The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-07
SONS OE ANANIAS
Procuring Tenants for 6ky-Scrap-
ing Office Buildings.
Evolution OF . Race Of Expert and Fluent
Liars Who Get Good Pay for
Their E50rts-How They
Operate in Chicago.

|
Getting tenants for sky scrapers has
become an important profession. The
only professors of this kind live in Chi
cago, says the Post of that city. and
this is their harvest time. They are
working day and night. some of them
| earning fees that would please the
| biggest lawyer or doctor in town, while
others are wearing out their last pairs
of shoes. It is in some respects tickle
profession, for keeping everlastingly
at it does not always bring success.
Luck has good deal to do with it, and
what is still worse, lying has also
Some Of the most prodigious liars in
Chicago are remarkably successful in
this new field They are really pro-
fessional liars, but it should be added
that they are frowned upon by the
legitimates and regarded as quacks
and interlopersgwho ought to be doing
something else.i
To do the qrsacks justice it must be
explained there is neither school nor
college in this town that issues diplo-
one man has just as good right to prac-
tice as another, if'not great deal bet
ter Probably the only difference be-
tween a quack and regular is that
the former dependsentirely on his abil-
ity as a liar to get along, while the
latter relies on his acquaintance with
men who inha,bft .the tall Office build
ings.
The professional tenant getter is q
recent product, who belongs essential
~ to the tall-building era. He is gen
orally well-dEessed young man, up
to date In every way and, with
good presence. His training is &C.
CURED In real estate Offices. About
this season of thetyear, when tenants
of Office buildings are either looking
about for more desirable Offices or re-
newing theirleas.as for the old ones.
the professor starts ont. The first
thing he does is togo to the agent for
a big building and'have anunderstand-
ing about his commission Heinforms
the agent that one of his friends is
not satisfied with his present location
and will probably make,a change. II
suppose yon will allow the usual com
mission,ifI bring him around and get
him to signs lease" he adds. The
agent saySheSwill for he is after ten
ants, and 'itamakes no difference to
him who brings them around The
commissions: range from twenty-five
dollars up, according to the number
of rooms taken, several hundred dol
lars being, a common fee where a ten
ant takes q choice suite or'makes a
long'lease. After, getting the promise
of accumulation the professor starts
out.
He maysreany have heard of a firm
that intends changing its location,
but in the majority of cases he has
not and Eoes forth to hunt a man who
wants to move. He goes into, tall
building, begins at the bottom and
works up,to the top, stopping in every
Office and explaining that he has q
number of.choice suites in the newest
sky-sccapeE
Pardon me-" he begins, after be-
ing shown into the private Office of the
head of the firm, but learned from
a friend of yours that you are dissatis
fed with your present location and
think of changing. l represent the
Wayup building and would be pleased
to show you floor plans. We furnish
lights and janitor service free. and
our rates are away below your terms
here
In nine, cases out of ten this is bold
bluff, but it, interests the tenant just
the same.
WHO, told you 1 was dissatisfied"
he asks.
well, I don't like to give you his
name, but it was friend of yours, and
he asked me to come around and see
you"
The floor plans are out by this time,
and the professoo' goes on to explain
the advantages of his building. He ex-
plains its location with reference to
the car lines, and, if he is talking to
railway supply man, for instance,
gives the names of purchasers OF that
class of goods who are in the build
ing. Sometimes he, succeeds in MAX
ing a tenant dissatisfied. ard finally
gets him, but it very frequently hap
pens that he is politely ordeied to get
out.
People'in the big buildings are get
ting to know the tenant-geteers and to
give them cold reception. The other
day one of them entered the Office of
lawyer on the eighth floor of the Rock
ery and made his little speech about
having heard the tenant was dissatis-
fed.
.'Is that SOP" the lawyer answered.
Now, who told you l was siclrof this
building?"
Zone of your friends whom I met At
the club yesterday"
Well, you tell him that he isgmis-
taken. Six weeks ago l signed a new
lease for Ave years"
Children Cry for
Pitchers Casfoyia-