Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-11-06
PoRreRs' NEW TRICK.
Convey Information by Marks on the
baggage Of Travellers.

baggage Of Travellers.
The hotel porters of Europe have
new trick. which may explain to Ger.
tain travellers why they were not re.
ceived as cordially and treated with
rs much attention mt some Of the hO.
tells Us other guests. The pOrters mark
your baggage with certain hIerOglyph.
les, as tramps are said to chalk the
gateposts along the village road to In.
form other gentlemen of misfortune
where fierce dogs are kept, where the
cook Is sympathetic and hOspitablc
and where they can find comfortable
lodgings In the barn. The hieroglyph.
les which the porters place upon
trunk are intended to indicate to the
members Of their profession at other
hotels the disposition Of the traveller as
to fees. II you are stingy they learn
the fact before they have expended
any energy in making you comfortable
and happy. II you are generous they
know that their services will be llber.
ally rewarded and pay you special Mt.
tention. The fee system Is becoming
serious to American travellers because
our fell0w.cltizens have been so lavish
In distributing their favors that the
employees Of hotels and railway sta.
tl0ns expect more from Americans
than from Europeans.
1t Is always an advantage to stand
well with the porter Of hotel. lie Is
not the man who handles the baggage,
but Is usually fine.looking gentleman
In uniform as gorgeous as that Of q
French major general. HIS Is always
mt the front door and carries around In
his head an encyclopedia Of informa.
tion concerning every point on which
a traveller can possibly question him.
He speaks several languages and
knows the nationality Of a guest before
he crosses the threshold. The most re.
markable porter I ever knew Is en-.
ployed at the Slavinski Bazaar hotel at
Moscow. and although people from oil
the corners Of the earth 60 there and
stop at that place 1t Il said that he ID
able to address every man in his own
language. He can speak oil the dia'
lects Of Europe, Asia and Africa and
knows everything that any person cur
possibly want to know.
As a rule the servants In European
hotels receive no wages. They IRE fur
nished their food and often their lOdg
ings. but depend entirely upon the
gratuities from the guests for cOnpen'
satiOn. The walters union In Paris re-
Gently attempted to secure the abOli'
ton Of fees, not for the benefit Of trav.
elers, however, but for their own nd.
vantage, because they want to compel
their employers to pay them fixed
wages; but their plan will not succeed
and the patrons Of hotels and res
taurants will be required In the future
rs In the past to pay the wages Of the
servants who wait upon them, al
though attendance" Is usually chnrg
cd In the bill. European travellers
calculate the fees as accurately as the
interest upon loan, but 1t Is n system
which an American can never acquire
lie first puts his hand into his poke,
and takes out the first coin he finds
without regard to the value Of the ser
vice he Is paying for.
II a European spends n week In n no
tel he gives the porter 5 francs-$1. Il
he stays month he usually pays a
the same rate. II he stays only day
at the same rate. II he stays only
n day lie pays 1 frame. The heat
waiter receives the same amount. Th'
waiter who brings up coffee and roll
In the morning Is entitled to 3 francs
a week, the chambermaid francs ani
the porter who cleans the boots
franc. with a few centlmes extra II
case you have heavy baggage to han
die. None of these fees Is paid unit
you leave the house unless you are ,
regular bOarder, when you are expect
ed to distribute this amount of money
every week when you pay your bill n
the desk.
This Is very much better than tn
lack of system which prevails In tn
United States, where hotel guests hav
the same person to wait upon then
twice. and are expected to pay fee I,
somebody every time a service Is rem
red.--ChicagO Record.