Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-04-06
RUNNING SKYSCRAPERS.
DETAILS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
OF BIG OFFICE BUILDINGS.

The man in general charge of big
New York Office building to-day is a
good deal in the position of the man
ager OF director of mercantile bust
ness of several departments. His Office
is the objective Of thousand calls,
personal, by telephone or by other
methods OF communication; calls for
information, of complaint, of sugges-
ton. The routine work is of infinite
complication. On his part the man
ager attends to the work Of supplying
the requirements of his big business
family, forestalling complaints, seeing
that insurance and sanitary regulations
are carried out and bringing the whole
enterprise to the state of highest eff
cheney. His tenants would populate
O large village, numbering perhaps
from 1900 to 1000 in q building hay
ing some $50 ofices-and there are at
least three or four buildings in New
York with man, more offices than that
number-and the elevators carrying
from 1000 to 10000 passengers, or
possibly more, in day. In some
buildings there is population of 100
on floor.
To care for building accommo-
dating all these people requires the
services of more than fifty men and
women regularly employed. In one
building, which may be taken as a
type, there are twenty women en-
ployed as cleaners, half a dozen
porters, half as many watchmen,
dozen elevator men, an electrician,
three engineers, three fremen, two
oilers, general utility man and
doorman, besides the janitor (who is
in some buildings now called the fore
man, the name janitor not being in
favor), superintendent and an agent
and the agents clerical staff. The
women do not wash the windows.
That work is done by the porters. The
women come to work twice q day.
About o'clock in the afternoon they
begin on the halls, sweeping and
scrubbing, and rs soon as the offices
are vacnted they sweep and clean
them. This work is usually finished
about O'Clock, one woman working
on a floor. None is allowed to go to
any other story than the one in which
she is to work, unless by special per-
mission. At o'clock in the morning
the women come again, and, the dust
having settled during the night, they
do the dusting and polishing then, so
that everything is clean and fresh
when the tenants come to business.
This is done daily.
In the building taken as type the
six porters wash all the windows,
outside and inside, once O week.
Although in this country it is not
compulsory-so it is said-to have
servants engaged in washing the out
side of high windows protected by
safety apparatus, the administration
of this building insists upon it.
Every outside window has at either
side an attachment to which belt
shat the porter wears may be affixed.
Connection is made at one side before
he goes out, and then the other side
is coupled on. The apparatus is
gagged to hold 800 pounds weight at
one side alone, but the other is con-
nected as an especial precaution.
Men get careless, even at window
washing up above the altitude of
TrinitY's spire, and sometimes refuse
to bother with the safety appliances,
and the superintendent says that he
has been compelled to discharge
porters who simply wouldn't use the
apparatus provided for their own
safety, merely because of the slight
trouble involved in attaching it.
To supply the energy for the opera
ton of the electric lights and the ele-
vator 750 horse power plant is re-
auired, and the engine room of the
building Is one of its most interesting
features. 1t is so clean that there is
no reason why any one not at work
on the machinery should soil his
clothing while there. The power
plant is kept working throughout the
twenty-four hours. On an average
1900 electric lights are in use every
day, and on dark days the number in
creases to 5000 or $500. About $500
electric bulbs are used up in year.
From eight to twelve tons of coal a
day is consumed. One elevatoris run
by regular conductor until midnight,
and throughout the night car is in
service, watchman operating it after
the regular attendant goes home.
There are tenants VINO use their offices
until midnight frequently, and near
the beginning and end of some months
somo OF the Offices are occupied all
night.
Down in the engine room there is a
set OF complicated machinery for each
car, besides an air compressor for the
apparatus which enables the conduc-
tor to open the door by stepping on
button in the floor of the car, and
special pump for hosting safes by
means OF one of the cars. This car is
practically converted into hydraulic
jack. There is pump especially for
the fire service of the building, and
the pressure is always on in the stan
dard department hose on each floor;
all that is necessary is for person to
take down the hose and open the valve
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