New-York tribune., 1921-09-18

Kadel snd Herbsys
At last, after 700 years, the meaning
Of the most famous gargoyle on Notrs
Dame is clear. The satasic figure l.
the. Paris;on landlord. The animal in
its grasp is the hapless homeseeker
dress. One agent told me that he has 1900
applicants for unfurnished homes on fle But
l was fortunate enough to be informed that
there was a nice apartment for rent, furniture
included, Of course. / went to it Immediately
in the Avenue Mel. It was on the fifth floor,
sans elevator. The rent was considerable and
the present tenant, had a three-year lease. It
was free Immediately and it had bath. Every
thing was in good repair, and it was for rent
on one little condition: That I must pay
10000 francs for the furniSure-a bed, several
tables, several chairs, bureau and an excel
lent copy of Rembrandt masterpiece which
had originally served as an advertisement for
a certain brand of champagne"
The reporter, who later disguised himself a.
an American, according to the reporter, also
found "an advantageous location in the Ave
nue. Charles Flouquet, but the furniture here
was worth $4,000 francs and the concierge
confied that she would superintend the deal for
the sum of 1000 francs more. In the Rue Vau-
girard was another bargain" Rent for one
year at 1000 francs and $4,000 for the fur
niture.
The reporter declared his Investigation
showed typical housing conditions in Paris
II IL IL
Here is his description
For 5000 francs a year / was offered q
combination of rooms with the privilege of
using bath. The rooms were over a stable
occupied by numerous horses. The bathroom
free from 10 a. m. until noon two days
each week-was in another set Of rooms fac
ing mine"
Perhaps the French writer's experience was
not typical of the situation to be found by
all house hunters in Paris, but It is almost
that to be found by persons Of modest means
There were plenty of furnished apartments
to be had some weeks ago until the police
and the courts began to interfere with owners
who would rent them for get-rich-quick prices.
Now this business is not so brisk. French
men would not take them, but foreigners were
often willing, paying, as the Partisan would
say, Through the nose"
An official Of a New York bank, who
came te { is some time ago to remain here
permanently in the Paris branch of that bank
advertised for a furnished apartment This
"ad" was quickly answered by dozen owners
willing to subject their leases to a handsome
turnover. The official took the cheapest one
at S400 month. He is paying through the
nose
A court case recently developed that sub
landlord who rented an unfurnlshed fat some
years ago on long-term lease for $500 year
and accumulated about $1,000 worth OF fur
nitur0 was making profit Of more than 900
per cent His client nose disturbing
foreigner, while the sub-landlord himself had
migrated to the wooded environs. Of Paris to
rent villa. The case reached the court be-
cause the foreign client objected TO another
boost in rent
A New Yorker in New York, obliged TO con-
tend with avarieious landlords is however, in
much more desperate straits than the New
Yorker in Paris under the same conditions. II
the Iast-naned New Worker is lucky enough
to have an apartment in Paris he may figure on
at most four boosts year, but the Paris land
lord boosts the ante IN francs, whereas the
New York landlord boosts IT in dollars The
New York raise is serious. But in Paris the
American tenant is not inclined to tear out
much hair or grind of mary mosrs when he
receives the fateful netice. He does a little
figuring at the rate Of l2 francs or so to she
dollar and finds that his landlord is exacting
something like dollar or so more month
He accepts without noisy resistance.
-. -
taking mental exercise IN dollars and is &C.
custoned only to financial ealisthenics in
francs the brow must wrinkle and the gray
hair must sprout Therefore. Parisians ara
stopping over into the country and Paris Is
becoming more and more cosmopolitan. Such
b The wsy Of the housing shortage 10 Paris