Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-30

and porters are supplied in some instances
by local hotel employment agencies but the
large obstetrics in Washington secure most
of their walters, clerks chefs and other en-
ployes from New York, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton and other large cities.
In addition to the fine structures erected
for the hotels each hotel company has thou
sands and thousands of dollars invested in
sflverware, tapestry, rugs, carpets, furni-
ture, linen, etc, all of the best character.
In the care and protection of this property
the manager is charged with great respon-
sibilty.
Practically every large frst-class hotel
suffers hundreds and even thousands of
dollars loss every year owing to the pur-
Joining propensities of supposedly honest
and refined guests. The covetous desires of
these guests to possess souvenirs of hostel
ries in which they have been entertained
during their travels seem to effectually blot
out any conscientious scruples they might
otherwise have against violating the eighth
commandment. To their minds apparently
it is perfectly proper and ladylke and gen
temanly to steal expensive articles from
hotel
Many lady guests have fad for stealing
expensive tides off the dressers and furni-
ture in the apartments. Others purloin
towels, in some cases pulling out the red
thread which traces the name of the hotel
and throwing it out of the window onto a
roof below, where many such marks have
been discovered after the departure of the
guests. Silver fruit knives, oyster forks,
spoons, sugar tongs etc, are also surrep-
titiously annexed by diners and often cost
ly pin trays, match safes and toothpick
holders of special design are stolen by the
guests.
IN some cases, when waiter observes a
good customer or .ne lady accompanying
him stealing any of the tableware, the cost
of the article is included in the bill for the
dinner. But a great deal of tact must be
exercised in these matters. No efforts of
the managers have been successful to pre-
vent losses due to the 'kleptomania" of
n m he
tain that some refined. wealthy lady guest
has concealed in her trunk some expensive
article belonging to the room, but it is too
great a risk to request her to open her
trunk for examination, for in the event of
a mistake there would likely be a heavy
suit for damages. In order to obtain the
return of the articles the hotel attendants
must catch the guests with the goods, and
this is very difficult to do.
Many people who stop at hotels tempo
rarily seem to take delight in throwing
lighted matches on costly Turkish rugs,
causing holes to be burned in them. They
also seem to enjoy throwing cigar ashes on
the rugs and carpets and tramping them
into the rugs. Throwing acids on expen-
sive dresser covers and on fine lace curtains
seems to be another occupation in which
some guests take delight
Some of the guests pick out the most
q,
leaving the imprint of the nails in their
shoes on the formerly smoothly polished
surface. Wealthy ladies frequently select
the most expensive piece of furniture in the
apartment on which to throw their heavy
metal handbags. scratching the wood badly,
and in addition many grand DANES wear
great rows of sharp buttons on their dresses
and rub them increasingly on the best pol
ished mahogany rocking chair in the room.
Other guests seem to possess a mania for
seeing their names on the wall paper in the
bed chambers.
Hotel managers have many queer expert
enceS and have to deal with many queer
people. In addition to the irascible patrons
who decline to be satisfied with anything
that can be done for them and insist on
telling their troubles to the clerks and the
manager and any one else within reach,
there are many Mr.. Fixits," who prowl
about and lie in wait for the manager in
order to tell him their opinion to what
ought and what ought not to be done in
connection with the management and ad-
ministration of a large establishment.
X X
Another source of annoyance and trouble
in the life of hotel manager is the queer
a first-class hotel in which to end his ex-
istence Many would-be suicides seem to
have a great fondness for making fash
ionable hotel the scene of their self-destruc-
ton. One very strange incident occurred in
Washington during the terrible blizzard of
$685. In addition to the extreme cold, a
wind of great velocity was blowing the
snow around the city, bearing down tele-
graph and telephone poles and wires un-
roofing houses, destroying property and
menacing life in general
A stranger in the city, who had been wan