, 1874-06-14
trains daily, carrying passengers to and from
New York ut tho most reasonable rates Of fare.


Observation-Disclosures.
APARTMENT HOUSES IN ED1SDURa.
To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
61n: Apartment houses euch as are 80 clearly
illustrated aud ably advocated in your Sunday
iasue arc nothing new under the sun. Forty
years ago an intelligent scotchwoman made me
familiar with the plan OF building In Edinburg,
where she had beon born, and had lived thirty
years. She eaid man owning lot and want
ing to build, dug cellar and laid foundation
according to the height OF the proposed struc-
tu1e. A good foundation wall was IS feet thick,
Of solid masonry As the house rose the thick
ness Of the wallis diminished, until those of the
top story were Is inches, OF perhaps but foot.
If the builders means rau out when he had COM
pleted one OF two stories or tiatB, he sold to au-
other the right to build on his wall. Perhaps le
sold the foundation or the cellar to some one
who built or two stories, and sold to another
the right to build up; aud up they built until the
stories, OK flats, Often ran iuto the teens; and,
in soma cases. every story WAS built or owned By
separate parties. The houses vere built in q
hollow or square, with wide hall opening On
the street, mud, in the contre. broad stone stair
ways. On every nat, or landiug were four, si1,
or more doors, each the outside entrance to
house or dwelling, every one as separate from
all the others as are the houses in o block. To
illustrate tho separation, she told that it was
not uncommon to soc q funeral start ont OF tho
there had been illness in the family Tho differ-
ent blocks wero built on different plans. accord
ing to the class OF tenants for whom they we're
intended; and it WAS not uncommon for 3 doc
tor or dentist to have his Office and dwelling to-
gether, up several flights of stairs. Her own
dentist lived and had his Office on the eleventh
story. She thought it much more conyeniont to
lise in apartments, in ono Of these Edinburg
blocks, than in any two-stoEy house, as you only
had to go up aud down stairs to 20 to market o.
FIrAIA9T1au fnnk md Ha1fp
goods just as they do in ordinary city houses.
The plan is old and has workod we'll, and the
marvel il that American houseksopers have so
lc' .an required to live two or thros flats
l.. "eir kitchens and so loave those to tho
u1 '>t,,4> I'd domain of Biddy. But one requi-
site for apartment houses which should be reck-
oned Indispensable il stone ssairw1vs- Such
houses should be az nearly as possible fire.
proof, becnuso each family risks the couse-
quences Of any careiessness on the part Of all
or any OF the others, aud with wooden corridors
and stairwaya they aro all liable to be roasted
like rats in hole. JANE q. Sw1ssHELM.
BUILDING.
Building is progressing with notable rapidity.
The city is extending its domains in all direc-
tions, aud tho gaps tnat have been left by the
lilatory are rapidly filling up. To tho south
ward the improvements under Tay are commen-
eurate with the future Of this residence section.
At different points all the way to Hyde Park a
number Of fine residences are being built, mostly
for occupation by their owners. OF the North
and West Sides tho Same may ba said. In the
latter section the outakirts exhibit scene OF &C
tivity in house-bniding which IL remarkable
Particularly is this the case along Milwaukee
avenue and around Wicker Park
For instance, from the junction Of Western
avenue and Harrison street can be seen the fol-
lowing At the corner Of Van Buren, street, 'front.'
ing Congress Park, are being erected two two
story aud basement bricks ut thecorner OF Con-
gress and Campbell streets, two two-story and
basement bricks on Campbell Park, near
BY, two more OF the same; Adams
street, near Leavitt, are two more.
On Western avenue, near Harrison street. is an
other Of the Same general design, this being the
first building on tract OF tenacros. On Leayitt
street, near Jackson, Is still another, and scat
tered about arc o half d score OF good frame
dwellings, just being raised.
Dr. Jordan and L. L. Leach hayo let the con-
avenue, near Twenty tLird street. Cost, $780,
600.
1lr. Kehoe has inst finished two splendid
dwellings, on West Adams street, near Ashland
avenue. Cost, sc, 900.
It has been rumored about that tho Museum
on Dearborn st1eet would not be built this sen
BON. This is mistake. Tho contracts will be
let this week. and work will be commenced at
once. Mr. Van V1eee, the lessee, will shortly
start for Europe to collect curiositles.
IENTB.
The inquiry for houses and stores has fallcn
to the minimum Every one has settled nov for
the summer and those few dwellings that may
ye1 be reatod will so TO new incomers. OF these
there arc always few in tho market asking for
homes. 4 perfect myriad Of thieves have been
operating on vacant houses in the past few
weeks. aud those who own are almost willing to
loase FREQ gratis in order to get tenant who
will take care Of their property. The least arti-
Gle Of value is enough to tempt the cnpiditv OF
these hneaks and villaius who will come with an
e1press-wagon at night and carry OF almost
everything but the foundation Of house.
There seems to be no protection in appeals to
the police who, it is loudly assorted by many,
are in colIusion with tho rogucs themselves.
Those who have chandeliers or fixtures OF any
Kind should remove them. and lead pipe should
be carefully battened up wherever exposed.
The law to punish this most law}ess class OF
criminals is entirely insufficient. It should be
made so severe al to make examples forcible
enough to be remembered. As it is. yacaut
dwellings, are at their entire mercy, and OF this
quality they seem not to know eTon the nane.
AUCTION
Ellison, Pomeroy & Co. will hold an auction
of valuable residence property at Lake Forest,
On July l. They will sell 40 acres, snbdivied
into GO lots, in D. ). Lake and .. L. Canteld's
Addition, mostly bBtwcen the railroad and the
lake. and tho cemetery and jeBsamlne avenue.
EGson Pomeroy IL Co. will sell Is lots on
Clybourn and Racine avenues, Sophia and Lewis
streets, near C!ybourn avenue cars, on Saturday,
June 20.
TRANSFERS.