Wichita eagle., 1890-01-16
MONEY IN BATHROOMS
MODERN TASTE TENDING TOWARD
THE foMPEIlAN IN THIS LINE.


Large and convenient Bathrooms Consid.
cred Necessities In Modern Houses-Soms
Are Furnished Laxurioasfy-Tubso Of Sill
yer. Brass and Copper.
| Time has been within this generation whep
/ tie bathroom was the least considered room
in the house, il, indeed, such room were
not believed 20 be entirely superhuoars. Time
has been also. though in a somewhat distant
past, when the bathroom was the most
sumptlous and elegant apartment IN the
| house. The old Pompeiians and fellows OF
that time and those tastes used to make BATH
rooms and bath houses and bathing estab-
| ishments that, uncovered today, still reveal
the marvellous beauty and luxury of their
original appointments. Just at present the
matter of bathrooms occupies q medium po-
sition, with tendency toward the POM
| peiian. The bathroom los not yet become
the chief or the finest room in any of the
beautiful modern houses that architects are
designing and millionaires are building in
and around this city, but very much money
and deal of artistic skill and scientific wis
! dom is being lavished upon those apartments
in all modern houses, even IN those that are
built for renting
WELL FURNISHED BATHROOM.
In the first place, bathrooms are now built
from twice to four times as large as they used
to be. Formerly any little c2oset room would
do for the bath tub. II wasn't even considered
necessary to have it large enough to take a
tub that would hold person at full length.
Its finishing was plain and its furnishing next
to nothing. Now the bathroom must be a
room anywhere from six by ten for small
and narrow house to twelve or fifteen feet
square for fine house, and even larger for
many Of the manioas now being erected.
The walls are Of thing usually, though hard
wood and plaster are sometimes used, and the
floors are of Tile or marble. Stained glass is
used in windows wherever possible, ard in
many cases the ceiling is arranged to open
clear to the roof, and there is an ornamental
glass roof.
The fittings Of well furnished bathroom
now include, besides the regular tub, sitz
bath tab, with spray and wave bath attach
ments, and basins, closets and other appara-
tRs to stnt the taste or convenience Of the
owner and the amount of room at command.
Copper is the cheapest material that is
thought of tor fine bath tub, and frequently
hundreds OF dollars are expended upon the
fabrication of q tub especially to suit the
taste of man or woman with unusually
luxurious ideas. Mrs Langry, for instance,
has tub of silver 1t was made originally
for an Indian rajah, and came into Mrs
Laughy's hands after passing through those
of numerous people who couldn't imagine
that such magnificent thing could actually
be used. 1t is in this that Mrs. Langtry
takes the famous daily cold water baths over
reading about which all other women shiver
alphabetically and say "Oh myl"
Plain copper tubs are often covered with
enamel inside, and this may be made Of vari-
GUS colors, such as may best suit the complex
ion of the persons using them. The use Of
taste in such a matter as this is more frequent
among the women of today than would be
suspected, dealers in bathroom apparatus
say. The fact should go far toward settling
the question as to whether women like to be
beautiful for themselves alone or for others.
A great many bath tubs nowadays are
made to stand ON little short legs instead Of
being cased in clear to the floor. Raising
them up in this way gives a chance for the
air to circulate all around them, and leaves
no opportunity for leaks or water splashed
over the sides to keep the floor or woodwork
damp and unhealthy. Such tubs are made
of brass, bronze and other metals, and are
lavishly decorated.
THE COST VARIES
A woman wrote recently to an English
paper protesting against the custom of setting
bath tubs up above the floor instead Of sinlr-
ing them into it with the top of the tub on
level with the hoor She said the present
style of tub was difficult and dangerous to
get into and out of. The communication
oIa o,,l
others in the business, but the womans ideas
failed to find any expert defenders. The gen. |
eyal opinion was that tub with the top even
with the floor would be deal more danger |
Gus, if not more difficult to enter or leave, at |
least 50 long as tubs were made of their pres
emit dimensions and were not swimming tanks |
like those of the ancients.
In the matter Of health there has within |
few years been great improvement in the !
construction Of bath tubs and other apparatus |
for the bathroom. This has, however, been !
merely keeping pace with the Improvements |
in the sanitary conditions Of the plumbing
and similar work all over the house.
The cost of really fine bathroom varies !
from a couple of hundred dollars, or even
less where the walls and floors need no fixing,
to as many thousands as one chooses to pay
features cannot well 60 beyond $500, but
when art steps in the limit to the game Il
wiped out, and one can play as high as his
pocketbook viii go. Many Of the nest beau
tiful works of art, both IN fresco and oil
paintings, in this city are In bathrooms, and
costly statuary in bronze and marble is fire.
quently added to the attractions Of the place.
OF course, art in such places runs much 20 the
nude and semi-nude.
The business of furnishing bathrooms has
become so important Of late years that some
firms devote their whole attention to it and
have large capital invested in it They issue
regular catalogues OF their apparatus, and
furnish customers with Illustrated s1gges-
tions as to the different styles in winch .
bathroom may be finished of. When tho
makes selection from the sugees-
tons or gets an architect TO get him up orig
NAL designs for the porpose, the firm, takes
the job Of carrying out the plans, and, BE-
sades furnishing the apparatus and materials,
has expert woskuaen to set them up and do
the decorating snd finishing of the room.
One final word to persons about TO invest
h modern bathroom: Don't fail to save
enough money to buy handsome rug for it.
Water won't hurt a fine rug, and il can
fo>ait oc III ieO out IN a lev u0snSscS IL Do q
Splashed, while for decorative and comfort
ing effect in q bathroom there is nothing
like L. A fine rug is as good As Eve degrees
more heat in a bathroom, jost fronl tine
warm, rich and comfortable look It Sires :ns
York Sun.
Mother. the Iss- Docssrs.
Drs. Abernethy. Rush, Hosacx s1d HU
vcs were great doctors. bu. the greatess
doctor TIE word ever saw was . CNrIssan
r,ao-iec n,n- 10 rsas r,enaaxxntxe.