Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-30
MOVING DAY.
It's mfser1eS in Now YOrk-Flats and
Their Drawbacks.

| DE0Nt O0CASs
| fOelia Logan's Last Letter in Cincinnati Star 1
| engaged rooms at my present residence on
the stipulation that there was to be no May
moving. The landlady assured me that her
| lease did not expire, strangely enough until the
first Of July, which date suited me wen enough,
as as generadiy nut TO the country about that
time, out mad scarcely moved In when the lady
| informed me that the owner OF the house had
sold IT, ana the new owner desired possession
me list OF May, so we must all turn out and
| Join the great army OF movers whether we
| VIII or no. Another reason for this Constant
| change OF quarters Is the steady march up and
OUT aarlemWards. the only way New York can
| extend her dimensions, being bounded by water
| except just where that neck OF land stretches
Into Westminster county. Here new houses and
STORES are being Quilt with modern improve
mems 10 tempt the people in that direction.
leaving the lower and once fashionable streets
10 De USED as stores and warehouses. My knowi-
eoge Oh New York only covers about sixteen
years, YET In that time whole rows and rows of
houses that were the chosen homes OF the aris.
tOcracy have been converted into places for the
transaction OF commerce.
washington Place, Eighth, Ninth Tenth
and all those streets In that direction are fiIIed
With laundrieS, poor stores and worse boarsling-
houses; University Place and Fifth avenue Ip
10 IWenty.third street are the same. at the
corner OF ruth avenue and Washington Square
.nefe sts nos one OF the finest Old mansions In
New ioIk; there Young Jim Bennett" was
porn, ana IL mas resisted the march Of progress
az tnese years. always cast an admirIng
glance at that mansion, being so hne aren't
tecturally, but the other day was grIeved to
see the Old house being all torn out; whether
| IL Is to De demolished or Simply turned into
stores, could not learn.
AS TO FLATS.
Another monster of hideous mein which
unoer the pretence OF giving "homeS' to an
mas overrun the whole city, Is the octopus fl &c
The idea was good one-that of providing
q moor With all modern convenfences, which
should be separate from the rest of the world.
ara enable family to live by themselves, and
O q o1aJa
home, but the. flats have not answered ex.
pectations by any means Those that are really
good ana pleasant to live In are more expen-
s1Ve than an entire house would be. and those
that rent at what are called moderate rates
nave many drawbacks, the first OF which are
the dark rooms.
light rooms ont Of seven or ten-the parlor and
kitchen. The bedrooms usually resemble no.
thlng go much as row OF huge empty trunks
stood on end. An outside fiat, so-called be-
cause 1t stands on corner, Or is not damned IN
between other buildings, has all rooms light.
Another objection to a fiat is that one cannot
escape the unpleasant odors that arise from
cooking, washing, etc; another Is their being
so at the mercy OF thieves. burglars, peddlers,
and tramps who have only to pull bell to be
iet mo me mouse to enter what at they please,
really good servant girl will live In fat ii
SHE CAN HELP HERSELF.
Sne cares less Tor the stationary tubs, the eX-
cel!ent range, the no running up and down the
than she does for the loss OF society which
nat lie entails upon her for she Is con-
stant1y under the eye of the lady OF the house,
there being no area gate, no yard no back
door, In fact no good place where she can sur
reptitiously or not lead her company" into the
Kitchen ana there spend coy evening after
her WORK Is done; there can be no quiet romps.
no scramoling for kiss because the kitchen Is
SO near the parlor that such pleasing pastimes
VII De easily overheard; and, If even the
" nelp' herself has obtained the privilege OF re-
Kitchen {
man" Is bashful and shamefaced about knock.
Ing at door when it may be opened by the
MASTER or mistress OF the house. The "young
man. vii! blush and stannmer before he can
o7eTcame his embarrassment, and Will have to
explain himself pretty clearly. or he may be
mistaken n1liN en- ior burglar This is SO d,scour-
aging that have known q "youug man'sD
visits not to extend beyond three under the
circumstances.
,; a "nat LADY" had q girl whom she priced
company" in the kitchen. It was granted, but
the company couldn't be induced to pay more
than three visits. Then the girl asked leave to
60 out evenings It was bitter cold weather,
gave notice. The lady was surprised and In
CURED her reasons; was she not comfortable,
wen paid? Were they not kind to her? What
could be the reason for leaving so good a place?
AT last the girl told her that her beau wouldn't
come to see her In fiat because everybody saw
him and ID knew he was going counting, and he
psrlor they might almost as well be In It, ana
he didn't like that; so they arranged to meet
and walk In the streets, but they got SO tired
that ne couldn't court any girl when he was
half frozen, and he dropped Off altogether land.
ma'an," she said, In conclusion, tits the third
chance OF getting married that's been broker
up by my living In Q fat house. and as I am
determined I'll not die an Old maid, I'll never
live IN another Hat and that's fiat"
NEW STYLE FLATS.
great number OF old residences have been
turned into fats One serious drawback to
these fats is the number of doors opening
almost on to the street. The new style of fat
city gets over this difficulty. it is called the
staircase house."
There are no front stairs or doors opening
ihto tne street, put at the rear OF the house
there Is one large Stare aSa with landings or
short passages branching OFF to each fiat, the
door OF which, when closed, shuts that fat of
from all communication from outside. The
staircase is Enclosed. Another new idea here is
Tor several people to buy or build house in
common.
Each floor is complete for housekeeping, and
all pay rent on the basis of the interest OF the
money paid the builder, thus gradually each
person buys the floor he occupies.
IL Is on the principle Of the building associa.
OF house ITSELF 1t does not appear to me a
plan that win work Well, But the problem OF
living In this city Ia yearly becoming more in
Marketing this winter has been higher than
for many years past, and is still getting dearer.
The value OF property has within the last
year increased from twenty to forty per cent
and rents have risen pr0portionately.
. gentleman owning pretty little row of
houses In One-Hundred and Thirty third street
fancy, II you can, how Iar up town that is! said
recently to his agent these landlords all have
agents. to drive their tenants: ~ must have
more rent for that row this year. Forty month
is too little. don't want to pinch good ten
ant, but try for fifty dollars month" The
agent goes to the tenants and tells them the
landlord has determined to raise on them. but
hasn't made up his mind how much, but they
had better talk 1t over among themselves. The
tenants held meeting and calculated how
much rent they ought to pay In consequence OF
the increased rise In property.
They voluntarily offered the landlord seventy
dollars month for each little house.
Fasting to Death.
The case of Miss Hattie Duell, just dead at
Iowa City after forty-seven days Of voluntary
starvation, seems to us extraordinary In more
senses than one. The woman was undoubtedly
insane. She had been made so by the pain Of
prolonged disease. One form OF her insanity
was her refusal to speak, which abe had not
done since November, 1879. She av0Wed her
intention to commit suicide by abstaining from
1000 Here was as crazy a patient as any In
the asylums. There was nothing to do but to
treat her as cr0zV Tnstnad NJ flSfo tho fso,tor,