New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-09
cert. and there were repeated outbursts Of enthu-
siasn.
LIFE IN A HOTEL.
THE UOTFI-KEEPER'S VIEW.

THE HOTEL-KEEPERS VIEW.
TIE LOSSES NOT so GREAT AS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED
--FAcrs ABOUT WATERS AND THEIR TRICKS
TIE BAR A NECESSITY.
The management of u great hotel requires as
much executive ability the command OF n brigade
in the field. The attention to details Is neces-
sary and strict system. which approaches mn,
tary discipline is followed. The prohts OF hotei
NAV be largely diminished frttered away en-
trey through lack of Judgment on the part OK the
heads of departments and through the various
ages that apt to occur in every large eslapls-
ment In speaking of the losses of hotels, hotel-
man said recently a,
In a well-manaGed hotel, however large, the the
losses not 80 great as is often supposed; rake
the provisions. With careful buying and adequate
ice houses and cooling rooms, there should he very
little wasted. Things that not used as origin
alIy intended can be utilized in other way az,
for example fruit which not available for dessert
can be turned into tarts aud pies But the greatest
loss in food IL caused by the guests themselves
when meals are served table fhO0 OF course nrst-
class house presents q bill of fare for any meal
which contains more than five men can eat. lheree
are some people. however. who are not accustomed
TO the best fare and unable to make selections
and they simply in the principle OF getting thelr
moneys worth 30 they order everything, and II az
dinner 90 straight through from soup to coffee eau.
ing for every dish that the menu contains VI
course they can't eat one-quarter OF the amount,
and 40 they leave great deal TO be wasted. Ihere
is a chance also for the walters to cause loss py
bringing guests more things than they want, III the
hope that this undue attention VIII increase tneir
fees But the head waiter and the controller VINO
stand at the doors of the kitchen always keep p
sharp lookout for this ana when waiter is lOund
bringing guest half dozen things instead or Two
that are really wanted, he IS immediately dis-
charged. When the meals are served a Ia carte
great deal of money Is often lost to the quests
by the double check racket, which ~ favoilte
game with dishonest walters. The guest writes hls
orders on "A check which the waiter taxes 10 the
cashiers desk, where the prices are put on
and the check stamped But while the guest IS eat
ing his meal. the waiter secretly makes out an
other check with the same orders but with the
prices increased from 10 TO 30 per cent Then he
.I,ba fha IN
but gives TO the cashier the first check with the
proper prices, and pockets the difference. IL the
guest pays his check without close examination, as
he is likely do if he has ladies with HIM, of course
he is swlndled, and we can't prevent 1T. nave
heard people say that they wouldn't 70 to the
Manhattan Brighton or Long Beach hotels again
because the prices were 50 outrageous, and knew
at once that the walters had raised their checks.
The only remedy is for the guest carefully 10 conf
pare the prices his check with those on the bill
of fare. Frst-cass walters as rule are very smart
men. They are usually French, German or Italian,
generally speak two, three or Tour languages, ana
often have some education. Tie best waiter ever
knew was something of a linguist, something OF a
musician and LO mean artist Then he was an ad-
mirable waiter, and had the knack OF satisfactorily
serving great many people at the same time HIS
fees were very large. lie received the usual
salary. OF $50 or $35 month and board. We
offered him the position of head water az
salary OF 500 month and board, and
he refused il. lie told me afterward that
he couldn't afford to lose, money by taking
the place. so you what his fees must
have amounted to. At great seaside hotel i'll the
height of the season good waiter Will make from
80 to 40 a day III fees. 1t Is not an uncommon
thing for waiter TO receive dollar as single Zee,
and If he is serving large party he sometimes gets
50.
q But returning to the losses in hotels come to
the bar which really the most important feature
of house. No hotel can be successfully run With
out a bar The goods are not perlshabie, and the
receipts largely profit that the manager often
expects the bar to pay the expenses OF running
the hotel, No system of checks that know of Is
eectual in preventing The bar-keepers from knock
ing down still | don't think there is much OF 1t
done at the best houses. The that the best
men attanable are selected for the places and they
are paid good salaries. know a man who next week
goes To a Saratoga hotel to be head bar-keeper For
the of three months he receives 800 and all
his expenses. which is not bad pay. And good bar
tenders employed the year round often receive
81 200 and 81 800. The linen department Of
hotel extensive as IL Is, Is under one head. The
housekeeper daily allots to each chambermald, who
has fixed number of rooms under her charge GER
tain number OF towels and sheets These are checked
against the chambermaids name, and, OF course she
has to return the number. ike pan Is Iol-
lowed with the table linen. Then the laundry is
charged with the number of pieces sent to II, and
credit is given when they are returned. Every
thing about the house is thus divided into depart
nents, the heads of which are responsible 10 the
manager or proprietor.
:" In the past there has been considerable money
lost through hotel beats and by casning checks
But shrewd, experienced clerk can usually meas
his man pretty exactly and If he has any we'll
founded doubts, 1t Is very simple mat
ter to say that the custom OF the house
is for strangers to pay in advance. l don't THINK
there is so much money lost III tins way as there
used 10 be, although hOtel-keepcrs still Occa-
slonally taken in Most hotels now iatly refuse to
cash checks or drafts for anyone. mat game mas
been played too often. OF course, with the large
number OF employees III q great seaside house, the
expenses enormous, but the profits OF success
full house are cOrrespondngly great. At the Long
Beach Hotel which ~ probably the largest seaside
house now open, there between 300 and 400 en-
plOyes and the expenses OF running the house
amount TO about $1,000 day"