New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-24

our salient naronaI usJs, orren cariieo 70 po'a'
os..Lna.. !. On md hea7 sedness, which, ~ Inc OUT
90, ~ ONES career In an apsrtment-nou D '"e
cana. of numbsress woes traceable 70 tho 1ani.oi'
Having once Welded to his blandlsnmoh's VI I'M
portunities, you are in imminent danger Oh con''n
Mons Welding Having exposed weak irons, 9ou'
nermanent capture Can be avoided only ny ues'''
of resistance little less than heroic.
For while, life in the apsrtment-house may ~"
ON without meeting rocks or shadows; pa' 'nU''
cannot long be escaped after the lnitiai inu
erection. The Janitor having won his nrst aa'an.,
age will not be slow to follow it up by ruoe' "uu
more vigorous measures. He Will grauua"S 'an'
nossess,on of the affairs of the tenant, and In cor
tain manner of the tenant hmsolf unless tho iae.oi
be duly resolute and of pugnacious bens lilo
Janitor by rull exercise OF his allowed pr'leeo''
soon comes to regard them as his Daenapic risn'''
He will determine OF whom and on wnaI tein''
the tenant shall purchase his daily supplies. IL no
quarrel with the baker, milkman, coal-deaief anu
grocer about the division of spoils he will subst'-
tute others without asking auybody's consent OF
oven mentioning the tact. lie will so deceive anu
fasify for his own purpose that the luckless occu-
pant of the fat will never know how he STANDS
with or how he appears to tradestolk Inc TON
ant may after long suffering denounce the jan
itor, 1epudiating him and his contracts lie may
have the hardihood to order goods from tnose he
chooses; he may. for the nonce, overthrow the
plaus and defeat the frauds of tho vulgar despot
who had well nigh subjugated him. But he Will
recover his freedom at great price. SO great
price in truth that he will probably find ne can
not afford TO pay il.
The dispossessed Janitor may submit Outwardly
but he will inwardly brstle with revolt, ana
spread secret snares in resentment of his fancied
l.. I.o n
worthy of his high calling and his controlling
position If he do not the insurgent TO repent
of his temcrity and bring him in proper season to
full and notifying consciousness of the bunder lie
has committed. The tenant may complain to the
landlord but tae latter is 80 likely to be preudiced
IN favor Of his omnipotent servant. who taxes
adrot pans to cDnciliate and hOodwink his master,
that complaint will DO OF small avail. Ana the
position of the Janitor. backed by the landlord Is
almost impregnabe. lie rules the renters with an
intlexible though cunning hand. If they fail 10
submit If they withhold fees,--and he negatively
demands these in steady and ample measlre'-if
they show any sSns OF INSTRUMENTATION, IN fact, ne
makes them feel their dependence on his Will and
favor lie can do tins in countless Inv islble ways
WAYS that the sufferer cannot indicate. much less
prove but ways that fertile OF discomfort. lie
can create chaos In an apartment; he can render
his guilt or completely.
There is really no protection against HIM when
lie ~ once aroused against you. You must either
placate him or move to another apartment-house IN
which case you confront another Janitor. who IS
not likely to be any better, ana who may be worse
.Ianitors are all pretty much alike Some are not
so bad as Others; but none is trustworthy. As
| there are no honest cabmen except i'll Venice, there
arc no good JauItors save in the next world, where
at latest advices flats had not been built AT pres
ent there must he tens of thousands OF New-l orkers
unGor tho iron sway of the Janitor, without hope
| of relief or betterment. viii there ever be time
when he shall be unseatell The periectOnists
dare to believe that there will be. But so far as
common mortas can see the Janitor is the known
quantity that cannot lie eliminated from the squa-
| tion of Manhattan existence. He Is the latest
household monster. Would that We might have
| faith enough to believe him the last!