The Washington times., 1911-03-17
WOMEN COPE WITH
STRIKE OF WATERS
Brighton Apartment House
Managers Treat Affair
AS Joke.

Order and discipline in the Bright
wood apartment house, which in it.
self is a unique establishment be-
cause 1t is managed entirely by a
woman. Miss Nellie Sweet, are victori-
Gus today What II the walters did
strike last night, because they were
fined for bringing fruit into the dining
room before the guests were seated
1T takes more than a strike OF
walters to disturb my eoutlibrium'
Is the Way Miss Sweet answered the
question this morning. Mrs. Tensill.
too, who presideS over the culinary
department., today treats the whole
affair as n joke.
And Just because of the inopportune
appearance of fruit al the Brighton
tables. there are a good many new
walters there this morning, and in
Cidentallv Miss Sweet and Mrs. Ten
sill proved If indeed it were neces-
sary to prove il, that they are entire
ly capable of coping with any queS-
tion which might come up in the
mana cement of the aDartment house,
which Miss Sweet took over some
thing more than year ago and made
big success.
Disregarded Orders.
The incident last night which end
ed in the strike OF the walters was
nothing less than a disregard of the
orders issued by Mrs. Tensill, who
conducts the cafe. When the walters
entered the dining room with huge
bowls of fruit before the guests were
seated. confusion followed. and Mrs.
TenSill declared fines upon them, rang
ing from IS. to be deducted from the
wage of 'Thomas." head waiter. to
30 cents. the amount taken from the
paw OF the walters.
When ore takes S or even 50 cents
away frOr1 a waiter, the walters believe
that their inalienable rights. prerogatives
and beatitudes are being assailed, and
their s. and 50-Cent standards of prin-
ctple. threatened 10 strike. Then they
had to make good their threat because
Mrs. Tensill, absolutely supported by
Miss Sweet, refused to alter the decree.
So ii was that the white aproned fra
ternitY left the roast to walk unassisted
from pantry to table, courses of viands
TO serve themselves, as far as the wait
ers were concerned, and for a few mo-
ments plunged the smoothly running
Brighton cuisine into chaos.
Domestics Pressed Into Service.
But Mrs. Tensin was equal to the
emergency. While Major Judson. Dis
trict Commissioner; Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury Hilles, and a prominent
Postoffice official, who had been invited
there to dine. obtained taAicahs and in
Continently dashed to downtown cafes
Mrs. Tensill began drafting from the
brighton domestic help. A lady's maid
took the place of one of tthe departed
servftors. Elevator boys proved them
selves adaptable, too, and those of the
guests who remained to see the fun out
found thmselves well served.
Miss Sweet, who leases the Brighton
with its hundred or so apartments,
strangely. enough does not believe, as do
most business women, that every wom-
an can be efficient in positions usually
filled by men.
It prefer men in almost all positions"
rather hire men walters every day and
hire new ones the next than employ
Mattresses Miss Sweet has had the
Brighton since it was built, and, in fact, |
consulted with the architect and made |
change in the original plans to suit her
own ideas.