The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
GIANT House CLEANING
1t Costs Time and Money to Keep
Big Buildings in Trim.
Some of Them Require an Army OF
Servitors, All of Whom Must he
ers Must He Sober and Clock
Winders Punctuai to the Second.

Possibly the very best housekeepers Of
this year of grace 1900. are the men who
look after the monster skyscrapers. OF
course, they are not called housekeepers.
but suDeriuteudents-al the 5ame. they
have, and need to have. at their finger
tips and their tongues end every intimate
detail of cleanliness.
For they control an army OF servitors.
big enough for royal castle. In really
big buildings the number runs between
fifty and a hundred. If there are fifty.
perhaps twenty will be women-the bucket
and mop brigade. There is a special TN
foreground room for the mops, buckets. dust
brushes. whisk brooms. wioing cloths,
securing feathers, and so on. Everything
is kept in orderly array there. and what
ever goes out must be duly fetched in
The women begin work at 4 O'Clock in
the morning. By 5, or little after. they
have all the floors clean in the long corri-
doris. the stairs looked after. the closets
scrubbed, the woodwork and window si.ls
immaculate of dust. Then they troop
away, to reappear at ) O'Clock in the after
noon, with brooms. dust pans. brushes
and cloths Most OF the Offices are by this
time vacant. The superintendent pass
key opens them aud the sweepers fall
to work. But before they go far the waste
paper boys come to empty waste baskets
into wheeled cars, which convey the days
accumulation TO the freight elevator, and
thence to the basement.
Since all the really big buildings have
their own electric plants, it follows that
the care of electric lights is part Of the
housekeeping. The women do not touch
them, however, that is left to the men of
motors and dynamos. some of whom move
swiftly from office to office, inspecting
every light and remedying visible defects.
It is much the same with the distilling
plant which supplies tenants their drink
ing water. The distillers look after pipes
and pressures, though usually only when
there is complaint of something wrong.
Men also do the window cleaning-men
specially selected for thoroughness. So
briefly, and agile strength. 1t is not ev-
cry man who can clean windows hundred
feet in air, even with the safety belt.
without which no man is permitted to at
tempt it. The belt is OF the very best
and toughest sole leather. about three
inches broad, and furnished at each side
with a looped strap, which slips over a
metal finger built into the window casing.
The man wearing it can safely lean his
whole weight against t. He viii be wise
enough to look up, not down, while he
works. There is a story OF one man who
looked down. tainted dead away and hung
limp and corpse-liSe in the window until
rescued by his fellows.
On the face OF things, the window clean
ing companies that figure so largely in
keeping clear commercial plate glass
should be a boon to the skyscrapers. But
such is not the case. Skyscraper house
keeping needs must take account of two
things-the weather and the whim or con-
venience OF lis tenants. If a company
cleaned its windows it would be at set
times and seasoEs-aud pretty generally
within the eight hours Of general work.
from nine to five. It's own men work late
and early, so as not 10 incOmmode those in
the offices. and besides have regard to
clouds and wind ard weather They are
not required. however, to do more than a
days work and never allowed to expose
themselves to weather unduly severe.
The clock winding company. contrary
wise. is a delight. and relief. 1t under
takes for so much a month to keep any
clcck. great or small. wound. and in such
repair that it shall not vary by more than
half minute either way. from exact.
time. II began by attending to the very
big clocks. like those in church spires. and
upon public buildings ard has gradually
extended its scope until now it will even
look after the watch in your pocket, IL
need be 1t has curious record books, and
route maps showing clocks to be wound.
when. where. of what make. and how often.
At first It had just two employees. Now
clock winding is a recognized business.