New-York tribune., 1900-08-01
mo MONEY IN BOARDERS. +"
THEIR DEMANDS ARE EXORBTTANT.
SAYS THE MISTRESS OF A LARGE
EST ARIISHMFNT

L IS doubtless because Of the fact that boarding
houses 90 not lend themselves 70 trust that there
is less money in them the more popular they be
come. There Is certainly a wall going up from
The boarding house keepers OF this city. The wall
conprehen6s the complaint that people expect too
much FOR their money and that unless 4 new
standard of prices for board is declared the
boarding house keepers must go out Of business
O. eventually be put out by their creditors.
OF course. there are two points Of view from
which 70 regard the boarding house one the stand
point q the proprietor who is in the business for
living. and the other that OF the boarder who
asserts that Il Is cheaper 70 board than It IS 70
keep house But as the former complains that
there IS money IN the business and the latter
comedies rat the expense Of housekeeping is
greater than boarding. IL looks though the
boarders are in possession OF the long end OF the
rope
Boarding house keepers have got 70 wake up"
Fsic one Of the craft who has maintained a first
class house il the residence district between Tweu-
ty-third and Thirty-third sts for number ~
years We have not kept pace IN our prices with
the increase IN rents and IN the
charged for supplies For example day board IS
really worth s. week Il I set such table as will
SUIT NY guests But cannot get that price and
there are many that give board for s. do not
know how they do Il Six dollars Is the general rate
this vicinity there Is no money in the "a be
a. thai price People apt think that be-
cause there is a 50-ce1t table dhote the neigh
borhood they should get their dinner for less
than that price n e regular boarding house Then
again II is because the rates are all wrong that
boarding houses are berared they are. II you
think the life OF q boarding house keeper is =
sinecUre YOU should Try II once II certainly IS
thankless job when it is held UP 10 the point OF
sn attempt 70 please people who board taking them
e class. When everything is all right then they
take 4 as matter of course. That Is what they
paying for But the first time that things are
entirely right their liking or their mood
then the landlady hears from them One gets great
knowledge Of human nature in the boarding house
business
BOARDER6 EXPECT TOO MUCH
'One reason why there is less money in the bust
ness than there used 70 be Is because people have
many exc-avagant tastes. Every meal
be served in Al the breakfast there
must De fruit first. matter what the cost; then
there must be a cereal. with cream. then two or
three substsntisls 70 choose from and the best
coffee with cream The luncheon is expected TO
be almost hearty the dinner. II begins with
soup and ends with dessert The service is hardly
less elaborate than dinner. The time was when
e BIT of cold meat with Z salad and 2 cup Of tea
SUFFICIENT for luncheon. but that tine has gone
by People expect chops for luncheon. and every
one knows that chops the most expensive OF
meats The dinner. II goes without saying must
Be faulrless Il must consist OF several courses
and the service Is q the most expensive things
about II, for only first class waters do the
work. People VIII deliberately break up house
keeping because n the cost. and then expect 70
tables. taking no account OF the service
The only way possible IN which 7 can make
both ends meet is by doing my own mar
keting IN person. The telephone ordering will soon
bankrupt boarding house keeper go over 10
Seventh and Eighth aves for my groceries. be
cause everything Is cheaper over there. the
rents are rot 50 dear. Through the dealers over
there order green groceries from the great down
toxr markets. and the latter are delivered 70 ne
by The barrel. Ny refrigerator is 50 immense that
I can pack away quantities Of things. enough
go- three DAYS ~ time I make q trip the
large markets once IN a while myself in order TO
keep Informed about prices 50 my small dealer
not take advantage OF me Sometimes 7 buy down
there and get my meats well. just the mar
ket man with whom 7 usually deal will think he
owns ny trade. IN this way keep my tradesrnen
or the alert 20 please me. All nv day is taken Up
with the details of my business.
The buying for house is the secret OF It's sue
cess for through IL one keeps the expenses down,
and that is the secret OF success in all business.
The amount Of sincere honest effort I put into
this business ought 70 make q rich woman Of me,
but Il is fact that I only getting a living out
oT it. and taat causes grumble / don't
know how less active women make il 60, for
know that Il IS only possible 10 keep good table
through exercising the utmost ingenuity and in
6ustry.
Another important thing about the success OF q
house is IT'S cleanliness should say il is the most
important although people do not so regard II, for
! nave observed lhat q good table viii hold people
even when the house IS far from clean. However,
II great care Is not exercised all time. carpets
ard furniture go 70 rack and ruin in a short time
ard the whole place takes on a dingy appearance
rhat II is impossible 70 remedy HoUsemaids have
be looked after. beds have 70 be ATTENDED 10 a.