The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
MODERN HOTELS
 MARVELS IF KIND Sums Required for Mainte-
 nance and Repair NEW SYSTEM OF LEASING Under the Great Modern Roofs There is Complete Industrial Com
 munity Ready To Do All
 Kinds of Work.
NEW SYSTEM OF LEASING

Beginning with the building of the
 Waldorf methods changed. Men like Re-
 gan of the Knickerbocker. Sterry of the
 Plaza, Muschenheim of the Astor and
 other proprietOrs-proprietor being the
 men who run the hotels-plan almost ev- cry detail of the construction and fitting Of the houses they are to operate. The owner provides the site and the money for the building. After that he confines himself to drawing interest upon his in Vestment. The proprietor furnishes and equtps the house and lays himself under mortgage for a long term of years to pay the owner his interest in the form of a fixed annual rental.
 For example. on the Fourth avenue plot between Thirty-third and Thirty fourth streets, which was once in part the site of the old Commodore's home, Alfred c. Vanderbilt is at present build ing a 22-story hostelry, the essees or proprietors of which are to pay him [ per cent on the cost of the building-that cost not to exceed $2.250, ,0o0-and s5O,OOo a year as ground rent
 On such an arrangement there are many variations. The proprietor may be a part owner. He may be a member of an operating company. But the first ar rangement Is sufficiently typical The Astors. for their part, are credited with being satisfied with clear 6 per cent upon their money and land value, though, not to go beyond their hotels on Man haitian Island this means per cent on about s44,000,0O0.
 The cost of equipping one of these great hotels Is enormous. The St. Regis put s55o, 900 into its bedroom floors alone. The furnishing of the Plaza is said to have cost s1,000,000. And yet these are by no means as large houses as some on the island. In the figures for equipment of these great New York hosteries one finds such items as s200.O00 for kitchen equip single state apartment, $50.000 for mir TOTS and so on. The estimates for one $4, 100000 hotel allowed $700,O 900 to the fur nishing of the three lower floors
 As for the operating expenses, the wage bill in one hotel of TOO rooms only, amounts to $17000 a week. A big house of perhaps from 1000 to 15o0 rooms-the Ansonia apartment hotel has goodwill pay out 5000 day for food. A big hotel will burn from 50 to 100 tons of coal a day. winter and summer. for almost as much is required to keep the house cool as to keep it warm.
 Music will cost as much as s70000 a year New dishes will demand $40, ,o00, new linen s60,O00. and the whole bill for renewals, repairs and redecorations will amount to between s5oo,o0o and s6Oo, GOO an- nually.
 It is plain that the proprietor will have to be on a keen lookout to effect all pos sible economies. For this reason a great hotel is now to a certain degree it's own secondary manufacturer.
 It buys it's linen for table and bed in hundred bolt lots And linen for bed and table, curtains, dresser scarfs, even pin cushion covers, all are hemmed, hand worked and monogrammed upon the Tn, eli, r,,rIa hnfa in thar were made up 125o heavy window shades. And-to drop down 15 stories-there is a big tinshop which keeps the kitchens re- paired and replenished.
 For every sort of thing which may be- come tarnished, torn, frayed or broken there are renovattng experts. Fine lace spreads are delicately mended again, hangings reembroidered and rugs re- knotted The laundries of the house. which in themselves employ more than 100 hands, give work to a dozen more in the mending of the napery. Because hotel buys it's linen in 100 bolt lots let no one think that thus too does it throw it away If its expenditures are great it's economies are unceasing.
 The initial life of a piece of furniture is about two years And beneath the high mansard of the roof we find a big up- holstering and cabinet shop. Every room in the house must be repainted and re- decorated at least once in three years. There Is therefore a completely appoint ed painting decorating and wall paper ing establishment
 There are men who turn broken trunks into whole ones There is a carpenter shop where packing boxes are made for guests, and where the whole roof gar dens are constructed. Even the hitherto tribe of plumbers has been laid in bonds the hotel has its own.
 Through the tool shop one enters hardware store which keeps in stock ev- erything from a tack to a 10-fnch valve A chance visit paid one day to hotel machine shop showed this particular de- partment rebuilding one of the proprie- tors automobiles
 A printing office, locksmithy, clock makers, these go without saying. Half dozen men do nothing but repair and replate silver. From mineral bath 10 mineral bath the life of a fork or spoon is only some IS months, and more than 250 pieces are put through daily
 Sitting at his wheel a delicate fingered old gentleman does nothing but regrind the edge of clipped wineglasses In the Waldorf there Is still another repair de- nartment a doctors office and surgery. whither employees may go at stated hours daily and free of cost have themselves kept in repair. In the storerooms or one big hotel there hang clusters or little tn nails in which guests who have fallen n,,ite fatuously in love with some par ttcular viand may have a portion thereof nicked sealed and expressed to the peo- pie at home. -
 R,lt to woman. above all the social creature. the great appeal Is directed uairdressing, manicure and massage par lors. perfumers, florists and photogra nhers. these are but the beginning or that army mobilized and trained wtn intent to win her patronage. It is for her that to tha rep,,lar staff is added stan or entertainment which may rob spain or US aancers and India of it's priests to make her amusements ~ .oo,,a floor is arranged and set apart-fo or oV rooms in all And they vary m size from little silk lined jewel pox caplnets, inst large enough for a single TOUT at 1s,,So,a to clrh and reception suites and grand bathrooms whose rent IS soVo TOT night .+aoo,,, ..
 Every day has it's list of "afternoons, .,,,h ,eet,ngs "trayelogs,' art talks, musicals There are rooms WHICH ior oel tain dates must be rented year III au ,, vance. Thirteen different orcnes,ras WI, he in service in the house at once, ana they will be so distributed as 'i'u' to be unheard by one anotner.
 ..We nlav checkers with pianos here, said one veteran houseman. .,
 He had 54 to play checkers W1tn. TOT those enamored of amateur theatricais 'ie grand ballroom can in two houns U. turned into perfectly staged ana nghteo theatre If when the play IS over .here is something else to follow m one notel the pressing of button lifts the stage of the mezzanine floor ana IL pecoineS part of the-circle of boxes.