The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-17

former varied duties have been replaced by
the pneumatic tubes and the separate force
of walters on each floor Aside from show
ing guests and visitors to rooms, they are
kept busy by carrying the innumerablc or
ders which issue from the proprietor to
the various departments.
Cards, telegrams, letters, and messages
of that sort are sent to the various floors
from the Office by pneumatic tube men, Of
whom there are two employed during the
day and one at night The head bell boy is
busy at all times near the office desk standing
by the side of the man on duty at the bu-
reau of information, making a record of
the name and time of all callers and the
names of the persons called upon. The
office floor force consists further OF six
door boys, two footmen, four "buttons,
two telephone men, ten elevator boys, two
starters, all of whom are of course in uni
form, and three leisnrely looking ununi-
formed men who comprise the detective
force
The door boys open and close the en-
trance doors, the footmen open and close
carriage doors, the "buttons" whisk the
snow or dust off your coat, and at other
times stand around looking ornamental, the
elevator boys take you up to your hoor
when the starters have given them permis-
sion. The starters have more important
duty to perform, which is to watch the
stairway They act under positive instruc-
tions to permit no one to go up stairs with
out a written pass from the proprietor.
Mr.. Boldt does not regularly designate
any of his assistants to issue these passes,
naming one person for that purpose each
time he leaves the hotel Even with a
pass in his or her possession, a stranger
cannot go up stairs unless accompanied by
hotel servant in livery. The reason for
this rigid rule, and another rule which pro-
hibits the exit of any person with bundle
from the entrance near Fifth avenue lead
ing into the restaurant, is obvious
Outside the hotel doors, besides the foot
men, there are two carriage starters on duty
until o'clock at night, two pavement men,
who relieve Commissioner Andrews of the
work of the keeping the streets clean in
front of the hotel, and gardener who, be-
sides keeping trim the garden strip on
Fifth avenue, attends to the plants in the
garden cafe.
A very important parsonage not yet
mentioned is the head porter he has a
first | assistant and twelve baggage handlers
under him also four bootblacks and toilet
room men. and four messengers. These
messengers wear the hotel livery, but are
for the message service of the guests out
side of the hotel. That completes what
may be called the office force, concerned
with the work which comes Immediately
under the Office direction.
The housekeeper's department is next
most closely under the direction of the of.
fee The head housekeeper is a woman
who has two assistant housekeepers, one to
look after chambermaids, one to look after
the cleaners. There are thirty-six maids
eighteen cleaners, who are women, and six
men window cleaners. In addition to these
the housekeeper has under her direction
six furniture movers, an upholsterer and
his assistant, furniture repairer and his
assistant. In the housekeeper's linen room
there are two seamstresses and two girls
who check out clean linen in exchange for
soiled If head waiter wants a hundred
clean napkins, he can only get them in ex-
change for an equal number.
The laundry, which is also in the house.
keepers department, is run by chief and
one assistant, two machine men, and thirty
seven laundresses. The housekeeper's
force is completed by the four parlor maids
who decorate the reception rooms on the
lower floor.
With this enumeration is concluded the
employees who are directly controlled by
the proprietor and his personal staff. The
proprietor manages every other department
of the hotel through the man who seems
to be really his chief lieutenant, the stew
ard. The steward in turn has at least
dozen important departments under him.
There is then the steward, who is person
ally aided by one first assistant, one book
keeper, one receiving clerk, and two time
keepers. The timekeepers have mechan-
ical aids, because every employee in the
house, excepting the men employed in the
office, carries key with which when he
starts a mechanical contrivance keeps
record of his time.
The most important division controlled
by the steward is that which in turn is
under the direction of the chef. The chef
has under him six deputy chefs, each of
these being specialist, one for roasting,
one for sauces, one for vegetables, and so
forth. Each of these deputy chefs has
from two to three assistants, and there are
also employed in the kitchen proper four
men who do nothing but wash and scour
the pots and pans used by the cooks, and
two men who do nothing but wash the
marble floor of the kitchen. Directly under
the chef there are employed forty five men,
no women. In other rooms, not under
the chef, are pastry cook and two assist
ants, chief baker and an assistant, chief
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