Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-01-22
IMPROBABLE HOTEL GUESTS
Some of the Expeaients That are Used to
Diminish Their n Imber.
From the New 70 sun


imposed upon by a very large class Of
persons who habitually make use OF
various conveniences Of hotels without
any way compromising the proprIetors.
1t is, Tor instance. a daily occurrence
for those who are not guests to make use
OF the parlors of hotels for place Of
meeting, to use the toilet rooms, to
lounge about the smoking rooms, to use
the hotel stationery, and IN other ways
to appropriate to their own use, with
out payment, facilities which are in
tended for the accommodation Of hotel
guests. The subject has been much
talked about among hotel proprietors,
and many expedients have been either
proposed Or adopted as a remedy for
this growing evil In a number of we'll
known hotels in New York the evil has
grown to enormous proportions. Astar
as the toilet rooms are concerned, 1t
was at one time proposed to adopt
scheme of charge for admission, and one
inventive genius even went so far as to
propose machine on the principle of
''Put nickle in the slot
1t is, however, true that, after consul
tatiOn, and comparing notes and relat-
ing ex periences, hotel proprietors have
generally come to the conclusion that
these evils must in some measure be
borne, although they may be prevented
in degree by various expedients. 1t
is, therefore, now the custom in the
larger hotels to post various notices
ABOUT the public places indicating that
they are reserved for guests OF the
house Such notices are posted in the
toilet room and in the smoking room,
and over the chairs in the billiard
rooms, and even the seats that are
Dlaced near the hotel offices for
The accommodation of the bell
BOYS awaiting the summons of the no.
tel clerk to answer the call of guests.
1t is also an essential part OF the
euuipm emit of all hotels to have one or
more persons constantly on the lookout
to warn off these Improbable visitors.
Such of these unWelcome guests as are
obviously unclean or crooked" are
unceremoniously bounced. There is,
however, very large class OF we'll
dressed and gentlemanly appearing
persons who do not scruple to thus i'm
pose on hotel proprietors day after day.
With such persons gentler, but quite
us effective, method of warning off is
adopted. Sometimes the gentleman
will receive a delicate intimatiOn by
word of mouth that his presence is not
desired. Sometimes he will be asked
if he has any particular business in the
house. 1t may be that note will be
slipped into his hand, suggesting that he
has been accommodated tor sufficient
time.
Soaking on this subject, f. L.
Mortified of the Continental Hotel, the
President of the Hotel Keepers, Asso-
citation. recently said; "To certain ex-
tent hotel keepers recognize that their
houses are public. They are aware
hn Ia
not patronize their hotels may find
occasion to use these facilities. They
know for instance that their own guests,
during their stay in the city may find
occasion to visit other hotels, and use
their conveniences. They are quite
willing to permit fair share of their
own conYeniences to be used by the
guests of other hotels, but they have
found it absolutely necessary to protect
themselves by constant watching and
by the prompt election of habltual OF
tenders.
TT is surprising how some mon will
persist in little mean lmpostures OF this
kind There was u nice little we'll
dressed old gentleman who some time
ago, although not guest of the Con-
tinental Hotel was IN the constant
habit OF spending portion of the morn
ing in the sttlng-room. He would seat
himself in the most comfortable chair
and watch for any morning paper which
might be left momentarily unguarded
bv guest. This thing went on SO long
that It got to be a matter of merriment
among the bell boys and walters to watch
the old gentleman as he daily pounced
uDon his free reading One morning
one of the bell boys laid a trap for the
old gentleman and baited it with a
newspaper to which string was invis-
iblv attached, and when the old gentle
man stopped down to pick up the paper
it was mysterlously whisked away. He
saw at once that he had been watched
and he Immediately picked up his hat
and lett the hotel and we have never
seen him since. An imposition of a
more serious kind is the use of the toilet
rooms by strangers. The more com
modious and comfortable they are, the
the greater seems to be the rush OF I'M
authorized strangers to use them. In
our own hotel this is a source OF lncon-
venienCe to our guests, and notWlth-
standing our notices and the fact that
we station a servant in the toilet room
to warn off unauthorized persons, the
evil continues But, SO far as | have
known, no adequate remedy has yet
been proposed by the most expert
enced hotel proprietor. OF course it
would be impracticable to charge fee
of admission to the toilet room,
because it would be petty
ANNOYANCE to the guests. Some
hotel proprietors look upon these pub
lie conveniences III the light of adver-
tisements. They say it brings people
To the hotel. that althOuUh thew may