Milford chronicle., 1895-06-21
THE AuTocRAT OF rae FLAT.
How the Naughty Janitor Ralses In Dou
BILE Ender Perq uisltes.

! Die EuueE EeE4 AoAlees
If statistics were obtainable on the sub
ject, it is reasonable TO believe that a fair
percentage OF the people in Chicago who
moved out OF one set Of flats into some
other the 1st Of May are wishing they had
the "old janitor" back again-that is to
say, the janitor Of tho fiat which they left.
For there are janitors and janitors.
| Nominally the proprietor Of the building
Is "boss" and responsible for its manage
ment, but practically the question as to
whether married life in a fiat Is q SUCCESS
OF a failure depends upon the functionary
with whom you come Immediately in con-
tact or upon whose good or I'll will It de-
ponds whether or not the lines Of your
household shall be laid in pleasant places
There are always little things to be done
or undone such as taking off door where
your wife wishes to hang a pOrtiere or
shifting the refrigerator from the Kitchen
to the back porch, making a new key or
repairing lock, turning on more heat in
the winter time, or seeing that the gar
bage Is removed promptly in summer By
the readiness with which he meets these
requirements his good standing as a jani-
tor is determined. II he neglects you, it
viii do no good In nine cases out Of ten to
bother tho landlord about it nor the land
lord S agent, because the interest Of both
in you practically Ceases-until May day
approaches again-when you have given
approved references and signed the lease.
If you do succeed in getting a hearing of
your complaint, from either the agent or
the landlord, the iAnitor can usually set up
oyerwork at the particular time you called
on him as an excuse for his failure to at
tend promptly to your requirements, and
as you have no means Of disproving his
statements you lose your case and your
last state Is worse than your first because
having taught you this wholesome lesson
on the folly Of rebellion, his misrule, so to
speak, is thereafter more rigorous than
ever.
There is only one way to secure satisfac-
tory service from the average janitor, and |
that is to fee him iudiciously. If your |
neighbor is less diplomatic than you are. |
his garbage may be left TO breed diph- |
iberia, which will be as dangerous to your /
premises as to his, but on the whole your |
position will be much more endurable /
than if the tip is neglected. The ianitor |
in this respect stands in much the same |
relation to the tenant that the sleeping car /
porter does TO the Traveller. He is expected /
to get tips when he is hired, and his COM
pensatiOn is fixed on this supposition He
is furnished a residence, usually in the
basement, for himself and family and re-
ceives a moderate salary. What he makes
beyond this he makes by his wits.
If he is shifty, there are various sources
Of revenue open to him. For one thing,
he is usually handy with tools and can do
odd jobs of repairing for the tenants II
keys beyond the allowance are wanted, he
makes them and gets 20 cents apiece for
them. Ono Of the first things he does is
to introduce himself to people who are
moving in and offer to get any service that
may be wanted for housekeeping or put
ting down carpets. II he is enterprising,
he includes servants for permanent posi-
lions for general homework and so con-
stitutes himself a kind Of employment
agency. From each of those who get work
of this sort he receives small commits
sion.
In the winter time II one of the tenants
wants cheerful CRATE Gre either for the
picturesque effect Of the thing or to sup
PIGMENT the heat furnished by the fireman
which, being supplied ON the syndicate
plan, is not suited to all tastes-the janitOr
can always let you have the coal, and he
charges a liberal advance on the current
market quotation. He is presumed to get
the coal from his own bin, but there is
that much of it comes from the
bins of tenants who have stocks of their
own. No matter how large tho demand
may be he is always equal to the emer-
gepcy.
When you get ready to move away, he
calls to express his regret at the fact and
adds that if you have not engaged a man
10 move you he has reliable one to rec
lmmend and can also send you equally
help for cleaning windows and
iacking down carpets in your new resi-
lence. So that, in the expressive phrase
If an eminent Kentucky editor, he catches
EN- comm, and he catches EN- gOin, and
70 manages, as a rule TO make good liv-
ng and lay by something for a rainy day
Tribune.