Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-03
BUTTE LOCALS
Hotel GOSSIP

SsssssscssssssSsssssecsssss4s
/, Not long ago an article was published
IN these columns recounting a few of the
things hotel clerk is expected to know
which are generally accredited to ON
niscience itself. In the current issue of
the Hotel World the subject is treated
at some length and statement made by
Fred c. Ambrose on the witness stand
an imaginary occurrence-in which one
of the 'profesh tells of the multifarious
duties falling to the lot of the gentle
men who preside behind the counters
of the great hostelries. The story is re-
pete with witty allusion, is we'll writ
ten, and an excerpt given in the follow
ing will prove of interest to all persons
possessing the saving sense of humor
Il go on duty at certain hours every
day in the year" said he. weeks days,
Sundays ad holidays; 1 give the glad
hand to coming, and 60 speed to
departing guests; assign rooms to the
arrivals and I settle accounts with the
departures: l. act as a city directory.
street guide and suburban map: l per-
form the functions of a railroad guide
telling the coming and going of trains,
distance to other towns and rates of
fare; l act as a postal bulletin giving
not only the arrival and departure Of
local mall but the departure from and
the deliveries in other towns: l speak
for the census bureau and tell the popu-
lation of different localities and the con-
ditions of business therein; l am a re-
ieX of a mercantile agency in that |
am supposed to know the financial
standing Of business men and firms; l
enact the role of banker cashing checks
and drafts and occasionally lending
money; I am a safety depository for
money and jewelry: l give advice and
am made father confessor; l am a die
tionary and manual of photography; I
am called upon to play detective l
scrap with tie hOusekeeper about
changing rooms; I keep the bell boys
hustling calls l give orders about
baggage; 1 swearat the bus drivers; 1
keep the porter stirring up sleepers; l
help fire DRINKS; I talk politics and
baseball, religion and prize fighting; 1
discuss the drama and criticize local
theatrical attractions; l listen to smutty
stories and laugh at chestnuts; l hand
, out little stationery; make out wash
lists and put on the gloves with the
laundry man, when some ones other
! shirt is lost in the shuttle; l edit tee-
| grams for people who want to wire a
! full page letter in ten words 1 steer
| sporty young fellows to disreputable
resorts and direct women guests to the
! churches putting up the best music and
| latest fashions in bonnets and gowns: |
act as stake holder for bettors: l call I'D
| other hotels and ask if Jones is STAYING
| there; = Stop shouted the law
yer, dancing up and down and shak-
| ing his finger at the witness, while the
| judge sank back in his seat and pressed
his hand to his forehead, one moment.
| Sir, one moment; I asked you to tell the
| court sir the nature of your duties as
hotel clerk Oh, said the clerk, I beg
| your pardon, l didn't understand the
Ifquestion. My-er-duties as hotel
clerk? Oh, yes. why. er--my duties as
hotel clerk are, er-er-why, they're lust
TO be a hotel clerk"
Emerson Of Oshkosh" the scribbling
genius whose hieroglyphic signature has
I amazed the clerks in hotels throughout
the country, is in town and registered
at the McDermott. Registered" is hard
| ly the ward to use in such a connection
for the blown-in -thebottle stenograph-
ic characters which Mr.. Emerson. whose
complete handle" is Charles l.. Emar-
son, makes use of to denote his arrival
are more in the nature of a study in
memories than in CHR? graphy Nobody
can read the name, but once seen, the
marvellous scratching is never forgotten.
Phil Gibson. of Great Falls a son of
Senator Paris Gibson. and Ransom
Cooper, also of the Electric City. are
| guests at the Butte
Thomas c. Bach, of Helena, is regis
tered at the Butte. He is in town on the
| Sunrise mining case.
| town.
BUTTE.
| Miss MaythOrn, st. Paul; Miss NAL
tern. st. Paul; Victor T. johnson. st.
Paul; Vers A. Reynolds, Chicago: A. Il.
Cook, Helena; James A. Riley, Chicago
F. II. Marsh, Helena; A. NJ. Somerfield.
Boston, Mass; l.. Feist. Danbury. Conn
Thomas c. Bach. Helena: William C.
Sharkey, New York: Carl Kleinschmidt.
Jr., Helena; Ransom Cooper, Great Falls:
Phil Gibson. Great Falls; D. Curtin, st.
Paul; Fred I. Butler. Toronto, Canada:
William Elliott, Chicago Heights; +. w.
Sherman. Park City. Utah.
II McDERMOTT.
C. A. Foster, Lowell, Mass; f. NJ
Wier, Fargo: E. p. Pennebaker. Norris.