The Indianapolis journal., 1902-09-21
Complete Success of an Enterprise for
which Nothing but Disastrous
Failure Was Predicted.
CLEAN, wELL-MANAGED HOUSES
IN WHICH MEALS AND ROOMS ARE
FURNISHED AT UNIFORM RATES.
A Plentiful Dinner for Fifteen Cents
and a Room for Twenty Cents
Night Tempt Customers.


NEW YORK. Sept. 19.-When ID. o. Mills
opened Mills Hotel No. in New York, Oct.
q, nearly five years ago. predictions were
freely made that like many other expert
ments in practical philanthropy this home
for working men would be a failure. Yet no
hotel in the city of New York is so uniform
ly full but so steadily prosperous Mills
Hotel No. on Bleecker street. and Mills
Hotel No. on Rivington street When Mr..
Mills dedicated these hotels he said that
they were in no sense charities. He did not
deny that they were humanitarian. but he
said that he regarded them as also good
investments. These they have proved TO be.
With a capacity of more than 1000. these
hotels in winter are full by half past every
evening; and at this season OF the year only
a few hundred of the rooms In the two
places are empty every night.
OF the character OF the people who use
the Mills hotels for lodgings one is likely
to get a false impression from what appears
in the police court news of this city from
time to time. 1t has become a habit with
criminals when asked for their place Of
residence to give IL as mills Hotel No. l."
In fact few of these men stop at the Mills
Hotel, although if they were clean and be-
haved themselves and their criminal record
was not known there would be nothing TO
prevent them stopping there any more than
there is to keep a confidence man of good
address out Of the Waldorf-Astoria. The
managers of Mr.. Mills's hotels reserve the
right to refuse lodging to any man and no
criminal drunkard or other undesirable
person is permitted to lodge there
1t is surprising to see what weli-dressed
of me ~ hotels
house every night. went into Mills Hotel
No 1 on a recent hot day with much the
feeling that would have I'm going into a
house of refuge In the reading room. which
occupies the great court around which the
house is built, ] found neatly@dressed men
with clean linen sitting at small tables play
ing checkers, others reading newspapers or
books or smoking and talking with each
other. In the long reading-room which ex-
tends along the front of the double build
ing from one end to the other were gathered
a clean. respectable looking assortment OF
young, middle-sged and elderly men. There
was nothing criminal in the expression of
anyone who came within my range and
nothing disreputable either.
They are clerks out of work, some
students visiting the city who have little
many are pensioners who have small in
comes in which they could not afford TO live
decently anywhere else." said the manager,
who accompanied me on my tour of the
building. "Of course we have dishonest men
among our dodgers. but that cannot be
helped We do not know they are dishonest
and so long as they behave decently here
they can get lodgings"
WHAT is OFFERED.
In the court of the other wing OF the
building there was another assortment OF
nice-looking men. The perfect orderliness OF
the place was conspicuous. Not a loud word
was spoken and in fact one would have
heard more noise in the lobby Of big hotel
on Fifth avenue.
The two courts are lighted by skylights
eight stories above. Their walls are white
brick and their floors are OF heavy plate
glass They are splendidly lighted and
ventilated. The light shining through these
floors helps to illuminate in one wing
smoking room. which is called snuggery.
and in the other wing a lavetory. In the
snuggery or smoking room is a news stand.
where cigars and tobacco are sold. and
where orders for laundering are executed
at special rates. These rates are not re-
iOWs Dut tnty DctlcT tudil tuc
average of New York laundries
But a man who does not want to pay
laundry bills may wash his own clothing
If he prefers. There are public washtubs
in the lavatory room. Connected with this
is drying room. Any man who wants TO
wash his own clothing may do 1t here with
out charge to him. Very few avail them
selves of the privilege.
lain basins with hot and cold water. Each
basin has lump of soap and an individual
mirror Adjoining the lavatory room are
the bathrooms. where every man VINO pays
for nights lodging is entitled TO a bath
with soap and a bath towel without extra
charge. About one-ifth OF the dodgers OF
the Mills hotels avail themselves OF this
privilege.
Below the lavatory and occupying the
entire basement Of one wing OF the building
is the restaurant. 1t is well ventilated and
reasonably cool. the air being kept In cir
cuIation by electric fans. This restaurant
will accommodate $50 at time. On the
day when 1 visited IL they were serving a
dinner from the following menu. the price
being Is cents:
One Meat Dish. Two Vegetables.
Dessert, Tea, Coffee or Milk.
Soup.
Consomme Brunoise. Scotch Broth.
Hot Meats.
Roast Beef. Dish Gravy.
Boiled Fresh Beef Tongue. Sa-uce Piquanta.
Lamb Pot Pie. Family Style.
Fillet of Beef Saute aux fine herbes.
Cold Meats.
Roast Lamb.
Vegetables.
Mashed Potatoes. Boiled New Potatoes
Stewed New Carrots In Cream.
Green Corn. salad.
Dessert.
Rice Pudding. Bread Pudding.
Apple Pie. Cantaloupe.
Iced Tea.
Tea Coffee. Milk.
Cup Custard Pies, SC extra.
PREPARATION AND SERVICE.
This menu changes every day. and the
uniform price of dinner is Is cents. Break
fast is s. 10 or Is cents. and for 10 cents
you can have boiied eggs. bread and butter
and coffee. You can also order a Ia carte
and go TO the extravaganza of % cents In
your luncheon check. But the average
of checks paid keeps pretty close TO IS
cents. The dinner served is clean and is