The times., 1897-09-05


Yonge's business IS, not that OF mere
agent for renting fcerta.n few flats;
tnc object Of her enterprise is to find su!ta-
bIe flats for all sorts aud conditions Of
womanklnd TO climb stairs for the weak;
furnish facts 10 the stranger, make busi-
ness arrangements for The stupld-in TACT
convert herself into an encyclopedia OF
knowledge concerning every apartment dis
trict IN the city-aud 50 far she has found
a hos, of applicants more than willing TO
pay wen for the time and labor saved,
and for he satisfaction of a business trans
action accomplished without wear and
tear on either shoe leather or gray mat
ter.
The business equipmeat required for fiat
or house hunter IN an yeti yor town ismerely
q months rent in advance for a room in
fairly convenient locality, a few pieces OF
the simplest office furniture, and a gen
eral knowledge of the relative value OF
locations In a city from a residential point
of view.
Mr.. YOnge firstinvested in map Of the
city, on which she outlined every flat
for she makes II speciality offlat rather than
house-huntlng which for any reason she
would wish TO recommend.
She then proceeded TO so familiarize her
self with her subject that she could at a
glance point out the $40 flat OF the $50
flat, and give the reasons for the variations
in rents. She knows the location OF flats
where there are sunshine and fresh air in
every room, and remembers it when the
woman who is willing to pay almost any
sum for sunlight for her sick babies, en-
ploys her services; and the flat with no sun
shine, and air that drifts in through narrow
shafts, shereseryes for the woman who must
have cheap shelter, regardless of disad-
vantages, and who has no time to waste
| looking about.
Mrs. Yonge studies her flats as Wall
| street broker does his stock. If GER
| tain flat is cheap she knows the exact
reason; whether tits because OF the distance
| from the L" station, serious disad-
vantage to business woman; whether i5
| is the lack OF good air, matter for the
| invalid &c consider whether it is ques tion
! of good or bad neighborhood, which the
working girl thinks most important, OF
! whether it is the lack of modern i'm
| provements, which is fatal to the delicate
woman WHO wishes to save herself extra
steps.
She is prepared to tell the business
| woman that II She wishes to get near an
L. station she will be compelled TO pay
| certain extra sum of money, and she can
save the delicate woman hours of knocking
| about and of stair climbing by the infor-
| nation that she cannot get modern CON
veniences for less than given amount
! all of which facts she is able to verify
| in her books.
| Take, for instance, the experience of d
| " estern woman Who recently came to New
York to live. and wished to pay $50 for
a flat. For two weeks she searched high
| and low, from garret to cellar she follow ed
| up ailurng advertisements, and climbed
| up dozens OF flights of stairs in pursuit of
| tie ingratiating suite of the soulless janitor
East and west, north and south, from
| Riverside to Avenue A she Travelled, losing
heart, patience and money.
Finally she heard of the lat-huntlng
bureau, and in less than an hour flat
was found that was thoroughly satisfac
tory. It was, to be sure, five blocks from
an e. station; but the work of the West
ern woman did not take her down towI
more than twice ii eek. IL was lii q
healthy locality, and the rent was low be
cause of its Inconvenience.
1T is not merely in the out-oftown
woman that the professional flat nunte
finds her reward and her revenue" sait
Mrs. Yonge recently. Women WHIP have
lived in New York all their lives, but ar,
busy and whose time is money, are very
glad to have a chance of finding d flat just
suitedsto their ne eds, in a half hour instea'
| OF the customary weeg's knocking arount