Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-09
DIRECTING TO FLATS.
A Difficulty that Dvgellers In Apart.
ments Encounter In Getting Ser.


wants.
IN. Y. Sun.
Real estate dealers. as rule, have found
that as the LIST OF May approaches the demand
for small houses, renting for from $500 to S. 900
per annum, Is great, and that the call for flats
at the same rental is not 80 strong as It was q
year ago. Flats have been found very CON
venieut substitute for houses, albeit the major
ity OF them are somewhat contracted, and the
arrangement OF the rooms Is not asconvenient
as IL might be made. But families OF moderate
means have hitherto found that living In flats
Is more economical than tenanting houses at
the same rate OF rental, and have been willing
to put up with some Inconvenience for the
sake OF an increased balance IN the bank at the
end OF the year. The items OF saving have
been in the cost OF fuel, light. service, and the
But the servant girl problem has been a very
difficult one for several years to the residents
OF many 1iats They have found, to their dis
may, that servant girls have evinced a growing
dislike to service with them.
ut certainly appears" said the proprietor OF
an uptown intelligence Office, who supplies
that there is a tacit understanding among
many OF the best-patd servant girls to Boycott
the occupants Of flats. The kitchen, whele the
s s,s gl.i spend5 nearly al OF her working
hours, Is Id most flats. li.tle box tackled on o
the rear Of the fiat. It has big range and lot
OF stationary washtubs, tables and cupboards
10 auu 10 lts smailneSs a pirt is usually cut of
1or a BED room Tor the girls for most weil-to-do
people keep cook ana c'.ambermaid or nurse
IN fiat. This room Is hardly more than a hole
IN the wall ard two women have much diff
cuty In stirring about III IL, or jointly occupy
II the size OF bed that can be got into It. 50
long as II is winter, il is bad enough. But
%nen !, Inc neat OF summer is prevailing the
heated to terrific degree by the big range,
and when the girls retire at night, the
aSS n1sn is ,,d found to to be as hot
the case Is different. The kitchen Is at the
rear OF the basement, usually opening on the
YARD. 1t Is comparatively cool, ard, besides,
the cook has the range OF the yard and the
whole basement, and can, besides take an oc-
caslonal peep out OF the area gate, which. by
nurse can roam at will in the cooler upper
stories, and catch glImpses OF the life OF the
streets from the windows. When the family is
out the COOK can join her. But the matter is
different In the ordinary fat. The only room
looking into the street, as rule is the parlor,
and that is occupied by the lady OF the estab-
must keep each other company In the hot, dull
kitchen. Then the provisions are sent up
stairs, generally by the janitor, In the dumb
waiter This debars the cook OF the chamber
MAID from running out to the ned -eSt grocer
or butcher, when anything Is needed, and en-
1oyiDg cnat with some likely young assistant.
., BUT haven't got to the very root of the
trouble between the girls and the flats yet. In
a mouse, however small, girls have an oppor-
tunity OF receiyiag little, or a great deal, as
the case may be, OF company. When John, or
he Will drop around to the area gate at such and
SUCH an hour: Mary admits him at that hour,
without any fuss and, If none Of the family
happen to drop into the kitchen, or the laundry,
nobody is the wiser, but John and Mary are
made good deal happier. But II a beau
wants to call In fiat he has to ring gong and
OF automatic door opener and speaking tube
II he Is at all gay the laughter Ia the Kitchen
o,s Ia the people In the parlor and SO madam
nojecf Su 60 his c coming, and Mary goes away
class OF servants that are sticklers for the
privilege of receiving their Johns and Jirns
They are experienced, sensible girls, who get
from SIS to $40 per month II they are cooks, or
$l2 as chambermaid5, Or as much as nurses
They nave saved nice little sum OF money as
rule, and they are looking around for a
steady-going young mechanic Or tfadesm ans
assistant 10 mate with. Their money they
know, VIII enable him 10 set up a good nome
or even little business OF his own, and they
Will be taken from the drudgery OF service. /
don't see now this difficulty is TO be got over,
unless the ladies Of families In flats are more
CoLsiderate In this respect toward the girls.
But can see how Indulgence In this respect
might be very disagreeable to the ladies', and,
according to my experience, they are not dis
posed to be too yielding, and are determined to
keep on enduring what many Of them have to
endure, or move into houses Of corresponding
rental.
''That richly dressed lady who just went out
Is one OF my best customerS-becau5e she comes
so frequently for servants. She has an ele-
gantly furnished fiat, her table Is well sup
Piled AID she keeps two girls-as long as she
Can-tO serve Der husband herself, and Child
only two years Of age. She is as reasonable as
most ladies', ard pays good wages she came
mere lew months ago TO look for q cook. Size
pays SlI mouth for a cook and that, you
know, is regarded as an excellent price for a
COOK In small fl m!ly. Well, we sent In ali OF
our oest girls TO her. Do you live In house or
fla?' was the first question they asked Of her.
When She answered that She lived In a Hat,
each IN turn got up, and saying cody Il d)nt
thlL / IL suit, walked back TO her companions;
Ine.e tney are you see; whispering and laugr-
| ing as though they had carried out plan, sni
| ". re very much amused It's hot So amusing
| IHr the lady, however, and she may come here
LOT GAYS Ut lore she can OBTAIN girl, who may
| stay with her Only a few days