Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-11-20
The
BOWeS Street
House
How 1t Came by Its
Repairs
By IGNORE E. CLANCY
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co

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While Glider bent eagerly over the
quarterly report his agent sat back
and watched him uneasily.
He was big man-this agent-fault-
lessly dressed and bearing an air OF
ease and conscious well being very
soothing to the senses. Faultless, too,
was his manner toward his superlors--
suave, deterrent, but not too deterrent
All, that is very great thing-to
acquire manner like that. If Glider
smiled. Burson radiated pleasure; If
Glider frOwned, Burson breathed
deprecating regret, and yet he never
reused the savage desire to kick that
more suppliant and cringing servant
might have done.
For Burson respected himself. in
very modest and unobtrusive way, and
thus begat respect In his betters. But
for all that he often experienced trou-
blesOme days, and one glance at Mr..
elders lean face had conveyed clear
ly to Burson that this was going to be
one of the most troublesome of them
ALL
"Ahem!" Glider shut his spectacle
case with n snap and glared Mt his
agent. 81 see profits far below normal
again. sir. | notice In the Bowes
street house alone the bill for plumbing
is over $500 for the past year"
Il have been wanting to speak to you
about the Bowes street place." began
Burson, extracting letter from the
file ut his elbow. "You see, Mr.. Glider,
the Bowes street plumbing is in pref
ty bad condition.; there's been quite
little agitation recently in some OF
the papers about an epidemic OF
typhoid down there, and this morning
l got this letter from the head OF the
social settlement In the district"
Lot of nonsense" was elders only
comment as he tossed the letter down
half read
But you see they threaten n health
board investigation"
you ought to know as well as any
body, Burson. how little we have to
fear from the board of health"
Eyes. ! know they have been very
kind"
'The point is what are you going to
do to bring up this credit balance? At
the present rate of decline another year
or two may sec the balance on the
other side altogether" said Glider.
Burson faced himself for battle,
though his manner was as suave, rs
gracious as ever.
II am sorry to say, Mr. Glider, that
can't see any way Of stopping the
leak unless you are prepared to spend
lump sum on new plumbing. In the
Bowes street place alone n thousand
dollars ought to DO spent Immediately.
A great many of the tenements remain
empty simply because they are not hab-
liable. even for the sort of people who
live In that section. We cannot re-
duce the rents without establishing n
very bad precedent and of course l
could not put In any very extensive re-
pairs without consulting you"
Extensive repairs" calculated Gil
der, now thoroughly aroused. For
heavens sake, Burson, one would
imagine you were letting on Fifth ave
nue. instead Of Stun tenements! You
are dealing with a class that las no
business to expect luxuries. It's scum
plain scum, demanding new and up
to date plumbing In its dens."
"Of course what you say is true"
agreed Burson, but times are chang
ing everywhere, and can assure you,
sir the people In the tenements now
are not the sort we had there ten years
ago. 1t grows increasingly difficult to
deal with them, and In this Bowes
street house especially we've had no
end of trouble.
zone Of my men was pitched down
the steps only last week by burly
giant who declared he wouldn't pay his
rent until the leak from the floor above
was stopped. OF course we set him
out, but It's had very bad effect on
the others, especially as the typhoid Is
very bad In the house, and the settle
ment workers have led them to believe
it's entirely due to the pipes"
"More likely it's due to their own
dirt and filthW snapped Glider, pacing
wrathfully up and down. But look
to you. Burson, to straighten this out
That's what pay you for, and eI-
pect you to do It,"
IL have been doing my best. In
tend to go down there myself this
afternoon and look the house over.
am having plumber meet me there TO
submit estimates"
At the word estimates q sudden
CLEAN OF suspicion lit In elders eyes
"Estimates-graft! Ahap
II think I'll just go down with you,
BursOn. and we'll look It over TO-
gether"
Burson's dismay was evident.
"Oh. Mr. Glider, I'm sure you
wouldn't like that! You've no idea
how filthy and vile the streets and peo-
Pile are down there. It wouldn't do at
all to 90 in your car, in the present
state Of things, and I'm sur0 you
wouldn't relish the ride on the street
cars"
This served, OF course, to fix tho idea
only the more firmly in Mr.. elders
mind. lie would certainly go; Of that
BursOn might be certain.
Once having made the resolution no
forged calmly ahead, but before no had
traversed hnlf the distance from the