The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
WAILOF THE STEADY BOARDER
THE EVERLASTING SAMENESS or
THE MENU PALS.
Ana the Fool Rules Crate on Him a Busi-
ncss That Needs New IIfe and OriGi-
nalty to Please Its Patrons. VINO Most
Of All Demand . Little variety.

OF All Demand . Little Variety.
new life. 1t Is the boarding house business.
There il a great demand for originality in
this 6eld.
There is nothing the matter with New
Yorkis hotels; there is a good deal the mat
ter with her boarding houses. A large per-
centage' Of New York's population lives in
boarding houses. 1t has to live in board
ing houses for the reason hat it amt afford
to live in a hotel or in an apartment hotel
or TO set up a housekeeping establishment on
it's own account. 1t is made up mostly OF
single men and women and childless couples.
Children don't figure much in the list.
When the apartment hotel first came into
being these persons saw a ray Of hope, for
the apartment hotel promised aocommoda-
ions at a moderate figure 49, promises
which il was found could not be kept at
as low a tar as $40 a head. It has been
proved that one cannot live in an apartment
hotel or in any sort Of hotel in a good neigh
borhood at a cost Of $40 or sl2 a week
for room and board. The unfortunates
limited to this figure must seek a boarding
house or furnished room house and eat at
restaurants. Many OF these persons have
no quarrel with the boarding house. the
privacy Of which they prefer to the publicity
Of a hotel or to a %populous apartment house.
A clean, quiet boarding house with food
ever 80 plain, provided it Is Of fair quality.
is sometimes greatly to be preferred, they
find, to a fat sandwiched between scores OF
other fats peopled with families intent on
operating all sorts Of musical instruments
day and night, varied with vigorous vocal
stunts, even il the fat does mean the en-
joyment of a private bathtub.
The boarding house is valued. It is
needed. The pity of it is that the metropolis
Of America should be obliged to put up
with such poor specimens OF an institu-
ton which has to do with the welfare OF
such a numerous class such Is the lament OF
hundreds who live. move and have their
being in boarding houses eleven months
of every year There is good money in
the business. but most persons when they
get a little ahead Of the game aim higher
and become hotel keepers. But why do not
more stay in a business that paysP
When this question was submitted to
a man who once had a try at it. he re-
sponded hat boarders exaoted too much: !
they expected hotel service for board
ing house prices; but this statement is
by doxen of men and women
who have boarded in what are called high
class boarding houses for many years.
Unanimously their testimony Is that.
few exceptions. service of any kind
thar announcing callers or occa-
delivering packages to rooms Is
asked or given: Boarders know the
the impossible. and experience
has taught them that ringing a bell-sup-
there is a bell within reach which
communicates with the servants quarters
does not at all mean that 1t will be answered.
In any but the highest priced houses.
which are comparatively few in number.
room are not equipped with a bell, |
and II by chance a bell has been left in
room the cord Is cut to render II useless.
And his Is not considered unreasonable
by fair minded boarders who pay only
$40 or sl2 a week. Their kick Is not be-
cause OF a lack of hotel service. but Of the
institutionhke way in which
place 10 run.the monotony Of the
table, the thoughtlessness which deprives
guests OF trihes which COST the landl ord
and yet mean 50 much to the
boarder's comfort.
Describing this state OF things, one
OF long experience said that the
methods now in vogue in even high grade
boarding houses Of this city suggested to
him a retail merchant who, placing an
order for . given quantity OF goods Of
the same out and brand and
quality n color to % delivered at his |
store every season. year in and year out, |
would expect to retain his customers and
build up his business. =,
In other words he had yet 10 meet the
keeper OF q medium priced boarding house
who exercised his or her brain in the least
devising schemes of any sort to surprise
or please his customers or to introduce a
trife Of variety into the daily ordering OF
his house.
In one large house ~patronized by this
man and his wife for three years the guests
women who have made 1t their
nome for ten years because OF its ~oleanIi-
ness, order and fairly good food. The same
Sunday dessert, a certain sort Of Ice cream
cut In segments Of q particular shape, had
been served unfailingly within the memory