The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-06-14
A NEW PROFESSION.
Procuring Tenants for Sky-Scrap.
ing Office Buildings.
Evolution OF Race OF Expert and Tluent
Liars Who Get Good Pay for
Their EfIorts-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. 1t is in some respects tickle
profession, for keeping cverlastingly
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 interlopers who ought to be doing
something else.
To do the quacks justice it must be
explained there is neither school nor
college in this town that issues diplo-
mas to recognized professors and hence
one man has just as good right to prac-
tice as another, If not great deal bet
ter. Probably the only difference be-
tween quack and regular is that
the former depends entirely on his abil-
ity as a liar to get along, while the
latter relies on his acquaintance with
men who inhabit the tall Office build
ings.
The professional tenant getter is a
recent product, who belongs essential
~ to the tall-building era. He is gen
orally well-dressed young man, up
to date in every way and, with q
good presence. His training is &C
quired in real estate offices. About
this season Of the year, when tenants
of Office buildings are either looking
about for more desirable offices or re-
newing their leases for the old ones.
the professor starts out. The first
thing he does is to go to the agent for
q big building and have an understand
ing about his commission. Heinforms
the agent that one Of his friends is
not satisfied with his, present location
and will probably make q change. II
suppose yon will allow the usual COM
mission if bring him around and get
him to sign q lease" he adds. The
agent says he will for he is after ten
ants, and it makes no difference to
HIN who brings them around. The
commissions range from twenty five
dollars up, according to the number
of rooms taken, several hundred dol
lars being q common fee whore ten
ant takes a choice suite or makes
long lease. After getting the promise
Of commission the professor starts
ont. 49,
He may really have heard of firm
that intends changing It's location,
but in the majority OF cases he has
not and goes forth to hunt man who
wants to move. He goes into a tall
building, begins at the bottom and
works up to the top, stopping in every
Office and explaining that he has a
number of choice suites in the newest
sky:scraper.
'Pardon me-" he begins, after be-
ing shown into the private office OF the
head Of the firm, ''but learned from
friend of yours that you are dissatis-
fed with your present location and
think of changing. I 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 was dissatisfed?''
he asks.
"Wen, l 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 professor 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 a
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
inR q tenant dissatisfied, and finally
gets him, but it very frequently hap
pens that he is politely ordered to get
out.
People in the big buildings are get
ting to know the tenant-getters and to
rive them cold reception. The other
day one of them entered the Office OF
lawyer on the eighth floor of the Rock
cry and made his little speech about
having heard the tenant was dtssatis
fed.
lis that sop the lawyer answered
Nov, who told you was sick OF thi.
building?' Ea,
Zone of your friends whom met q
The club yesterday"
well, you tell him that he 10 mis-
taken. Six weeks ago I signed q new
lease for five years."
Tho Latest Slang Phrase.
State Senator Owens recently spoke
of an opponent as follows: THAT tel
low is no good; he wears rubbers." 4
reporter of the New York Sun has beer
inauiring about the meaning of thu
,oh.oeo Ho aSke6 a. well-knOwn DOl1