The record-union., 1894-09-13
FIFTH AVENUE HOUSEKEEPING.
How Mrs. VanderbiIt's Thirty-Three
Servants Keep Busy.
Handsome Wages, Luxurious Living
and Pleasant Work-EXact-
ing, But Generous.

require the constant attendance of a
larger number of domestics than any
householders in the country.
In the winter season, when Mr.. and
Mrs. Vanderbilt are at home and enter
tanning, twenty-five servants sit down to
meals in their own commodious, cheerful
basement dining-room. They live in the
house, and in summer are either put on
board wages, or, if the Newport estab-
lishment is opened, are transferred there,
along with some haIf-doZen men from
the private stables. These men, who do
not live in the house, and who, with the
| three florists and one plumber, are
known as the ''outside help" by the regu-
| lar servants, bring the list OF steady
wage-earners in Mr.. Wander bilt's private
employ up to the number of thirty three.
NOW, there isn't a housemaid. butler,
valet or stable boy who does not feel HIM
or herself in great luck to secure place
with the Vanderbilts. Employment
under that roof means handsome wages,
the most luxurious living and pleasant
| work. Nobody is ever asked to bear
more than a just share of the daily labors.
On the top floor ofthe house are the serv-
ants quarters. There is a nice suite, con-
sisting of sitting-room, bedroom. and what
| is known as 1.-The office,'' set apart for the
| q
clever, capable person, who has been
with Mrs. Vanderbilt number Of years,
and has control of the women domeStics,
| except the nurse and Mrs. Vanderbilts
1 own personal maid.
Mrs. Perkins looks after the great linen
| closet. She is the head of the laundry,
| every morning lnspects the bedroom,
| drawing-room and servants floor, man
| ages the maids In order and neatness
discharges ana engages them, and keeps
all the house accounts. Any domestic
| troubles are laid before her in the office:
hence the maids report to her every
morning; here she keeps her books, and
once week has a half hours interview
with Mrs. Vanderbilt.
| Mrs. Perkins always has her meals served
| in her own sitting-room, and in every
respect conducts herself as becomes the
well-trained English housek eeper she is.
| Under her direct control are the two
! laundresses, two cham ber maids and two
parlor maids. who know that they must
not only obey Mrs. Perkins, but must
have a care for the keen eyes of Mrs
| Vanderbilt, who never corrects or for
! gives twice.
She began her married life with but
one maid of all work, in a small home,
and knows by experience just how house
work ought to be done. What is known
| as Mrs. Vanderbilps floor, consisting of
| the bedroom, bathroom and morning
room, the mistress occupies herself.
Over these and little Gladys nursery she
| has full charge, quite to the exclusion of
| Mrs. Perkins.
Her own maid Mrs. Vanderbilt changes
many times, for constantly travelling she
requires the services of a woman who
can stand sea voyages with equanimity,
! knows the life OF hotels and the art of
hasty packing. So during the winter
| there is usually French maid employed
| n irlrr hnr rfNla
| is taken by capable English woman,
who understands the ways of the world
| over the water.
From the standpoint of the servant
| Mrs. Vanderbilt is regarded as a mis-
tress whose faults and virtues are equally
| balanced. She is usually severe but
very generous. She pays handsome
wages and her gifts at Christmas always
| come i'll the form of a goodly check. On
her private Car her maid has the incest
quarters, in the hotel she is put up in
quite luxurious fashion, and in the for
J eign cities Mrs Vanderbilt gives her
maid So or $40 extra ito buy souvenirs
| with" as she explains.
No maid must ever appear before her
| in other than black gown, severely sim
pie, and an immaculate apron. She ex-
acts that her children be always most
| courteous to the servants.
Every week for three days the clever
sewing woman helps go over her own
and her daughters wardrobes; profess
sional packer comes 10 prepare the bag
gage when journey must be under
taken, and Mrs. Vanderbilt is an ideal
traveller. One steamer trunk and a toilet
satchel is all the baggage she admits on a
sea voyage, and she never leaves home
unattended by courier or capable trav-
cling valet.
-Four meals are served in the long base
ment dining-room. A great gong rings
for breakfast, luncheon, tea and dinner,
and no hotel in New York serves such
ample, wholesome and tempting meals
as the white capped chef prepares and the
scullery maid serves on the broad table
with its nice appointments OF linen, glass,
silver and china.
Round the table gather the butler at the
head, the house footman, the men who
are called engineers, and look to the care
| of the cellar and the heating of the house
and conservatory, two electric light men,
the chefs, his boy and the scullery maid
the head laundress and her assistant two
ladies' maids, one for Mrs. Vanderbilt
and one fer her young lady daughter,
Gertrude, the nurse for little Gladys, Mr.
| Nanderbilts valet, two cham bermaids
two housemalds, a charwoman and sew
ing woman.
To Mr.. Vanderbilt falls the duty of
managing the men servants in the house
and stables. He is quite as exacting as
his wife, but always kindly c0nSderate
and pays high wages. He follows the
family rule OF never placating or arguing
with domestic. Good wages are given,
the work is never hard, and tile hours are
easy; therefore no grumbling or quarrels
are countenanced by the heads of the
house. Mr.. Vanderbilt is great sticlkler
for respect from his servants, also inn
maculate neatness in their dress. Each
hour of the day and evening is portioned
out for every employe. When great
dinner party is on hand an assistant chef
comes to the kitchen, and two more foot
men are supplied the butler.
Four weeks before the city home is
closed for the summer Mrs. Vanderb bilt
orders the reign of general cleaning, and
every week one of the floors is put in per-
iect order. Then it is Mrs. Perkins must
keep account of the corps of workmen
who are sent up from the picture dealers,
upholsterers, paperhangers and decorat-
ors, for by experts only are the carpets,
hangings, pictures, furniture, bric-a- brac,
china. glass, books and a precious collec-
ton OF antiques taken down, cleaned,
freshened and covered.
To the economical housek keeper, per-
haps, all this may sound like the most
wicked extravaganza, and yet the huge
house on the corner of Fifth avenue and
Fifty-eighth street could not be carried
on IN good order with fewer hands, and a
| stroll thrOupIT the great rooms suitas op