The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-05
MRS. vANDERB1LTs SERVANTS.
She Keeps Thirty-Three in Her New
Palace.
[From the st. Lois Republic,l

Palace.
From the st. Lois Republicl
Excepting the White House, in and
about which large corps of servants
are employed, the Cornelius Vanderbilts,
in their great New York house, recently
city square, require the constant attend
ance OF larger number of domestics
than any householder in this 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 cheerful, commodiouS
basement dining room. They live in the
house, and in the summer are either put
on board wages or, if the Newport estab-
hshment is opened, are transferred there,
along with some half 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 regular ser
wants, brings the list of steady wage
earners in Mr.. Vanderbilt's private en-
ploy up to the number of thirty-three.
Now, there isn't a houSemald, butler,
valet, or stable boy who does not feel
HIM or herself in great luck to secure a
under that roof means handsome wages,
the most luxurious living and pleasant
work. Nobody is ever asked to bear
more than just share of the daily Ia
borS.
On the top floor of the house are the
servants quarters. There is a nice suite
consisting of sittingroom, and what is
known as "the Office set aside for the
housekeeper, Mrs. Perkins. She is
clever, capable person, who has been
with Mrs. Vanderbilt a number Of years,
and has control of all the women domes-
tics, except the nurse and Mrs. Wander
bits own personal maid. Mrs Perkins
looks after the great linen closet. She is
the head of the laundry; every morning
1nSpectS the bed rooms, drawing rooms
and servants floor, manages the maids
in order and eatness, discharges and en-
cages them, and keeps all the house ac
counts. Any domestic troubles are laid
gefore her in the office; here the maids
report to her every morning; here she
keeps her books, and once a week has
half hours interview with Mrs. Wander
bilt.
Mrs. Perkins always has her meals
served in her own sitting room and in
every respect conducts herself as be-
comes the well trained English house
keeper she is. The two laundresses, two
chambermaids and two parlor maids
know that they must not only obey Mrs
Perkins, but also have care. for the
corrects or forgives twice. She began
her married life with but one maid-of-all-
work in a small home and knows by eX-
act experience just how homework ought
to be done.
What is known as Mrs. Vanderbilts
floor conslts of the bed room, bath room
and morning room the mistress occupies
herself, and 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 re-
quires the services of a woman who can
stand sea, voyages with eduanim1ty,
knows the life of hotels and the art of
hasty packing. So during the winter
there is usually French maid employed
and at the beginning of spring her place
is taken by a capable English woman,
who understands the ways of the world
over the water.
From the STANDPOINT of a servant Mrs.
Vanderbilt Is regarded as a mistress
whose faults and virtues are equally bal
anced She is usually severe, but very
generous. She pays handsome wages,