New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14
THE PLANT or a PLAI-HUNTER.
HOW LONG SHALL THE HUMBLE BUT NECESSARY
TENANT BE OPPRESSED By THE
TAzv TANTTOR1

HOW LONG SHALL THE HUMBLE BUT NbOhcoAHA
TENANT BE OPPRESSED By THE
LAZY JANIToRf
It's one Of the wonders of my lIfe,' said New
York woman the other day, who had come home
weary from round Of hat-hunting how people VIII
put thousands and thousands Of dollars into building
hathouses, pay agents fat commissions TO find tenants
for thom, epant and repaer their walls every year.
put expensive carpets on their halls and fine glass
and brass-work on their entrances, and then allow
the whole eoc: to be spoiled by layer Of rust and
dust thick over all Whether IL is because tho owner
comes TO see his house, or the agent Is an u-
tidy himself and does not notice the tanitor's
neglect Of duty whether 1t is because the tenants
themselves do not complain Of It, cannot tell My
experience does not extend beyond hats renting al
ESQ month, but within that Limit one finds great
differences In ideas Of cleanliness. have been In
four-room apartment.ho houses, renting for els, where
the brass-wOrk, entrance, stairs and Railways Wero
so bright and clean IL made you smile to look a, them
and have been In steamheste e!ght-room $50 fats
where the dust on the stairs spoiled your gloves II
you touched the banisters, where the rust on the
and knobs told Of months OF neglect
and whore tho dirt the hall carpets was suoh mat
one would be positively ashamed to have ones niends
cali on them.
ain 800 fats, Of course. things are different
but why cannot people OF smaller means have uecehe
aucndanco
have gone into Of these hsts speak OIL LOOKING
for rooms and have met nics-loohng, genteei women
already living there, whose own rooms Were Is oesn
as possible. and have asked them, Don you tnihA
these hslS arc shoekngly dirty, Tor such an eA-
ponslye fat az thlsis And they have answered.
Yes dare say they arc dry, but have got USED
to that The last house was In was Just inc same,
and the one before that. We used to grumble about
It at first but 1t did no good. The agent only told
the isnitor we had complained Of his negligence
and the next thing knew our servant had trouble
with him about sending UP the coal nom the ceuar'
and she had not the ashes on the dumo-"alter inc
moment he came be would not walt for her |luy,
and in other ways gave trouble, but did not oegn
to dust tho halls. In fact. they were little druor
afterward.'
H'Why do you not complain to the owner himself
thenP ask. I'VE don't know who he Is most
of them say aud the agent gets insulted II we ASK
him. SO It's bettor to put UP with 1t for ume' anu
II We ever SEQ . clean nat that has the sSme
advantages as this has. we'll move into IT, others
say they have complained 10 the owner ana oy MS
tnattention thoy clearly perceived that no Khe"
he was paying less for the services OF his IAnitor
than he would have to pay II he expected proper
cleanliness In the halls and as long as tho tenants
were paving their rent. he did not care how mucn
grlimblnR went with g. othor owners have paAeh
tho complaint IN good part however aud have oEooSas
the agent terms, insisting on the lsnleor uons s
duty or zetting out and have often discovered tns.
the ianitOr was paying the agent commlsbion ou'
OF his salary for giving him the 100 ne 30 sn~0
fully neglected. $3.50, - ,o LA \
II do belIeveS added the little woman, WING hsa
borror for dirt in all It's forms, " that Emo OI
deiecve agency might be formed In this city 70 keeP
owners informed Of those grievances Oh tlen ani.s
which arise wholly from neglect on tho part Oh !auu
or AGENT smart woman could conduct one Wen,
mo complaining tenant should have SuafShtse
thai his name would not be divulged TO tho agent
or ianitor so that he might not suffer any PetS
rcvsngUs 1t their hands, and the result Woulu y"
hat tenants would remain longer in their apartments,
and be cOntented pay higher rents than they
do now Every one knows how much New-1 orkS.
viii do TO make u good appearance ami why sn9nlh
handsome entrance, staircase and hallway, on Whicn
bundreds OF dollars have been spent for snow, 90
siioTod TO look M better than q cheap tenement
mousse porch This would seem to be Is much IN me
intcrest Of the landlord Of the tenant