Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-01-03

t AN OLD HOTEL MAN
! TALKS OF GROUCHES

From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
Look here" said the grouchy man to
the manager of one OF WashingtOn's best
hotels the other day. you charge alto
gcther too much for your food here. All
my wife and l had for dinner this eve
ming was a consomme Julienne. flet of
sole, roast beef, Bermuda potatoes, corn
on the cob, apple pie and demt-tasse: and
DO you know what the check VASE
"About $3.50. wasn't it," asked the
manager.
ut was $3.& without the tip. Why.
hack home that's more than a skilled
: workman can make in a day-and here
it's only the price OF a little dinner OF
soup, fish, meat and two vegetables with
dessert. You must make money hand
over hst.'
The manager smiled. You're eight
he agreed. I'VE would make money hand
oyer fist, IL that had been all you got for
your 81. But there are a few items Of
expense you overlooked. You had music.
didn't your
well. ] did hear an orchestra playing
somewhere conceded the grOuchy man.
YES. you heard one of the best orchcs-
tras In the city of Washington playing.
concealed behind a screen OF palms. Dur
ing the hour and a half that you and your
W.. were at table, you heard a concert
that was equal to others which you've
paid a dollar to hear. Didn't that add to
the enjoyment of your meal?"
The grouchy man hesitated. "Oh, I
liked 1t all right" he admitted.
Yes. continued the at added
to your enjoyment. and also to your
check. Both musicians and palms are a
considerable item of expense to he charged
against your dinner bill. You may also
have noticed that the dining room where
you had your dinner is located on the
ground floor. right next to the street,
We'll. what about that?" grunted the
grOuchy man.
'0nly this: that this street Is one OF the
best business thoroughfarcs in the city,
and IL we could lease 1t out as store
space the rental from that corner would
bring us in greater net returns in one
year than we could make by using 1t as a
restaurant. But then that would mean
moving our dining room somewhere up-
stairs. and you and our other patrons
wouldn't like 1t as well. This is a first
class hotel. and we give our patrons any
thing they call fos-but 1t costs"
FIN: possibly there's something in
that said the grouchy man.
Now let's see what you got in the way
Of service, using the word in a broad
sense. Did you write any letters before
dinner?''
"Oh. l dropped a line to a few friends
And your wife drOnpcd u line to a few
others. The hotel furnished the station
cry. We are glad indeed to give every
facility to our patrons. and I wouldn't
have mentioned the item of cost If you
hadn't brought up the matter, but every
letter you sent off wa written on the
finest linen paper and sealed In an envel-
opc of the finest quality and manufac-
turc that the mills Of this country can
porduce. Buying even In the largest
quantities that stationery costs at least
= anVnf a 1oAknss M &n 40, ikns~~ Ak.uA 1n1Nrs
small. but It unit into the thousands of
collars when figured by the rear. You
may also have gone 10 the lavatory to
swaSh?''.
.Oi,. 1 was down there for a minute. :.
the RrOuchy man allowed.
Tho lavatory 10 built OF steel. tile.
enamel and marble. 1t uses several thou
sand gallons of water a day-much of 1t
hot wfntcr. which isl heated Ay our boilers.
our labor and our coal. You used steri-
Hxed liquid soap. and dried your face and
hands on w or three individual towels
there was q pile of them there for you to
help yourself from. and YOU took az nan
AZ you wanted. Then % were brushed
off by an attendant"
Nov Just q minute, protested the
giouclAy man. "You know everybody uses
that washro0m.'
The general pubic uses Il very little...
answered the hotel manager. ut recog-
Mes that Il has no moral right to Its
use. Our hotel guests. alxO, have thei~
avn baths for theitnost part. or else the
baths on the same floor as that where
their room Is located. and they too use
the common lavatory comparatively little.
YheFN cMa. only the patrons OF the cafe
a of the dining room. The cost OF main
calming the lAvatOry 10 also q charge
s0sa!nst tho dinner service you enjoyed. ;.
sOh. r don't know sad the grouchy
81 - fV&s4 A.lt ~ wAA.n .-~s, ETf<9 9lS ~