The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-17
Men WHO KEEP HOTELS,
They are Imposed on by People in
Diverse and Sundry
Ways.
Their Conveniences Appropriated
by Persons Who Do Not
Pay a Gent.
Intruding in tho Lobby, Reading Room,
rarlor, Toilet Rooms-Approprl.
ating the Easy Chairs.

: It has long been an unsolved problem
among hotel keepers. says the New Yorl
Sun, how to avoid being imposed upon b
a very large class Of persons who habltuall
make use Of various conveniences Of hotel
without in any way ~compensating the pro
prietors. 1t is, for instance, a daily occur
renee for those who are not guests to max
use Of the parlors of hotels for places o
meeting. to use the toilet rooms, to lounge
about the smoking rooms. to use the hote
stationery, and in other ways to appropriate
to their WI use, without payment. faciltie'
which are intended for the accommodation
Of hotel guests. The subject has been mucl
talked about among hotel psoplietors, ant
many expedients have either been proposed
or adopted as a remedy for this growini
evil. In a number of we'll known hotels j,
New York the evil has grown to enormous
proportions. As far as the toilet rooms ar'
concerned, il was at one time proposed Il
adopt a scheme of charge for admission
as to propose a machine on the principle o.
"Put a nickle in the slot"
1t ia, however, true that, after much de.
liberation and consultation and comparing
notes and relating experiences, hotel pro
prietors have generally come to the conclu'
be borne. although they may be prevented
in a degree by various expedients. 1t Is,
therefore. now the custom in ths larger
hotels to post various notices about the
public places indicating that they are re-
served for guests Of the house. Such no
tices 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 placed near the hotel offices for the &C.
commodation of the bell boys awaiting the
sumons of the hotel clerk to answer the call
of guests.
II is also an essential part of the equip
ment of all hotels to have one or moro per-
sons constantly on the lookout to warn off
these improbable visitors. Such OF these
guests rs are obviously unclean or "crook-
ed" are unceremoniously bounced. There
is. however, a very large class of we'll
dressed and centlemanly appearing persons
who do not soruple to thus impose Oh hotel
proprietors day after day. With such per-
sons a gentler, but quite as effective. meth
cd of warning off is adopted. Sometimes
the gentleman will receive q delicate in-
timation by word Of mouth that his pres
ence is not desired. Sometimes he will be
asked ii he has any particular business in
the house. It may be that n note will be
slipped into his hand, suggesting that he
has been accommodated for u sufficient
tine.
Speaking on this subject. Mr.. +. L. Mer-
rifield of the Continental hotel, the presi-
dent of the Hotel Keepers association, re-
Ike pers recognize that the houses are public.
They are aware that from many reasons
persons who do not patroniZe their hotel
may find OCCASION to use these facilities.
They know for instance that their own
GUSTS. during their stay i'll the city may
fYHA .x,n,pt~,, 10 ,;s,k 4%I,o, I,+aJ, rrI r1a
their conveniences. They are quite willing
to permit Il fair share of their own con-
yeliiences to be used bv the guests of other
hotels. but they have found it absolutely
necessary to protect themselves by constant
watching and by the prompt election of
habitual offenders.
at is surprising how some men will per-
sist III little mean impostures of this kind.
There WAS a nice little well-dressed old
gentleman who some time ago, although
(! Ut Il guest of tho Continental hotel, was III
tho constant habit of spending a portion Of
tho morning in the sitting room. He would
seat himself in the most comfortable chair
and watch for any morning paper which
might be left ~momentarily unguarded by u
guest. This thing went OF so long that it
got to be a matter Of merriment among the
bell boys and walters to watch the old gen
tleman as he daily pounced upon his free
reading.' One morning one of the bell
boys laid a trap for the old gentleman and
balted 1t with q newspaper TO which string
was invisibly attached, and when the old
gentleman stopped down to pick up the
paper it was mysteriously whisked away. He
saw at once that he had been watched, and
he Immediately picked up his hat and left
the hotel and we have never seen him
since. An imposition of Il more
serious kind is the use of toilet rooms by
strangers. The more commodious and
comfortable they are, the greater seems TO
be the rush of unauthorized strangers to
use them. In our own hotel this is a
source of inconvenience to our guests, and
notwithstanding our notices and the fact
that we station a servant in the toilet room
to warn off unauthorized persons, the evil
continues. But, 30 far as I have known, nc
adequate remedy has yet been proposed by
the most experienced hotel proprietor. OF
q fee of admission to the toilet rom, because
It would be a petty annoyance to the guests
Some hotel proprietors look upon these con
yeniences in the light of advertisements
They say that it brings people to the hotel
that although they may not be boarder
billiard room. and hat in one way o
another the establishment will receive com
pensation."
Mr.. Charles Sprague, of the Grand Cen
tFal hotel, chairman of the executive con
mittee of the Hoteikeepers' association
said: "Of course we are imposed upon. l
seems to be n we'll settled opinion, o
ever, among hotel proprietors that the mos
that can be done is to check the evil, an
that there is no possibility OF checking
altogether. l was talking with Mr.. w. Z
Garrison. the secretary or our association
the other day with reference to the Gran
Union hotel. They have recently estat
liRhed there a very large, c~ommodious an
extensive toilet room with all the moder
c~onyeniences, and a very elaborate atfai1
said to him: How are you going to pr
vent this place being used more by the pull
lie than by your guests?' l know that h
hotel. being situated near the Grand Cen
trail depot, WAS the constant resort of man
persons coming in by the trains. Mr.. Gal
rlson replied: L don't want to keep thei
out. Some of them will take rooms her.
some OF them will go to the bar, some wi
patroniZe the restaurant, and if they q
not do so to-day they may some other da,
or send their friends here"
Mr.. SDrague continued: II am maxim
large alterations and improvements of tn
character myself. / am doing this, {
course, for the accommodation of 10
guests. but Rs the keeper of a public hous
must expect and do expect that the publ
will Ill some degree use my house. If ] fin
anybody who is an undesirable person. wi
either habitually or occasionally, or eve
once, visits my hotel. l shall not stand c
ceremony in asking him to leave. As
rule. force Is not necessary. A mere ind
cation to the visitor that his presence
not required will be sufficient to relieve Z
1t is a very common thing for strangers
come in and request the privilege of usil
our ~conyenlences, which we always chez