pastry Cooks Society and
Others too numerous 10 mention. Now, word AS TO
coiorcd servants they have become III tote work SO
utterly irresponsible aud worthless that most OF the
hoels 10 which they were formerly employed nov DIS
card them"
..Can you name some of the hotelsf',
"Yes Congress Hall At Saratoga, United States at
Yong Branch, the Pavilion ana ST. Marks on Staten
Island and many others"
'.What rs the cause of thisY
s.Wcl!, the colorsd waters arc improvident and
wnsteldi they order dishes other than the guests de-
nre, IN ex.ravagan, Quantities and OF ,he noss ae-
ate KINDS; they then hide these, or the supersbund-
tnce, away in dark corners and secret places out Of
ioors, under the plazzss, and least themselves
with the dainties when they get chance. In
regard TO the price OF labor between The whie
and colored, the former command about So mouth
more than the latter. The general regard
the walters Is as folluwsthat is, regarding the
dining - here certain set OF meu Who take
care OF the sverware others TO look after the casters
some to The glassware the linen, &c. The room
RaniZed into number oi watches and IS never left
aonea least such should be the case in all well or
ganized hotels. The chambermaids usually are Sc
lected by the housekeeper and under her orders
smart girls able to take care OF about twenty-five
rooms
rnE TROUBLESOME GUESTS
In hotel are generally those VINO pay the least
board Some ladies' in house, who may not know the
terms which their husbands have engaged accommo-
dations, the most ault-Dnding both at the table
aud IN their rooms. They complain either OF non-at
tendance or the quaiy OF the cod they always insist
upon their children coming 10 taole because Tommy
Is 30 good, or Milne never any trouDe but the
children would not be very troub esome II II
for the nurses. think hotel keep generally agree
that nurses are almost unmitlgased nusances they
drink up the milk ana eat he breasts oi chicken n-
tended Tor the children, nnd then ain that the
little darings can't have enough to eat aud 90 10 bed
hungry. II they are scolaed they get even with The
Ian Ilord by complaining TO the mothers "
''Whom DO you consider the best guests at hotel?"
''Decidedi, those who live best al their own bones;
they seldom hnd limit II hotel Is really badly kept
this clas1 OF persons pack their trunks pay their bs
and depart, never coming back 10 the pace whcro
they have been made uncomfortable. But those who
have been ut home used to common food aud common
quarters stay aud grunbe, gruinDlc and stay; they
cannot be drven away, but poison the minds Of the
cnuining guests by their complaints"
GLOW about single menr
''lhcy are among the most desirable guests; they
don't want much waiting on. II hotel IS near the
CITY they are away during the day attending their
business; In t'e evening they smoke aud play bill
liards, and generally make IL lively aud pleasant
THE SEASON AND PROFITS.
SIN regard TO the length OF the money be
made ouly III six or eight weeks IN the hotel business
In old times the season lasted nearly iour months.
This year think the chances for profit are very small
The wages OF servants remains the same rents are
about the same, or, at least, are not materially re-
duced, while tue cost OF suppyn the table has the
main increased"
'.will you specify the Increase In provlslopsg"
1T Is about as follows Fine cuts Of meats have
risen about i've cents per pound at Wholesale n0ur $3
per barrel sugar. two or three cents per pound eggs
rising market; butter tea and coffee about the same
as last year Now meat and poultry tue TWO large
killing bIls In hotel With house iuil OF people the
money that II takes to buy one week apply OF beef
ana poultry Will urnlsh 1our enough or the entire
season. All this, II must be considered, with the
prces 20 guests cut down about twenty per from
last year. and some idea be had OF the
profit IN the hotel business thus season.
rEN risir n,nry