New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-01
THE JANITRESS HAS WOES.
STILL THE JANITORs PROTECTIVE AS
ISOLATION HAS NO WOMEN MEMBERS.
MEN OBJECT TO THE WOMEN LABoRERs WHO
GIVE THEIR SERVICES IN RETURN
FOR A HOME.

The Janitors' Protective Association has no wom-
en- among its members. Here, as elsewhere among
associations for the improvement OF the CONDITION
OF the working classes. the women 40 not iehu
themselves TO organization. No one knows eA-
actly why this is Even Alice Woodbridge VINO
knows more about the beneh, Of unions than any
one doesn't know. All anybody knows Is that the
working woman Is so busy earning crusts for hun
cry babies that she has no time to listen. IL or
ganizations will not put extra crusts imIsdiaAeV
into the cupboard then she has no time TO Or
game That's the way il Is with tho )aIiuess'
Time never hangs heavily on her hands SIZE gen
orally wears a gown belted In with string. and
she hardly has time 20 dress her hair THOSE,
at least were the kinds The Tribune reporter
found in a round Of pleasurable interviews In
search Of information about the grievances OF the
janitress. They had few grievances. but they
didn't know about the organization for improving
their condition. They are cautious, ana "eNe'e
In leaving well enough alone.
The East and West Side OF town are full OF
apartment houses rf,e better class or tene-
ments presided over by the jantress the nrst
one interviewed the keeper OF an East Side
apartment house She polishing the bells anu
other brasses whose seductive brllance offers suca
willy Inducements TO the unwary hat-hunter Inc
drops of moisture supernduced by honest toll
we're coursing down her face, and she mopped them
away as she considered the question OF her pro-
fessional grievances.
THE landlord Is very good, indeed, ma am no
does anything the tenants ask him. The tenantsv
No trouble at ALL ma'am. Every morning NJ
o'clock take down the garbage and ashes. ana
twice a week sweep the halls
A HOME AND FIVE DOLLARS.
.How much do you earn?" was asked.
II ge, IS a month and my house rent. You see
my husband works and ! do the little that Is re-
auired here because have nothing else to do.
The house bore the appearance of receiving very
Indifferent attention. While she talked the brtss
polish dried and then as she fell to rubbing the
metal she said she hadn't nedrd anything II "'
about a janitors' society
The second janitress interviewed said she re-
ceived her house rent and fuel and 81 per month
for gas In addition 10 SIS per month In the sum
ner and s25 per month in the winter for her ser
vices my husband is delicate" said she, as shs
called a pale, elderly man 10 come ana carry away
pail OF scrubbng water she mad been applying
70 the poished wood floor, land Is not able 10
work only to do little odd Jobs about the place.
like mendng pipe or putting In pane Oh saas, =
couldn't afford TO work for less money. Why'
bless my soul, could go out to work by the DAY
| and earn my house rent and what get mere 'oo'
| and then not work all of the time. The tenants
never give me any trouble as long as / do my
work well. and the landlord pays me to do that 80
there is no trouble. =. ,, a, tho
Nnetieth-st She said she took care OF the place
I
ont Of work and the basement she occupied was
damp and was worth about s. rental per H, .9
| The apartments in the house rented IIvIh - III III
40 per month She said the agents could get al
the people they wanted to take care oil houses 'u''
for the rent of the basement
THE GREATEST GRIEVANCE.
These people who work for nothing are the
greatest grievance Of the Janitors Assoc'a''o'
Tbis a, least was the verdict Of a male autocrat
Of an apartment-house in Central Park West
Yes" he said, he lighted cigar. Jahn'o'S
| have troubles OF their own. When tenant gets
behind in rent he tries 10 ma some iauit WIN
something In order to break his lease lie Is sufs
scme Other tenant isn't respectable, or the Jah'or
! doesn't keep things clean. or the place lsht kept
! warm enough. or there Is sewer gas IN the P'dee'
| mr. some one steals his coal, or the basement Is
! damn or heaven knows what ana then ne cohi-
| mains pay no attention TO him. tenants can
| nbase me He complains TO the agent IL Keep
the fats rented and he money comes in all right
| the agent doesn't kick about my methods SO ! let
! the tenants rage. -.
.The principal grievance OF the janitor Is ABOUT
the people who work for nothing. he continued.
"These give iani,ors a bad name, The agent must
ray for work II he wants IT well dohss. IN f,sl
! PER month and my mouse rent VIII" M ''' "
when tenants look at fats, IL they would inquire
about how much the jan3r gets tOr ,'o much dis
comfort and sometimes the expense OF one iosa,.e
II does no coed to rail at the ]anitor lou car a.
get good janor service for ho's sni H. go a.
There a man takes a position as jantor and then
Soes to his work and leaves his wife TO attend te
The work that he agrees 10 DO ..,. .,.,
So the janitress is the bone OF coh'eh"o" "i'e'
all