New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-23
SUBURBlY homes.
recorded.

Rapid transit and French flats have retarded,
but not wholly interrupted, the growth OF the
suburbs. Within ten years there has been
steady movement Of population from the outly-
| ing district toward the metropolis. This has
been the natural effect of opening the upper
| sections of the island and of rendering them
accessible from the business quarter of the
CITY, The extensive building operations now
conducted along the line Of Brooklyn's first
elevated road forecast similar movement in
that city AS soon rs the problem of rapid transit
| is practically solved. AS the comfort and con-
| yenience of city residence are increased. the
| suburbs gradually give back to the metropolitan
centres portion Of what they have borrowed
in population during the last fifteen or twenty
| years At the same time there Il an undercur-
rent in the opposite direction. The causes con-
tributing to render residence in the cities more
convenient and luxurious have also made it
more expensive. Rapid transit has added
enormously to the cost of land in every desir-
| able quarter and deprived families with moder
| ate incomes and meagre savings OF the privilege
| of building their own houses. II they are TO
| escape from the confinement of French flats or
boarding houses, and live in their own homes,
| they must go outside the city. This alternative
| is accepted with less reluctance when the chill
dren's health seems to require country air all
| the year round
| There are few attractive suburbs of New
| York that do not show signs of this overflow of
urban population. There is in every quarter
| an increasing number OF unpretentious, COM
| Portable homes, occupied by families of moder-
| ate means, who cannot afford to own their own
| houses In town. These houses are not in
| tended exclusively as summer residences, since
| the wealthy class that formerly took refuge In
| the suburbs now prefer to own costly cottages
| at a greater distance from the city at Newport
or elsewhere The suburban houses which
| are now building are smaller and less expensive
| and as q rule are occupied by families that can
| only afford to take q scant holiday during sum-
mer These are intended for permanent resi-
| dences by householders who despair of ever
| being able to own their own homes In New
York Ranging from the modest cottage which
| can easily be built for $1,000 or $2, 600, to
| larger houses costing all the way from $4,000
to $4,000, with half an acre or more OF lawn and
| garden, these are the homes of people of
moderate incomes and frugal habits. 1t would
| be out of the question for them to seek In town
| for what they have easily obtained In the
suburbs houses where wives are not climbing
staircases all the day long, where dining-room,
parlor and kitchen are on one level and every
bedroom Is well ventilated, and where children
| are not turned out upon the sidewalk, but
! furnished with cool, attractive playground in
| neatly kept garden Oh a well-shaded lawn.
| glance at any prosperous suburb Within
easy distance OF the City Hall discloscs a
gradual improvement In the designing of such
houses as We have been describing. The rage
| for the so-called Queen Anne cottages has hap
ply passed. There are still too many of these
! fantastic and pretentious houses designed, but
common sense has interviewed in the house
| holders behalf The new houses, of which
many are to be seen in the Westminster towns,
| in New-Jersey, all the way from Englewood to
Short Hills, the Oranges and Rosclle, and on
| Long Island in Sea Cliff, Richmond Hill and
| the ancient village of Flatbush, are for the
! greater part meant TO be lived in rather than to
| be looked at. The ceilings are higher, the
rooms arc more sensibly arranged with q view
to internal convenience. there ~ less display OF
paint and ornamental woodwork. and there are
simpler lines in roof. piazza aud porch, and
better workmanship inside. The craving for
vivid coloring, picturesque effects and mere