The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-29
THE VANDERBILT HOUSEHOLD.
Int eresting Description gifts Domes-
tic Economy

Excepting the white house Cornelius
Nanderbilt's great New York house, re
Gently enlarged 10 occupy one whole side
Of city square, requires the constant
attendance Of a larger number of domes-
tics than any dwelling in this country.
In the winter season, when MIR. and
Mrs Vanderbilt are at home and enter
tanning, y servants sit down to meals in
their own commodiOUs, cheerful base
ment dining room. They live in the house
and IN summer are either put on board
wages or, if the Newport establishment
Is opened, are taken there along with
some half dozen men from the priuate
stables. These men, who do not live in
! the house, and who. with the three for
lists and one plumber, are known as the
outside help by the regular servants,
| brings the list of steady wage-earners in
Mir. NanderbIIt's private employ up to
the nun ber of 33.
Now, there isn't housemaid, butler,
valet or stable boy who does not feel him
self or herself in luck TO secure a place
with the Nanderbilts. Employment un-
der that roof means handsome wages,
luxurious living aud pleasant work. No
! body IS asked to bear more than share
of the daily labors
| On the top floor of the house are the
| servants quarters There is a nice suite
consisting of sitting room. bedroom and
! what Is known as the Office, set aside
| for the housekeeper Mrs. Perkins. She
! has been with Mrs. Vanderbilt number
! OF years, and has control of the women
| domestiCs, except the nurse and Mrs
! Nanderbllts own personal maid Mrs.
! Perkins looks after the great linen
closet She is the head of the
laundry; every morning inspects the
, bedroom, drawing room and servants
| floor, manages the maids, discha rges and
engages them and keeps all the house &C
counts. Any domestic troubles are laid
before her in the Office; here the maids
report to her every morning; here she
| keeps her books, and once a week has a
half-hour's interview with Mrs Wander
,bilt. Mrs. Perkins always has her meals
served in her own sitting room, and con
| ducts herself as becomes the well-trained
English housekeeper she is. Under her
! direct control are two laundresses, two
chambermaids and two parlormaids, who
| know that they must not only obey Mrs.
| Perkins, but also have care for the keen
eyes of Mrs. Vanderbilt, who never cor
reefs or forgives twice.
What is known as Mrs Vander6ilt's
+ floor consists of the bedroom. bathroom
and morning room, which the mistress
! occupies herself and over these and little
| Gladys nursery she takes 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
usually a French maid is employed, and
at the beginning of spring her place is
taken by a capable English woman, y no
| understands the ways of the world over
the water.
From the point of view of the servant
Mrs. Vanderbilt is regarded as a mis-
tress whose faults and virtues are even
| ly balanced. She is usually severe but
very generous. She pays handsome
wages, and her gifts at Christmas always
tcome in the form of 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 foreign
cities Mrs. Vanderbilt gives her maid a
s. or SlO-bill extra, "to buy souvenirs
with as she explains.
No maid must ever appear before hei
in other than black gown, severely sim
pie, and Immaculate apron. She exact:
that her children must always be courte
Gus to the servants. Every week fol
three DAYS the sewing woman helps to &c
over her own and her daughter ward
robe. A professional packer comes TO
prepare the baggage when a Journey must
be undertaken Mrs Vanderbilt is a good
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, breakfast, luncheon, tea
and dinner are served in the long base
ment diuingroom. Round the table gather
the butler at the heaI, the house footman
the men who are called engineers ano
look to the care of the cellar and heating
OF the house and conservatory, two cleo
trio light men, the chief, his boy and the
3cullery maid the head laundress and
her assistant. two ladies' maids. one for
| Mrs. Vanderbilt and one for her daughter
Gertrude. the nurse for little Gladys, MIR
Vanderbilt's valet, two chambermaids
two hOrsemaids, 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, considerable
and pays high wages. He follows the
family rule of never placating or arguing
with a domestic. Good wages are given
the work is never hard and the hours arc
easy therefore no grumbling or quarrelS
are countenanced by the heads OF the
! house. Mr. Vanderbilt is great sticklel
for respect from mis- servants, also immac
ulate neatncss in their dress. Each hour
of the day and evening is portioned out
for every employe. When a great dinner
party is on hand an assistant chef comes
10 the Kitchen and two more footmen are
supplied to the butler.
Four weeks before the city home is
closed for the summer Mrs. Vanderbilt
orders the reign of general cleaning, and
every week one of the floors is put in per
feet order. Then Mrs. Perkins must Keep
account of a corps of workmen who are
sent up from the picture dealers. up
holsterers, paper-hangers and decorators
for by experts only are the carpets, hang
ings, pictures, furniture, bric-a-b rac,
china, glass, books and precious collec-
ton of antiques. taken down, cleaned
freshened and covered
TO the economical nousekeeper all this
may sound like wicked extravaganza
and yet the huge house on the corner OF
Fifth avenue and Fifty-eighth street
could hardly be carried on in good order
| with fewer hands, and a stroll through
the great rooms, suite on suite, proves
that only genius could preserve them
! in IS perfect condition with less help. In
size and decoration, as well as in the
mum Der of servants, this house APP
proaches nearer TO the ordering Of a
European palace than any on this side of
/ the Atlantic.
LEMON ELIXIR.