Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-01
ODD SOURCES OF RENT.
Big Income From Small Privileges in
New York Hotels.

There is hotel in the forties near
broadway that is run without Il dollar
of expense to the proprietor His bills
are paid out of the rent which he col
lects from sub,essees of cigar stand.
a carriage stand. barber shop. lava
tory. Il courtroom and half n dozen
more privileges The income from
these sources covers his own rent and
other OUTLAWS connected with the no.
tel proper. The earnings Of the bar
and hotel rooms are velvet"
The carriage stand in front of this
particular hotel is valued at $4,000 a
year. This is no doubt big sum to
pay for the mere privilege of Keeping
a loZen cabs in front Of building.
but it is by no means the highest paid
for carriage stands. Probably the
highest is that paid to Jimmy Regan,
of the knickcrbocker, ct Broadway
and 42nG street. Mr.. Regain gets 10
per cent of the fares collected by the
labs III trent of his hotel. which are
said to amount to about $1,000 day.
This would make Mr.. Regans share
about $4,000 a year.
The carriage privilege at the Wal
900 year 1t would Re much more
valuable bat for the traffic regula-
lions, which limit the carriage stand
on e4th street To about 100 feet.
TIE question whether the cab stand
or the roof sign privileges commands
the larger rent has frequently been
debated. Real estate men in the
Broadway section are inclined tn re-
gard the sign privilege as the better
money maker. The sisf companies
will not say much about their affairs
aud absolutely nothing about the rent
they pay. 1t is known, however, that
at least S1,0G0, 900 is collected from
sign privileges every year. The COM
panies are buying roof space and wall
area continuously and at prices that
in some cases are greater than the
rents obtained from floor space in
buildings. A staff of as many as q
dozen men is employed by the big
companies to 90 nothing else than
contract for space and keep tabs on
contemplated building improvements.
1t is nothing for a company to pay
800 Il month for the use of the eN-
posed side of q building.
The rents paid for sign privileges
depend, of course, on the importance
of street or section as traffic center.
In some instances roof space on
broadway buildings in the white light
district has equaled the rent obtained
from the rest of the buildings.
The old Metropole Hotel, which
stood on the corner of broadway and
Asd street. was leased by John Consi-
alf0 "a
rent or this rent MIR. Considine paid
about 5000 n year. the rest OF 1t com.
ing from the sign company when useo
the roof
The roofs Of the old buildings of the
McAlpin estate at the southeast cor
ner of broadway and 34th street were
leased in 1907 to q sign company Tor
three years at an aggregate rental OF
$40, DOC. or nearly $4,000 year.
.Ioe Weber some years ago took a
lerse of the northwest corner OF
BROADWAY and 29th street. plot
fronting ITO feet on Broadway and l4o
feet on the street. The plot contains
hesifes the theater seven or eight one
story stores. Shortly after Mr.. Weber
tbok the propertyr'a sign company
leased from him the roof space over
the stores and erected two rows OF
signs about 80 feet high. just wha'
Mr. Weber gets from the sign conf
panv is not known, but II Is SAID tna'
the rent from the stores ana the
double row of signs pays the rent OF
his theater.
C!oak-room privileges are estimat'
Cd 10 he worth over 100000 i year 70
Broadway proprietors. EVERY one u
the restaurants in the white hsnt nis-
trict farrns out the cloak room eithel
10 employees, as the head porter q
the chief belibey, or to outsiders. Inc
rents vary considerably and like the
sign and carriage privileges. depend
on the populcusness OF the district.
In the lower midtown section OF
broadway $3.50 is the price: little
further north $1,000 and $500. Around
Long Acre square,, where the gayest
of the lobster palaces are. the privi-
lore is ya,ued at $4,000. In one place
it is said $4,000 is paid. The peg
privilege there is cheap at that price,
sor o5 cent and so cent tips are the
rule with the patrons Of the place
Some of the Broadway cioakrooms
rake in $780, 900 a year in tips.
The barber shop is another source
Of big money TO hotel eproprietors. IN
one hotel as high as $4,000 year Is
paid. s --.-.-...a-
The valet privilege in some hotels
, Is valued at 5000 a year.
For, postal card stnnds along f4tf
street End sixth avenue SO ana 1so 9