Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-21
THE AMERICAN HOME.
IT'S A WONDERFUL AFFAIR WHEN
CONTRAsTED WITH FOR
EIGN HOMES.

Nothing strikes an Observing
American upon hisAfirst visit to Eu,
rope with greater force than the lack
Of those comforts and convenience
in dwellings Of even the wealthiesi
classes which in his own country
are considered indispensable neces-
sites, says the Popular Scientific
lNeles. We are quick to seize upon
I the latest discoveries in science and
the arts which can in any way rem
der our homes more attractive or the
cares Of housekeeping less burden
some, while the more conservative
Europeans are content to live as
their fathers did before them, and
would consider it n sacrilegiOus ex-
travagance to tear up the
floors or walls of their dwell
liags for the purpose Of introduce
ing steam Of water pipes. The eli
mate OF England is damp and cold,
but the almost universal way Of
warming is by open fire-places Of
soft coal, which usually develop more
smoke than heat. Hot air or steam
furnaces are practically unknown
and the only means Of heating rail-
way carriages is by cans Of hot water
placed upon the floor. Under favor
able circumstances these will some
times prevent the soles Of ones feet
from freezing, hut their influence
rarely extends any further. Only the
very wealthiest persons abroad allow
themselves the luxury OF a private
bathroom, and the idea Of a set bowl
with hot and cold water faucets in n
sleeping chamber is a refinementOf ef-
feminacy and extravaganza at which
even a monarch would hesitate.
The houses Of London are provided
with a tank, into which the water
is allowed to flow for a certailn ength
Of time every day, after which II Is
turned OFF and there is no more to
be had until the visit Of the water
company's official the next day.
The 'bed-rOom candle" to which
such constant allusion is made in
foreign novels,lis no figure Ofspeech,
but very disagreeable reality, for
gas is rarely or never introduced
into sleeping rooms.
4 modern American house, with
all the recent improvements, is a
most wonderful affair, and an IN
spection while being constructed
gives one n good idea Of the ex-I
tent TO which the arts and sciences
crowded with tubes and pipes
are applied 10 minister TO our COM
fort. The space between the walls is
Of every description Steam, gas,
hot and cold water are carried TO all
parts Of the building, speaking tubes
and ventilating shafts are connected
with every room, while great cables
Of insulated wire as large as a ships
hawser illustrate the manifold uses
to which electricity may be put.
Call-bells, automatic gas lighting
and incandescent lamps are only
few Of these applications, and the
day i not far distant when some
simple form OF electric motor 10 run
the sewing machine and furnish a
supply Of power Tor many other
purposes will be found in every first
class dwelling. AS rgards sanit'-
~ and drainage arrangements their
construction has become sci
ence in itself. Take it alto
gether the American householder
has 10 cause 10 regret his lot.
a recent writer has said that in
some things We are measurably be-
hind the Europeans, but in many
things We are UNNECESSARILY ahead
OF them, and in no respect is this
more true than in our domestic ar
judgements II may be safely said
that there is not a royal place in ali
Great Britain or Europe which Is
as luxurious or even rs comfortable
as the house OF the average Ameri-
can Of moderate means, aud in no
country in the world is the greatest
blessing Of life-a happy and conf
Portable home-sO readily within
the reach Of all as in our own land.