Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-14
The metropolitan Reforms,
HOTEL HELP LIVE WELL,
How the Large HOstelries Provide for
Their Armies of Employees.

How the Large HOstelries Provide for
Their Armies of Employees.
From the New York Herald.
After the modern hotel proprietor has
made all possible arrangements for the
comfort and care OF his guests he finds
himself confronted by the important prob
lem Of providing for the army Of help
which he must employ. A large hotel has
In Its service 40G persons. who must be fed.
and, In some cases. sheltered for the night
every day in the year. As the average
count of the house does not fall below
this figure. 1t will be seen that 1t requires
a great deal OF ingenuity and some clever
managing to provide for so many employees
without interfering in any way with the
comfort of those who pay literally for their
entertainment.
Arrangements are therefore made in first
class houses for two distinct and separate
establishments. The city hotels do not fur
nish sleeping accommodations for the ma
jority of the servants. who for the most
part reside outside OF the hotel. just as
factory hands or clerks in stores. and go
and come at regular hours. They must be
fed, however. and they are entitled to from
three to four meals a day, according to the
department in which they are employed. In
all the large hotels special cooks are hired
to prepare the food, the regular chefs hav-
ing all they can do to look after the meals
Of the guests.
At some hotels the entire service Of two
or three cooks md half a dozen helpers are
required for this purpose. The rooms in
which the help eat are usually located in
the basement, and, while they are severely
plain in their furnishings, they are always
extremely clean and we'll kept. The tables,
except those devoted to the lowest grade OF
help ar covered with white cloths, which
are not allowed to become filthy before
being changed.
There Is an erroneous popular impression
that hotel employees are fed upon the leav-
ings Of the guests. Food from the tables
goes directly into the swil barrel, without
exception Should more soup or meat or
vegetables be CO pked for the guests than 10
needed to supply their wants such food 10
given II the servants and not otherwise.
In no business establishment in this coun-
try are the lines between the several grades
Of employees SO sharply drawn as they are
in the hotels In houses Of the first class
there are four grades. The first includes
the officers who are divided into two
classes, the one including the office cashier.
head clerks, room clerks, the steward,
bookkeepcrs head waiter and housekeeper.
and the other the assistant steward. res
taurant cashiers, stenographers, telegraph
operate, chief electrician, chief engineer
and pantry girls.
The second grade takes in the mechanics.
and includes the carpenter, electricians. as
sistant engineers and receiving clerks. The
third grade includes the walters, chamber
maids porters and hall boys. The fourth
grade is made up OF the fremen, laun-
dresses, yardm"n, scrubbers, dish washers
and scullions. The bakers eat at table
suread in the bak. shop and the cooks at Q
table set for them In the kitchen.