Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23
HOMES OF BACHELORS
Rich Unmarried Men of the Metropo-
lis and How They Live.
A NEW SOCIETY In NEW YORK
And the Great Progress 1t Has Made in
Discouraging Matrimony.
LUXURIOUS ROOMS OF SINGLE MEN
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH,

Nob WIG hihS OduSuLcrs nOr tHc sOcle
ties for the suppression of the various in.
iquities, the Salvation Army and the rest
are now making such substantial progress
as the Society for the Discouragement o.
Matrimony. The society proper, its officers
are kept in that strict seclusion which i:
most effective for its public work, but it,
agents, the real estate owners and builders
are carrying on an active and aggressive
campaign.
Following the example of the temperance
people who set up coffee houses to forestal1
the drinking of liquor, this society builds
bachelors apartment houses and these are
so equipped and carried on that, according
to the statistics, it is alleged that the aver.
age sum of comfort and happiness has been
largely increased over the older method OF
marriage.
The only objection to the plan, and it is
an objection that is manifestly reasonable,
is that thus far the society has worked only
for men, while its aim, as everyone will
agree, is one in which women are equally
interested. I have taken some pains to get
an expression from women similarly placed,
on the subject, and so far from objecting to
the work of the society, they object only to
its limitations, and their feeling toward
men for whom the society labors is rather
one of envy.
A vERITABLE BACHELORS HALL.
The first of these apartment houses was
1.-THE Benedict" on South Washington
square. The name gave the watch word of
the new undertaking. 1t was built by Mr.
Lucius Tuckerman, and especially with a
view to the needs of artists, literary and
professional men. A number of the best
known artists live in "The Benedict" Mr..
George Maynard. Mr.. Francis Lathrop. Mr..
Robert Blum, Mr.. A. P. Ryder Com
mander H. H. Gorringe lived there, and
there he died.
If by any chance man back slides and
marries he is forced to leave the Benedict
as his habitation. although he may do his
work there. Among the men whom this
fate has befallen are Mr.. Wyatt Eaton and
Mr.. Olln Warner. But with certain de-
gree of consideration Mr. Tuckerman has
built an annex to The Benedict fronting on
Washington place, and there men who have
married may be admitted, a privilege ac-
cepted for example by Mr.. Augustus Saint
Gaudens.
The Benedict, although modest, is one of
the most thoroughly comfortable OF the bach
L d
information with all the paraphernalia of
speaking tubes and an attendsnt to take
charge of and answer inquiries; there is sn
elevator. These suites of rooms are adapted
to different deeds and different purses of
men. The house is very agreeable to the
eye, the wood is red. and the walls are
painted the color of yellow clay which here
is really charming. The fitting up of the
rooms is left to the occupants and is
ARTISTIC RATHER THAN LUXURIOUS.
Mr.. Francis Lathrop, who has one of the
apartments overlooking the square, has
overlaid his walls with gold and repeats in
a less luxurious way that style of decoration
he SO successfully practices. The example
of The Benedict was speedily followed by
turning the old Hotel St. Germaine into
bachelor apartments under the name of the
Cumberland" The Cumberland fills the
broad end of the wedge that faces Twenty
third street, Broadway and Fifth avenue.
IL a clientele that could afford itshigh rents,
and with these came a greater degree of
luxury than is found in the modest equip
ment OF "The Benedict"
When the Metropolitan Opera House was
built the upper floors were assigned to bach
elor apartments, although the restrictions
are not rigidly insisted on, and these are the
largest, most perfectly appointed, and most
comfortable in town. More recently has
been built the "Jansen" on WaverIy Place,
and the "Alpine," which is the most i'm
portant and boldest step yet taken. 1t
stands on one of the most prominent corners
on Broadway. 1t gets the eastern sun and
catches the southern breeze, and commands
the painted sky in the evening. It has
everything that comes within the term ,
modern conveniences; boys and bells and |
tubes, buttons and what not In it live |
swell artists, prosperous young commercial |
men, lucky brokers and that class of men |
who find life pleasant as we'll as prosperous.
In the Alpine also lives merry Mr.. Marshall |
o. Wilder.
Just two corners below another large |
bachelor apartment house, the "San Carlo"
is now going up, eight stories high. 1t is
built along right angle and has in this
way secured windows on every side. These
windowg it has fashionably hung in green.
Estimating from the number of windows
and the average space allotted to each
bachelor the house appers to offer accom-
modation to at least 100 men. Thus the
work goes on.
WHAT A BACHELOR APARTMENT Is.
A bachelor apartment is understood to be
a sitting room, bedroom and bath. But the
sitting room may have an alcove which
serves as bedroom, and private bath may
not be included. This will be according to
the means of the bachelor, and apartment
houses are built accordingly. In most
houses there is a restaurant, and breakfast,
if desired, can be served in the rooms. If
there is no restaurant, the janitor, the only
man who is permitted to indulge in a wife
and family, usually utilities his wife and
children in furnishing provisions, tea and
coffee in small way; and bareheaded
women carrying trays are features of most
Of the studio apartment houses.
There are no regulations in bachelor
apartment house beyond the unwritEen laws
that prevail in civilized communities; no
bachelor, for example, would be allowed to
throw glass of water out of the window.
Equally necessary to their success is the abb
sence of small extortions in the way of fees.
In the Metropolitan Opera House apart
ments gas, heat, attendance, ice water and
boots blacked are included in the sum total
Of rent. This accords with the American
idea that money is relatively smaller in a
lump. Another important consideration is
hat the elevator runs all night, whereas in
,he only apartments that the women can
secure the elevators stop at 9 o'clock.
Bachelor apartments are never furnished,
,r should say rarely furnished. There is
,ne notable exception. In the beautiful
new church house given by Mr.. Pierpont
Morgan to ST. Georges Church compli-
nenting the remarkable work done by the
Rev. Mr.. Rainsford, the upper floor is
given over to the living rooms of the assist
int young clergymen that the magnitude of
he work demands. Their sitting room is
IN immense living inside room, attractively
tilted up and with a capacious rocking chair
or each preacher.