Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-17
CITY HOUSEHOLDS.
Possible Eyries Of Comfort and Pleas
ure Afforded by the Roofs.

| uEc AuOfOeO Dy the hOO1S.
WHY SHOULD NOT MODERN GOTHAM AS WELL
AS ANCIENT BABYLON HAVE AERIAL GAR
DENS? POPULAR ROOF RESTAURANTS A
HoCSEroP FLORIST CRoQUET GROUND
AMONG THE CHIMNEYs.
From the New York World
The bird who wings his fight over New York
| city is probably not much impressed by the
attractiveness of this metropolis. The pictur-
/ esque "birds-eye' views circulated by enter
| prislng photographers taken on flights of
| imagination. The real birds eye beholds a YER
| liable wilderness of hideous roofs, some tarred
and gravelled, some slated, some covered with
painted zine ard tin, and all of them crowded
with great chimneys, tunnels, skylights, gaunt
telegraph stacks, Tapping launrdy and various
other ungainly excresences, which seek seclu-
sion from observation above mems heads. The
upturned face of the city, if conscious of its
piainness, persistently wears q cobweb veil of
wires. well-traveled bird would assure you
that, though this uncomely aspect Is characters
Tic OF American housetops, there are cities in
the world whose roofs present very attractive
appearance. In some European capitals the
housetops are by no means the least inter
esting part of the establishments. public
and private, and the South American
and eastern nations not infreQuently transform
their roofs into little pleasure gardens ana
comfort is taken of a sultry afternoon and eve
nlng: bird with any knowledge of history
S'uiu you tndt the roofs Oh the aHCieut
cities We're Ofttimes the favorite resort of the
population. This portion OF the dOmicile fig
ures prominently in the scriptures and profane
writings of antiquity, and the infrequency OF
the mention of roofs in current literature is an
indication of a lost art of architecture and an
obsolete phase OF luxury. The worthless of old
devoted this portion OF their dwelling places to
other than laundry purposes. The better classes
were accustomed to furnish the housetop luxu-
rlOusly, and tapestry awnings, hammOcks,
divanS and bamboo coucheS abounded. Do you
not remember, in books of Eastern romance,
how the jugglers. magicans and Persian dan
cling girls were wont 10 perform before the ca
l1pns reclining iuxurlOusiy i'll their aerial re-
treats. No reader OF BabylOnian history can
forget the description of the magnificent hang
ing gardens of that pleasure-loving metropolis
OF the Persian plains. The royal feteS annually
held i'm these suspended bowers were on a scale
of magnifcence and laviShAeSS rarely eQualed
by modern revelers The Romans, too. knew
the delights of the roofs and travellers report
that among the wonderful pictures which have
been discovered in the eXhumed cities, with
cOlOrs fresh and vivid as when first applied,
is one which represents avolupluous moonlight
dance on the top of some Old temple which had
been rescued from the worship OF the sterner
gods 10 be dedicated to Venus and the votaries
OF pleasure.
GASES AMONG THE ROOFS
But some signs of renaissance can be detect
ed by careful scrutiny of the roofs OF New
York. Here and there may be discerned little
GASES of green in the smoky desert OF housetops.
These not the foliage of trees, but little
patches of sward and flowers that some lovers
OF nature cultivatng above their heads.
And 1T a number OF points amid the wide dis
play OF huttering laundry can be distinguished
"a fancy awning stretched from pole To pole and
casting Il grateful shade upon the parched
hOuSetOps. The enterprsing saloonkeepers of
the east and west sides have in many instances
combined Il roof garden with their street estab-
lisnments and there are dozens OF places where
"A man may enjoy glass of beer, cigar and
view OF the busy river at the same time. Sew
eral downtown restaurants and notably one
near the battery, serve regular dinners upon
the ROOT. easily accessible by elevators. From
harbor, be famed by refreshing breeZes from
The bay and discuss the efforts of AN admirable
cuisine. OF the uptown rOofgardenS. that of
the Casino is perhaps the most attractive,
though there are Others that afford tar better
view. Several OF the towering apartment
houses have made ample provision 1or the
comfort OF their guests in this respect. The
Chelsea, on 23d street, beside whose mountain
of bricks ana mortar all other buildings in the
vicinity are pigmies, has very extensive and
slightly promenade upon its crest. On clear
day one can follow the contour OF the coast for
many miles I'D all directions and look beyond
the outskirts OF Brooklyn into the interior OF
Long Island and hey Ond the limits of Jersey
City and Newark into the Jersey mount aims.
This promenade is substantially paved with
wide brick and protected by ratings. Chairs
settees and various ornaments and conven-
fences are provided, and OF IL sultry evening it
Is "A very popular resort with the guests of the
house.
AN AERIAL FLOWER GARDEN.
But it is the overcrOwded tenement houses
that make the most of the housetops. In
rented by the thrifty landlords By the
shabby purlieus OF Christopher street stands IL
tall tenement, whose base Is an unsavOFy court
yard, but whose top is crowned with a very
pretty Hover display. One has to climb several
rIckety flights OF stairs to reach the rooms of
Nine. Marie JardiD, d bustliug little French
widow, whose name is quite appropriate TO her
novel occupation. She Is ROOT florist, and all
the year round ill the little garden above her
head raises flowers for her to- sell in the
stree1f. She begs IA thousand pardon, mes
sleur, for the narrowness and croukeduess OF
the stairway, through which she takes a curl
the chimney TO the caves, are "a score or more
boxes OIL f1Owers-roses, pinks, peonies and other
Observation-Disclosures fresh and fragrant amid
the great ney-stacks-an aerial parterre i'll
charming contrast to the barrenness OF the
neighDoring roofs. In the winter season the
more delicate plants are removed to the warm
room below, and the Others are covered with
glass cases, which protect them from the gales
which sweep over the roofs This little garden
blossoms SO high up in the sky that it is free
from the intrusion even of the venturesOme
small boy who fniests the neishbOrhood.
The feasibility Of croquet ground on the
hOusetop IL novel idea which has taken the
1ancy OF al HORSEPOWER i'll west 59th street. He
has overcome the slight slope which even So
platform. Over this Is laid a rough tapestry
which suffers no injury from summer showers.
About the caves oi the roof IL wire netting is
stretched 10 prevent an erratic ball frOIl
descending upon the unotfending passers-by,
Stakes and wickets driven into the plat
form at the regulation distances. Over the roof
this gentleman intends to hang u fancy avn
ing. Urns and baskets OF flowers are to be
artisticaily disposed about and ivies and rum
ming vines will hide the naked brick and NOR
tar OF the chinneys- IL Is proposed to make
this housetop d delightful eyre oI comfort and
pleasure. Little expense is attached to such a
project, and there Is no good reason why thou
sands oil other stay at-homes should not enjoy
themselves III similar fashion.