New-York tribune., 1876-03-11
FRENCH FLATS.

SOME OF TIE DEPICTS OF NEw-YOBK HOUSES.
TO th6 Editor or The TrfbHne.
SIR: As the warm weather approaches, Ger
tain amount Of buildng must take place in aud about
Ncy- York Material eud labor are low, and demand
exists for accommodations suited 10 those whose salaries
and incomes are moderate As the population becomes
more dense orr experience be that OF the cities OF
the ola World Where does not exist for every tam
jy TO enjoy nm entire EhOuse other arrange
ment must he made In Vienna Berlin Dresden and
Paris the solution Of the difficulty has been best found
IN the erection OF buildings where each story contains
one or more fats suites OF apartments, containing IN
themselves the necessary features Of home As yet we
have no, in this country developed the principle Of their
arrangement at all thoroughly. Tho first element Of a
without the aiutCst doubt ia an arrangement 10y when
copAarraton should not entail loss Of life wcll as
loss OF property. Our fTeescapes arc very Ingenious
but il is demanding too much 10 expect that women aId
children can succeed In descendnS safely to the street
along the exterior Of burning building 10y meau1 Of
swaying rope. The foreign arrangements involve ad-
ditOual expense stone and wroughtrOn starUGy5 lead
from attic to collar partition walls are built OF ncOm
bustibe material Can set on decreased Insurance
rates against this increased Ouay' Perhaps not The
external aid 90 hrCescape IN the form OF iron sdders
must many Of them, soon become insecure and seom
totally inadequate The field still lies open TO inventive
genius.
Many OF the houses now built, adapted for tho
purpose in question: insuflcently supplied with hight
and air The custom in Vienna Il TO build upon lots at
least 100 feet square, four OF city lots square
space from feet the side upwards is left incosed
by the front building and two Is. II the ghbor
ing street q similar lot in iuXtaposition is similarly
treated which often interior space OF 3OK6O
feet ~ secured lighting interior rooms and corridors ana
sufficiently large 10 admit tho sunlight Wcls, sunless
ani cbperess are dispensed with and ventilation Il IN
hntely better than in our miserable middle rooms
and halls Scientific men agree that about 1850
feet cube or "A body OF cir IL feet every way, IS
required for every individual in his 6lcepingroom
In Our best houses han bedrooms are, almost with
ont eVcepfion ONLY half this size. Colds follow upon
opening windows, and asphyIia upon closing them
Tuzand can teach much in these matters Where 40
many people gathered together as Is likely in large
houses this sort the plumbing and draining should bo
most carefully looked after The architect should allow
nothing be covered up out OF sight until he has thor
Ougnly tested and examined H. Our increasing popula
ton is making all these questions as important hore us
abroad where they have been 5cussed Tor many years,
and peThsps when we have once become interested In
them and thoroughly studied theIn shall be able
with our original modes Of investigation and thought
TO throw light and advancement upon them. At
present Il highly desirable that should all become
familiar with what has been done In other parts OF the
world before further I'LL cities with costly struo