The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-10-31
CITY HOUSETOPS.
Looking Down On the Roofs OF NV
York and Brooklyn.
Rest and Recreation on Top or the
Upper Story-A Restaurant
on the KooE-Queer
sights.
TNnw Nnl,lz Sun !


subject for study. There are half dozen pc 'Hts
from which they can lie seen-Tri,ity steep
the Field building, the produce-axcLan,
to"cr, the Equitable companys roof, and the
fiat, broad ridge pole of the Western Union
buldinr. yut the most popular and com.
ti''" int of view, and the only one that
- ,ood view Cf Brooklyn in the bar
gain. is the Eat River bridge. From the
highest point on the curving footpath one
fully realizes tho fact that nearly 251.uR
roof lie below-lO0, 900 in BROOKLYN and
$4,000 i'll the principal city. At first the
scene Is Eewillcring, and the eye refuses ta
bring instant order out Of tho confusion of
chimney pots piTeS, signs, poles, wires, and
sheets Of tin and slate; but a minute of fixed
attention strnigltens the tangle out, and the
spectator is able to scan the scene iutelli-
gently, especially when he takes note Of Il sec.
tion of fitata time Myria threads OF smoke.
scores of towers and steeples, Il forest of rail,
ings and posts, and countless tapping Aage
helped the first hewildsrment. and this W.T.
further incl cascd by the misty indistinctncss
OF those most distant roofs which seem to lie
close under tho Palisades and beyond the
blurred foliage of Central park.
In what is left of old Now York there are
many pitched roofs rising from low cutters
to high ridge poles and among them arc
sc',l" 'h%t "ro covered witt hcnt rarthenware
tiles A long line a. these on Fulton street
calls to mind the views artists have sketchei
of street scenes in Antwerp Less plecipitn,rs
housetops coated with shingles, are to ho
seen on every hard when tho eye turns to-
ward Brooklyn. There the brightest spot in
all the broad expanse spread out ON every
hand is q line OF luxuriant gardens between
bn MI Wall
gaudy flowers and outrageous trees tho
garden paths summer houses and squares
of green lawn mislead the senses into
the o,ief that this is n row of ordinary gar.
dens, yet these arc merely the roofs of tho
riverside storehouses covered with earth AMI
planted with vegetation The roof of these
storage buildings reach 10 the easements of
the mansions OF Columbia heights, and the
rich residents there wou!d have no gardens
IL these roofs were LETT Lsre. Rounded grecu
treetops, shivering Ia the breezes, peep be-
tween the roofs all over Brooklyn.
Close to the bridge on the New York side
are many blocks of tcnements and their
roofs are very interesting. Nearly all are
fenced in at the sides, aud many nf them are
boarded over. Modern roofs are nea ly fiat,
and tenement roofs IN such crowded districts
as this arc equipped with clothes poles anl
lines from which drying garments are always
waving, for since each family has the use
of the lines on its own particular day
of the week, II may be said to be always wash
day In these neighborhoods. But the tene-
ment roofs are too precious to be given up To
clothes drying exclusively They offer do
lightfu retreat from the close and Sitting
atmosphere Of the crowded buildings. SO it
happens that thOse who cross the bridge at
daybreak in tho summer time often see men
and boys stretched ont asleep upon the bare
boards on upon mattresses brought up theru
Tor tho purpose, and during the last hour Of
daylight, when all the young people are home
from the workshops, one frequently seas
young men and women whirling over the
boards to the music Of an accordion i'm the
hands Of youth seated out of the way of the
dancers on the stone coping of the size wall
of the building
On other tenement roofs, seatel IN tho
shadows of drying sheets or count e..r anes.
are sewing women anl groups of tai. alive
girls, while perched TN chimney tops or ca
the very edges of the lofty platforms, Ets.e
boys send their kites up into the sluggish al.
currents overhead. Shrewd advertisers wh,
have noted tine advantages Of places in tho
range of near vision from the busy bridge
nav painted OH Otnef rOOfS the names of
patent medicines, new sewing-machines and
other wares, and other roofs are otherwise
utilized for business. On is given up 10
racks fer drying pottery, another to long
lines Of split canes for chair seats Hides
hang on frames on yet another roof, AMI
here and there the sun touches the slanting
windows OF photographers ceiling and
turns it into sheet of dazzing light.
At night nearly al the roofs are shaiowy
and dark The towers and chimneys show
indistinctlv above u dim line Of duh brown
One roof, however, is distinguished among
all others. IL seems to be covered with a
mass of little yellow globes. 1t Is the top of
an uptown theatre Uttered with tables.
chairs, and fowering.plants in pots and
boxes. The little globes are lamps arranged
in arches overhead to illuminate this aerial
garden, Landlords arc beginning to utilize
their roofs now that open air Is so scarce and
so highly priced. On Cyrus w. Fields new
building the roof is used for a restaurant,
and the roof Of the great roller-skating hall,
soon to be erected uptown, is to ba OF
the main attractions in the project. Trees.
plants and flowers will ornament it, and
there viii be music, and eating, and drinking
amid the leaves AMI blossoms there.