Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-19
MuRRAY,S MUSINGS.

-
The Janitor, as a Curse to Humanity His
Family and Himself-Doings of the Ath-
1etic Girl-Actors Who Are Anxious For
Jobs-Suspicious Burnings.
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
| .T USED to think rd like to be preacher, %
said downtown business man the other
day. "and say what pleased and have nobody
| talk back. Now. believe Ia rather be jani-
| tor"
The force and penetration of this satire can
be fully understood only in New York. The
| Janitor Is painful incubus that crushes the
| eferyescent spirit of metropolitan daily life
The janitor is like fly. a necessary evil. You
have hard time getting along with him-you
can't get along without him. He is petty an
noyance that confronts you both at your home
| and at your of1ce-at the home and at the office
| OF your friend. He is omnlpresent and omnis-
| clent-to this extent: He is everywhere when
you don't want him, and sees everything
except what he ought and is paid to see The
1anitor came in with the tall houses and the
nat system. OF which he is necessary part,
the same as the Croton bug. AS a theory he is
a servant of the tenant As a condition he is
usually brute and a blackmailer without
WhlteWash, and the tenans is his trembling
Save: 1t IS the condition that confronts us.
fou can always tell when the janitor has been
unable to make satisfactory raise from his
refractory brood upstairs. He beats his wife
anu curses MS children more often and more
promlscuously than usual You know he has
been having strfngency in tips when you hear
his voice at the bottom of the elevator shaft
In conversation with the milkman or grocer's
Doy concerning the financial responsibility of
thlrd or fourth floor A single remark such as
Haven't you been able to collect that bill
YETI? or Il don't know whether the party is
good or not, roared up the shaft will bring 20
or more pairs of ears of maids and mistresses
to bear upon the communicating link and cause
as many hearts to quake with apprehension,
Perhaps the tenant has given no gratuity tnis
month, or, having established a reputation for
liDerallty. has not kept up the good work. Or.
the untortunates in the third fourth fat
winch is considered by that individual an out
rage In itself. He never does anything-was
never known to do anything.
Inere IS a fiction that the janitor serves the
tenants. AS matter of fact he never does
serve Them unless be is paid for it. There are
neiis and speaking tubes connecting with the
Janltor's rooms running from almost every
room in the building. They figure on a board
down below which looks like the switch board
at Hello. Central" They also figure in the
rent. but this convenience is only matter OF
bneory, Tor the Janitor never answers the bells
or responds to a call down the tube. There is
dumb waiter. of course, but the janitor never
WORKS It. IT the butchers boy and the grocer's
Doy. the iceman and the milkman and all the
other tradesmen didn't send I'D their own
stun you'd have to come down into the base
ment and get It yourself The janitor not only
perIEliS Inen, out eXactS round commission
IN cash or trade for the privilege. If the
tradesman objects he will soon find no trade in
that house. Woe to the tenant VINO complains
OF the 1anitor. He might we'll move out at
once for the janitor has more ways than steal
Ing the tenants coal and wood in which TO get
even But then, if the tenant moves he only
moves 10 place where there is another janitor
perhaps two of HMM which case his grief
will be doubled.
The Girl of the Period.
HE physical culture young woman Is dis
tinct feature of New York social life
1t doesn't much matter to what grade of society
the stricken young damsel belongs, if the craze
strikes in-she goes her length on it. If she is
rich and handsome you'll see her mounted on a
fine cob beating the bridal paths OF Central
Park morning and evening. She will have a
private tutor in boxing and fencing and general
gymnastics. If she is only moderately weIl-to-
do she must forego the saddle horse and the
private teacher and take to the bicycle and gen.
eral school. You will in that case see her on the
asphaltum pavements of which invite speed of
movement and freedom of limb, One of these
young enthusiasts, after her day of stenography |
and typewriting is over. regularly settles her
dinner by spin OF three or four miles on the |
bicycle when the weather is fine. When it |
lsn sne puGs on the gloves, or practices with
That is. I did practice" she laughingly said.
until last week. When had put nv chum's |
eye in mourning and nearly put a hole in her |
cheek mother thought I'd better give it up
tnat IN tne tolls We're dangerous things for girl
to fool with. The gloves don't hurt anybody. |
II get knocked down can get up again"
This is, indeed. new era of womanknd A
gentle. lady-like girl earning her own living at
a desk and riding bicycle boxing and fencing
tprobably turning handsprings) after hours |
VIII strike an old fogy as the forerunner of
race fac o. 81 Amaso1s: ANA But matrimony marketing
Suooue IL they do not quench her robust spirit.
Fire and the Mckinley Law.
{. is suspicious thing" says an insurance
man, "this recent burning of three or four
steamers at sea- Was it because they couldn't |
get into port in time to anticipate the new GUS
toms duties? The difference on ship load of |
freight under the old and new might easily
reach Sl50,OO0 If the ship and cargo were fully
insured it stands to reason that tine destruction
OF such vessel couldn't make the owners or
consignees very unhappy"
Expecting Good Times.
'sTHERE has been more money spent this
season on the refitting and beautifying
Of New York's places of amusement" says a
prominent architect, 'than was ever spent be-
fore in this way" And this is unuuestionably
true. The same remark might be extended
with equal truth to include the hotels. Scarce
v theatre or hotel of any prominence in the
city but what has placed a fortune of from
s25, 600 to SlO0 0OO in repairs, remodeling, decor
ating and refurnishing. This indicates the ex-
pectations of the metropolis as to the moneyed
stranger within her gates and illustrates at the
same time her confidence in continued business
prosperity.
The bucolic statesman who thinks the coun-
try is going 10 the deuce needs only to visit
New York to convince him that at least it is
travelling very easy and happy road. When
be comes here he will be surprised at the taste
and magnifcence displayed in the refurnished
places of amusement. In respect to taste there
mas been as great change in the interior deco
ration of the theaters as there has been in that
Of the hotels. The general introduction of
electric lights has much to do with the new
effects. AS to expenditures-well nothing
seems to be too good for these public caterers
,egardless of cost The dear public itself re,
spends readily to the touch. and fills both
hotels and theaters nightly to oyerfowing.
Superstition Among Stage People.
m VIEW of all the plays and companies on the
road and in town the list of disengased
Ictors and actresses seems pretty large one.
rhe other day a Leading man died and on the
Law his death notice appeared there were an odd |