Judge, 1912-06-01 · page 22 of 24
Judge — June 1, 1912 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical article mocks James J. Hill, the wealthy railroad magnate (the "Empire Builder"), for being an impossibly difficult customer to his St. Paul tailors. Hill, despite his prominence and wealth, refuses basic tailoring practices: he won't take new measurements or try on clothes, instead impulsively buying around $1,000 worth of garments and rushing out. His tailors have resorted to using old measurements and guesswork, resulting in ill-fitting clothes. Hill then demands they adjust the suits without providing proper measurements—a catch-22 that exasperates the tailors. The joke's premise is ironic: while artistic temperament excuses eccentric behavior, a hardheaded businessman like Hill has no such excuse for being equally unreasonable. The satire suggests that great wealth and power don't grant immunity from basic courtesy or cooperation—Hill's refusal to accommodate his tailors' reasonable requests makes him worse than the stereotypical temperamental artist.
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any in the city. Within ea y access of every point of interest. Half walk of Shopping District, NOTED FOR—Excelle courteous service and homelike surroundings. The very best accommodations in the city at $1.00 Per Day Up 7 Minutes from Grand Central Depot. 10 Minutes to leading stores and theatres ST. DENIS HOTEL CO. Also STANWIX HALL HOTEL, ALBANY, N. Y. HOTEL ST. DENIS Broadway and 11th Street, New York City Home Comforts Without Extravagance This famous hotel has been renovated, redecorated, refurnished, and many modern, up to date appointments have been installed, and can be compared favorably with The only first-class hotel near all steamship lines ck from Wanamaker's. F' c of cuisine, comfortable appoint The aging of a cocktail is as necessary to perfect flavor as the aging of wine or whisky. The delicious flavor and aroma of Club Cocktails is due not alone to the precise blending of the choicest liquors obtainable, but to the fact that they are softened to mellowness by aging before bottling. Manhattan, Martini and other standard blends, bottled, ready to serve through cracked ice. Refuse Substitutes. AT ALL DEALERS. G.F, HEUBLEIN & BRO., Sole Preps. Hartford New York WHEY New York S72" THE NEW FIRE-PROOF NAVARRE Seventh Ave, & 38th Street BUSINESS MEN FAMILIES TOURISTS Maximum of Luxury at Minznum of Cost, ASCESSIGLE-QUIET-ELEGANT Webi Fe, Ming Wal of There Shove nd a New Duh Sa jooma Lareest in the Cay, Electric Cats pas Flotel to ail Radroads, EUROPEAN PLAN $1.50 per Day $2.00 per Day WITHOUT BATH WITH BATH Suites, $3.50 and upwards SEND FOR COLORED MAP OF NEW YORK EDGAR T. SMITH, Managing Director Plaza Hotel, Chicago, under same management “A SUMMER OUTING ABOVE THE CLOUDS.” HOTEL KAATERSKILL Member of the “Empire Tours” CATSKILL MOUNTAINS. ELEVATION 3,000 FEET. ed. payered, completely scenery and location unequalled, 1, Dancing. Mountain’ timbing, Baseball (C Modern Garage, Canoeing, Fishing, Golf, Tennis, Bowling, Billiards, Excellent accommodation: jeorge A. Richards. 4 Mr. ated and placed in perfect condition either in Ewope or Americ for conventions. mbI¥ rooms seating from 0 to 1,000 A musical four o'clock afternoon tea carves daily. HARRISON S. DOWNS, No extra charge Special attractions and inducements for the younger An up-to-date Rathskeller. with reasonable prices. Special rates to families Trai to loeation of rooms. For reservation of rooms and all (ni Berkeley Lyceum, ‘ation address 19, 21 West 44th Street, (Opposite Sherry’s! Im answering advertisements please mention JUDGE. It will be appreciater. hist Mountain League). guests. Celebrated Symphony Orchestra. t. — Hops semi-weekly. # 81.00 per day and up, according New York. A Hard Patron To Suit. r IS a huge mistake to think that genial disregard for the conventions of dress is confined to persons who paint pictures and write poems. James J, Hill, multi-millionaire railroad builder, isn’t exactly an artistic genius; but no long-haired poet is a source of more grief to his tailor than is the Empire Builder, as they call him in St. Paul. Mr. Hill has been having his clothing made for many years by the same firm of St. Paul tailors. A decade or so ago they got him to stand hitched long enough to take some measurements, and since then he has been in the habit of dashing into the shop, hurriedly select. ing about one thousand dollars’ worth of clothing, and dashing out again. He has persistently refused to allow new measurements or to come in and try on his new clothes, so his tailors have been obliged to rely on those archaic measure- ments and trust to luck. Despite this handicap, however, all went well untils year or so ago, when Mr. Hill began to lose something in weight. He is not # heavy by about forty pounds as he was when he was last measured for a suit Consequently, clothing made according to the old measurements is apt to be baggy and ill-fitting. Now, Mr. Hill's tailors take great pride in their art, and the last time be ordered some clothes, a few months ago, they begged him to give them new measurements, or at least to come in and try on one of the suits. Mr. Hill was obdurate; he hadn’t the time. “But they won't fit!’’ pleaded the tailor. “Nonsense!’’ roared the Empire Builder, and stalked out of the shop. But the man behind the goose wasn't at the end of his resources by a good deal. One suit was made up and de livered to Mr. Hill. For days afterward the tailor left his shop at the noon host and strolled up and down Fourth Street between the Great Northern Building and the Minnesota Club, where Mr. Hill lunches, hoping to get a peek at the magnate in his new suit. Patience wi comicbooks.com