The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-01-25
HARLEMPROVIDES
VARIETY Of Life
Famous for Fiat DwelIers, |"
Including Residents Of
Apartments.
FINE DISTINCTION DRAWN
Joys of New Workers Nothing as
Compared to Ups and Downs
of Harlem Town.
~ GOTHAM KNIcKERBoCKER.

OF Harlem Town.
~ GOTHAM KNICKERDOCKER.
New York. Jan zL-Hariem ID that Dor
ton of Manhattan Island which Is
bounded on the north by New York Gen.
trail freight yards. Van Cortiandt Park.
Yonkers and goats: on the south by the
city of New York: on the east by the
magnificent East River. with It's artistic
congiomeration Of coal barges. garbage
scows and sewer outlets. and on the west
by the majestic Hudson and Riverside
drive. together with the New York Gen.
trails freight tracks. Soma times you
can't see the Hudson from Riverside
drive. but II you wait long enough. may
be the New York Central will move its
freight and cattle cars and allow you TO
see the drift wood. sewage, dead dogs,
and cats. &C.. washed upon the bank by
the majestic Hudson before referred TO.
Harlem was once noted for its goats.
which were about tina most healthy and
marketable Of that species grown any
place In the world OF late. however.
goats have given way to- children, despite
the fact that proprietors Of the justly
famous Harlem nats" usually object
most strenuously to dogs. cats, parrots,
automatic pianos and children.
L should mention that Harlem IL more
than noted for its flats and apartment
houses" For the benefit of those who
do not know the difference between Q
nat and an apartment house." shall
explain fiat house In one Of those
tomb-like buildings, 30 numerous in Har-
lem. where the rent does not exceed IS
per month Also. the fat house is usually
occupied by motormen, chaufeurs. street
car conductors. &C, whereas the apart
ment house" Is occupied by head walters,
police lieutenants, poets. writer's, news
paper men. clerks. &c. There you get the
social distinction.
Elevators Are Eccentric.
The apartment house is, of course,
equipped with an elevator. i use the
word elevator with trepidation because
frequently it doesn't elevate. Most Har-
lem apartment house" elevators are a
tribe eccentric, and many of them are as
liable to carry you down when you want
to go up, as to carry you up when you
want to 60 down In charge of the ele-
vator is invariably a West Indian hall
boy" from Georgia or born in New
York's color belt The hall boy also
runs the telephone switchboard. When
you want to go down in the elevator the
hall boy Is at the telephone switchboard
When you want to use the telephone
from your apartment and kitchenette,''
the West Indian youth from Georgia is
at the sixth floor in the elevator.
West Indian hall boys" are useful in
nIsassnt Nsw york custon, ~ ,sndins ont
o. ..a ,i,,', 80. a. ,rh;,s - -,
saw. vour .e,f-re.nec, NV inducinr m.
dusky elevator attendant to rush it, for
you. OF course. this necessitstes a tip.
Some New Workers split the difference
by giving the hall boy glass Of the
R..ids. b>;nS co,ys,isn, a, tb,. .v
the b.u bov 70 ala =, m. yrs.,.., ne.
10 in,taI,r,ent ,ou.c,or, ,na oth.r r..t,
The bau nov aIvavs knows where Vol,
moved 70 Jt ia jnnossihls 10 conceal that
or anythinr else from him He know.
more about Won than Won do Yourself
and N he was ever called before n grand
tsry Won vou,d nrobablv he indicted and
tailed 30 quickly that even N. hail bov
himself vouIdn't bay. a cb,nce 70 learn
abou, I, Ry chatting n;ce,y and nl.,.,n+
Nv with the hau how and Inv tinninr hin,
once In a while II Is nossibIe 10 ACQUIRE
SUFFICIENT information about YOUR neigh
bors 70 entertain vo,,r wife and her visi-
tors for several veek. II Won have a
big apartment- and live in a reaI,y pre-
ten,ious anartment house ana have a
bov not onIv learn. ali az vour ordinary
aYsirs but tba, he also read. vorr cor.
raspondence
~ ~
In New York apartments no one has
servant II would be considered quite
improper to have a servant. II must be
a maid despite the fact that the poor
thing does everything from shooing bill
collectors away. dropping a quarter in
the gas meter. cheating the electric COM
pany by patented operation OF the
meter known only 10 naius 70 scuo-
brass eIectroiiers
No Harlem APARTMENT house would be
considered complete n II didn't have cleo
trio lights at the entrance. All of the
houses On the block have cleo
trio lights on the outside, and il one
should foreco them. residents in that par
ticular building would not be regarded as
of the elite, In technical terms. used BY
HarIemites. ordinary flat houses are
known as ..walk-ups." This term is al
vays used very contemptuously by those
nersons who live in apartment houses
Fiat dvellers never refer to their resi-
dences as ..walk-ups." They call them
..poneIevator apartments
There was a time. some centuries ago,
when Harlem was spelled HARLEM"
and when IL was populated solely BY the
Dutch Now II is populated by every
race under the sun. Many persons who
1--we in Harlem don't like to be told that
,hev live there. In fact. they indignant
liz DENY that they live in Harlem. The
yery idea, Harlem, signs of much con-