Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-23
TIPS TOUCH MANY PAWS
System Put on Business Basis by New
York Hotels.
PRIVILEGE LEASED TO employees
Many Sources of Graft worked Up
TO Perfection Rs Revenue Pro"
ducer-Rakeoffs Up and
Doyvn the Line.

Tipping furnishes the smoOthest quality
~ velvet that passes through the nm
gers of New York hotelksepers Formerly
the hotel proprietor either took the whole
roll or forced a division OF the spells. Now
the proprietor sells out the tipping privi-
leee at so much a month or year TO trusted
employees,
Coat room privileges in the larger hotels
sell for from 5000 to $4,000 per annum,
and one hotel is alleged to have received
as high as $4,000 for its combined priVi-
ieRes. let to tip collectors. Notwithstand-
ing the high prices paid, the men owning
tin stands gathered in more than NOOOO
from generous visitors
Take a large hotel, entertaining only the
wealthiest persons. Vehicles arrived al
least on two sides Of II. At each entrance
stands the man who helps persons out ana
calls their vehicles when wanted. He has
a CORDS OF assistants. The lowest price
pajd the hotel proprietor for the door priv
fleRe In New York is SIS a month, or $50
\ year, for medium sized hotels. The
highest price paid is $4,000 q year. The
Norman has day shift and a night shift.
The day Shift catches the big afternoon
tea gatherings, the lunches and day enter
tAinments, such as musicales and lectures
The night shift gets the diners and the
after theater supper eaters.
Every person arriving in a vehicle hands
the doorman from % cents to 81, and some
are even more liberal. There are also many
residents of the city who go several times
a week to teas or to dine These, as
rule, do not hand the doorman tip each
time, but once or twice a year present him
with sums of from IS TO S25. He knows
personally all Of these resident patrons and
gives them his best service. All Of the
tips taken by the doorman's employees are
turned over to him. the employees getting
only regular wages.
Most Profitable Line.
II lie the coat room privileges for which
the hotel proprietor receives one of the
highest rentals There is a story that when
the palm room of one Of the big hotels was
opened as a novelty several years ago the
tip revenue of the hotel averaged $4,000
for two years from checking hats and outer
garments alone The very large price of
$4,000 a year was said to have been paid
by the owner OF the tip taking privilege for
checking garments alone.
Then other hotels built equally pleasant
palm rooms, divideding the crowds and pa
tronage. so that the palm room dvindled
as a moneymaker. and now pays this cor
poration only one-fifth the former revenue
The afternoon tea is quite the biggest tip
Ratherer Of today. A large orchestra Is the
drawing card, and women find 1t just the
place to display their latest costumes. Al
the door of the tea room stands a corps OF
Wallets IN English knickerbockers who re-
move wraps from women and take hats
and coats from the men. Elsewhere there
Is a woman's cloak room with womer
Wallets.
One man owns this check privilege both
ut the restaurant doors and the women'i
room for which he pays the hotel corpor
alton not less than $4,000 year, his rev
enue being two and one-half to three time
that sum. Every tip paid to any OF hi
employees Is turned over to him. He and al
other men owning hotel and restaurant til
privileges are employees of the hotel o
restaurant receiving small salaries an
the hotel is responsible for them and for a
garments confded to their care. The owne
of the tea room privilege stands anon
his men, his watchful eye taking in cor
Jtantly the progress of tip gathering.
Making a show of wealth.
The tips received vary from 10 to % CEN
Der person, but these are often increase
by liberal spenders and on special occs
sions Women pay the smallest tips an
the privilege owner depends on the me
who are striving to make show of-wealt
for his principal revenue The good o
summer time would be bad for him b'
for the fact that he has got an iron in II
tire at some big summer resort. For abo
seven months, however. things are all
own way.
The bootblack privileges are divided
different hotels. In some the shoe stan
are owned by Italians, who are gradual
Getting a monopoly OF them. In other h
tells the head porter owns the shoe sta
outfit 1t is predicted by some hotel m
that the porter must go, that is reti
10 the privileges OF handling baggage on
which Is quite enough for him as a mon
Ketter. II is better for hotel, it is q
Serted, TO sell the shoe stand to an italia
who Is always there with his assistan
while stands run by the head porter m
be deserted time and again by all
norters being busy In various parts OF I
house handling baggage
with scarcely an exception all he
porters of hotels have retired wealthy fr
tips, which they take from all the un'
porters. No matter who gets the money
tip goes to the head porter. Whep pati
on departure seeks out the head porter 8
hands him a bill OF from 81 to $40 he
pays the porter who handles his trunks
quarter or half dollar. and this ultimat
gets into the head porter's pocket
Green Hands in Favor.
The bellboy privileges is also drifting l
the hands Of one man, although this S
tenn is not yet general Where a man b
the bell hop privilege from hotel he m
take In green boys and train them for Il
duties In order to. set the tips they
ceive No experienced boy who has
accustomed to receive tips would cons
20 work for mere wages. Some day, Il
believed. all the latter GLASS will be
out Of hotels and the new regime will
possession. so that when one fees the
for ice water or stationery one will
really tipping the owner OF the privilege
Dining room tip privileges are absolu
In the hands OF the head walters, v
while not taking all the gratuities rece
by walters, receive a liberal share. Fl
almost any dining room in New York
the first class, and Il will be seen
the best tables are always occupied by
best spenders. and the same walters
ways attend these tables. These are
preferred walters OF the dining room