Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-20
PROFESSIONAL TRUNK PACKER.
Mise Blanche Mlnton Tells How She Got
Her Start 10 q Big Hotel.

Packing trunks for a living Is
not an original idea whit me,
said Miss Blanche Minton, looking
up from her seat on the floor beside a
huge Saratoga which she was busy fill
ing
"Of course the Incentive was the
necessity Of making some money, and
was casting about In my mind how
TO begin, when | read a newspaper ar
ticle about a girl who earned a good
living as a brides assistant One OF
her duties was packing the trunks and
her method was such a good one that
thought what fine thing II would be
II everybody would pack as she did.
Then / remembered how the majority
OF people dlsliked TO pack, and In some
way my thoughts Travelled to the people
IN a palatIal hotel Just down the street
from where / was boarding, and In less
than half an hour after reading the
article about the brides assistant ]
had decided as to profession.
Having made up my mind, ! al once
set out TO offer my services TO the man
ager Of the hotel. | told him my plans
about packing trunks for guests OF the
hotel, and asked him to recommend me.
lie advised me TO have some cards en-
graved. stating my terms, and said he
would see that they were kept In the
Office and distributed among the guests
who would most probably need my SER
vices.
TO make n long story short, I fol-
lowed the managers advice and In less
than an hour after having my cards IN
the Office a bell boy from the hotel
called at my boarding house, and gave
me my first order for packing the
trunks OF party who had been called
away Unexpectedly. They hadn't time
TO wait, It seems, and left, directing 10
have their trunks sent after them.
There were seven trunks In all, huge
affairs. and II took me the entire after
noon 10 pack them and schedule their
contents in the little books. after the
method OF the brides assistant. But
when II was finished, and received
$3.50 for my afternoons work, you may
be sure | was pleased.
"The next day J had some more or
ders and by the end OF the first week
counted my work a success, for the
manager not only advised me 10 secure
an assistant, but Insisted on my coming
10 live IN the hotel where / could be
more easily reached. II Is needless 10
say again followed his advice, and am
now living at the hotel with younger
sister as my assistant.
II pack the trunks while she sits be-
side me and j0ts down In the little
books Tone OF which ! attach to each
key ond deliver 10 the owner) the con-
tents Of the various compartments. |
not only tell In what division OF the
trunk each article Is, but | locate It as
clearly as possible. make a point OF
packing all trunks very nearly alike,
so that any one who has unpacked one
OF my trunks viii be able 20 Judge about
the locality OF their various belongings
in other trunks may handle f)r them.
MY charges OF course, are according
/ 10 the size Of the trunk. For those an
der thirty-four inches In length charge
Sl.5O while for all above that size il Is
$3.50 Steamer trunks and hand bags
and dress sui: cases all come under the
head OF small trunks, and are really
about as hard to fill.
II have earned as high as s25 a day,
but II was hard work. and do not care
10 be so rushed very often. OF course
with my sisters assistance I can work
more rapidly and consequently we are
In greater demand than ever. for when
people want their trunks packed
they want II done as quickly as posi-
be. Every one OF my customers who
have spoken OF my work to the hotel
managers have always commended my
celebrity. Another thing. | always use
quantities Of light blue and pink tissue
paper, II tends TO give the impression
OF care and dalntiness that every one
finds agreeable In connection with their
~ -
all have added TO the method Of
trunk-packlng described In the news
paper article to which have referred.
II see 70 reason why every large no.
tel should not need the services OF a
trunk-packer. Comparatively few men
and women travel with their servants,
while | am yet to meet the individuals
who were not loath TO pack their own
trunks"