Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-07-17
A WOMAN IN AUTHORITY.
she HEADS THE FEMININE EN-
PLoYES OF A LARGE HOTEL.
The Housekeeper of a New York
Hotel Outlines the Duties Of the
Help Whom She "Bosses."

The HOusekeeper OF new forK
Hotel Outlines the Duties Of the
Help Whom She "Bosses."
~ YER five thousand women-a
1 regular army of sturdy Anna
Il zons-are employed in the
hotels of this city. The Wal
dorf, which has the largest number of
women on its payroll, has introduced
them into several departments hitherto
sacred to the sterner sex, and has also
created some new positions to be filed
by them. 1t now employs 125 women.
One-half of this number is under the
command of the housekeeper and the
other half is ruled by the steward and
his aids. -.
The hotel clerk has long figured in
journalism as a lordly individual, who
wears diamonds and an air of authority.
In the matter of diamonds he has no
rival, but when it comes to authority
there is an autocrat who occupies Sc
cluded position behind the throne, but
who bows to no command save that of
the proprietor. This being is the
housekeeper. She may be recognized
by her black gown, her great bunch
of keys, and her eagle eye. She is, in
the better hotel, woman of education
and refinement, and above all, of ex-
ecutive ability. Her duties range from
those of a General to those of pri-
vate detective. She must direct her
force of workers, which includes not
only the chambermaids, but the clean
ers and linen-room girls, as well as the
hall boys and men engaged to move
furniture, hang curtains and do the
thousand and one things that require
daily attention.
"Your duties are not very arduous,
are they?" asked a Sun reporter of the
Waldorf housekeeper.
s'Come with me-" she said, simply,
but with an air of 'Ill show you, and
led the way to large, light room on
the tenth floor. The walls were lined
with shelves piled high with snowy
linen-sheets, pillow cases, tablecloths,
napkins, covers for dressers, and all
the washable paraphernalia of a great
hotel. Three neat and nimble fingered
girls spend the day here, mending and
making linen, and dealing out the
| clean pieces in return for the soiled
ones brought up by the chambermaids.
The laundry opens out of the linen
room, and here half dozen immense
tubs were presided over by head
laundress and her brawny assistants,
while the thump, thump, of the irons
made dull accompaniment. AS the
] housekeeper opened the door of one
of the spicy cedar closets, filled with
blankets and silk quilts, second
black-robed, key-dangling, eagle-eyed
woman came down the hall.
''That is one of my assistants" said
the housekeeper. 81 have two, and
the duties which do not seem arduous
to you, keep all three of us pretty
busy. In the first place, one of us has
to see that the fourteen cleaners are
| called at 3 o'clock in the morning and
superintend their work from that time
up to noon, when they are supposed to
have finished. These cleaners wash
the marble stairs, the Office and vesti-
bule floors, oil the uncarpeted parts OF
the house. The chambermaids are
called ut 6 o'clock, and begin by
sweeping the carpeted halls and stairs.
At they breakfast, leaving one girl
on each floor to answer calls. There
are thirty -four chambermaids
"What sort of girls are they? A
very nice sort, / assure you. They
must be because they are always thrown
with the guests, and if they were moi
neat, quiet, honest and modest We
could not keep them. Each girl has
from twelve to eighteen rooms to take
care of, and even if room is not
occupied it must be busted and cleaned
every day. When the girls have
finished their work they are at liberty
but there must be one girl 'on watch,
as we call it, oil the time. They take
turns in doing this On watch they
wear black dresses with white collars
and cuffs, but about their work they
wear light chintz gowns. At 8 O'Clock
at night they carry the towels to tht
rooms, turn down the beds, see that
there is fresh water, and find out
whether anything is wanted. ] want
to show you this parlor," said th,
housekeeper, who, during the conver
sation, had conducted the reporter
down to the second floor. 81 have
left my keys upstairs, but" ant
she gave two sharp claps with hel
hands.
! A girl at the other end of the hal
turned and came back quickly.
81 see that you have your pretty
parlor locked" said the housekeeper
"That's right. I like to have you care
full. want to show it now, however
and have left my keys up stairs"
"Oh, all right - said the girl. "Bu
shure, you know, these people do max
me mad. They come up sayin' they'v
permit from the Office, and they g.
in with their drippin' umbrellas, an,
they set down with their wet clothe
right on my satin chairs, and the,
pnoEa mo triad ~