Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
A DIMES WORTH.
A NIGHTS EXPERIENCE IN A
CHEAP CHICAGO HosTELRY.

Much has been said and written about
the cheap hotels of France and England,
but Chicago can discount both of those
ancient countries in respect to low-priced
lodgings The 10-cent lodging-house is
continually satirized in the newspapers
and in the comic songs of the day, but
very little seems to be really known about
these economical hotels after all Ac-
: cordingly News man set out one dark
and foggy night to ascertain the facts for
!. himself. He was determined to learn the
truth of the blood-curdling tales SO often
told of dodgers packed sixty-four to the
room and arranged in tiers like sardines,
and all the other horrors of the dime
sleeping place.
Down on Canal street.. close to the
Union Depot, is dingy building. Above
the entrance to dark stairway hangs an
illuminated sign which announces that
beds can be had for 10 cents and 15 cents
a night. Up the dark stairway the ex-
plorer stumbled A fair-sized room, ilr-
nished with three chairs, long bench,
and red, little stove, opened off from
the hall. Several brawny fellows in blue
gingham shirts and rusty trousers were
gathered around the fire. From the cen
tire of the group advanced grizzled vete-
ran who seemed living image of the
''ancient mariner" He surveyed the re-
porter, who had attired himself for the
occasion, very critically. Therefore the
scrutiny proved satisfactory to the old
Roman.
''Want bed9" he asked.
The reporter did.
Had your soup yet9"
The reporter hadn't.
The ancient mariner led the way to o
banquet hall wherein was long table
and cook stove. A huge tureen was on
the stove. The visitor was given quart
of the contents of the tureen and three
slices of bread. The table equipments
were not precisely such as the Palmer
house offers its guests. The soup bowls
/ were heavy and yellow; the spoons were
iron-clad ladies'. The soup itself was
not bad. Its composition was dark
mystery, and is yet. The soup was of a
consistency about that of river water.
But it had no trace of dirt and did not
taste unlike ordinary restaurant bouillon.
In large, uncarpeted room upstairs
were half dozen "shake down" beds.
The room was well ventilated and the
beds were quite comfortable in appear
ance. Another room across the hall was
similarly fitted up. These were the
quarters of the 10-cent dodgers
The landlord informed his latest boardel
that for Is cents he could have an entire
room to himself. Accordingly the re-
porter selected room so located that its
occupant could hear everything occurring
in the house, and could, by peerine
through hole in the door, see the greater
part Of the adjacent rooms.
The room selected, like all the rest, wa:
uncarpetsd; dimensions, feet by g.
The bed was the same in appearance a'
those assigned to the 10-cent dodgers, thu
extra 8 cents merely affording greatel
privacy to the affiuent boarder.
The bedding was ample in quantity
husk mattress, two sheets, two blankets
and huge red quilt. The sheets wer'
dingy and ripped in places but, all il
all, it was comfortable bed. A curtain
hung at the window, from which goot
view could be obtained of the Madison
street bridge. The host handed his CUES
d key and asked at what time he desired
to be called with the average courtesy o
a downtown hotel clerk.
Hardly was the reporter locked int
his room when number of dodgers ar
rived. Seating themselves around tn
stove in the adjoining room they listene'
with rapt attention while one of thei
numbers brawny coal-heaver who's
brogue had not long been absent fror
the banks of Killarney-read romano
of the plains aloud The reading laste
about two hours, and the reader was NO
once disturbed or interrupted by his au
dience Finally the story was ended an
the dodgers sought their couches. The
came number of thumps on the floor a
each man kicked off his shoes. The
dead silence.
Presently some ono stumbled upstairs
and in a loud voice commenced to deta
the woes Of Mr.. McGinty, the perfume c
his breath in the meantime penetratin
the reporters nostrils. A chorus {
''Shut upln rang out vigorously. The
was heard a bang as somebody hurled
shoe at the singer. Silence again.
About IL o'clock gentleman with
can of beer entered and managed to spi
about pint of the beverage on the re
quilt of one of the dodgers. The latte
promptly arose and ran the amater
Ganymede out Of the room and down til
stairs. His can was hurled after him an
went banging and changing down I'll
steps to the street.
Five minutes later the landlord disco,
cred 10-cent boarder smoking in bee
Put out de snipel" quoth the ancier
mariner The smoker requested his ho
II to retire to warmer cline.
A short scuffie ensued, which term
mated in the expulsion of the devotee
D the weed.
For the next hoHr no sound, except q
occasional snore and the putting of loc'
motive across the street, disturbed IL
repose Of the guests. The reporter ha
begun to doze, when something rubbe
his ear and he awoke to conflict with
powerful Ncimex lectularius. The u
welcome visitor was soon dispatche,
. and, to the credit of the house DO it sal,
no more of its kind disturbed Il
sleepers dreams.
About 4 80 the dodgers began to ari
and descend to the sitting-room. On
& bench, just where none could pass in
outwithout arousing him, lay the landlor
tiYou bet nobody does any prowlir
xuhi1a eIna1, hara u hn al ,,ro,,dJ