New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
THE NETROPOLTTiN CHIMNEY.

An experienced and sagaciouS householder
WIS asked the other day what three things She
would lay the greatest stress upon in eXamln-
inc "A piece of real estate with a view 70 buying
il for a home Her reply was: q" should want
10 be assured. first that the plumbing was what
IL ought to he: second, that the cellar was dry
and we'll ventilated, and third, that the chin
,cys would draw Doubtless most intelligent
persons who have come 70 realize what 1t Is
tha, does most 10 make life worth living in 4
dwelling house will agree with this householder
Faulty plumbing breeds sickness, 50 does u
damp ill-ycnjacd cellar. AS for Il chimney
which will not draw il goes near to being an
unmitigatcd nuisance; the smoke which ills
the room is intocrIbIc from the point of view
both of the body and the soul, since it Is bad
for the lungs and a proyOcation 70 eXubemnt
profanity.
Nevertheless. not a few of the real estate
dealers of this town in the eloquent circulars
which they prepare descriptive of the property
which thcy have 20 dispose Of refrain from
dwelling upon all Of these three points. They
may state that the plumbing is nothing If not
sanilary-thcy generally do, we Lclieyc, But
they rarely furnish any satisfactory information
touching the cellar, and 50 far rs our knowledge
gOc,-and We have read good many OF such
circuar>-thcy say nothing whatever about the
ehmncyS. This silence j. the more remark
able, since they discourse iiucnty about the
things which are closely related TO the chin
news They inform YOU that the hearth is
lovely piece of tilc-work tina, the mantlcpicce
is of noble proportions and richly carved, that
the andnOns are the latest things in aesthetic
brass. that either wood or coal can be burned
in the CRATES. But no guarantee that the chin
news from which all these things derive their
Significance will draw, not Il hint about the
chimneys. Truly, a singular omission. The
fireplace is by common consent the favorite
lallying point of the household but fireplace
in which one cannot maintain IA fire is indeed
IA hollow mocliery in the iilst degree.
The silence Of the real estate circulars on
this important feature Of a house would not be
50 noteworthy were it not for the painful fact
that chimney which begins its career by
not drawing seldom can be induced to perform
its duty in u salts Factory manner. why this
should be SO is a mystery j. the building OF
vents for the carrying of smoke 10 the outer
air sooner or later to take its place among the
lost arts? Has the time already arrived when
it has become impossible to reform a smoky
chimney? These are not frivolous questions.
We venture 10 assert that if the houSohOldeIS
of this town could be pollcd they would report
by large majority that they have found
there is nothing about their premises which
occasions them so much trouble as balky
chimney. \ leak in the water-ppes, deceased
rat under lIoor, 4 ceiling which cracks and
falls, electric bells which decline to ring are
bad things. But the annoyance and incon-
venionce which they occasion are only tenn
porary-you can get rid Of them. 1t is differ
cnt with the average smoky chimney. 1t is
easy to call in many persons to repair it, and
they find it not difficult to send in bills for
their services. but il remains after they get
through as utterly unimproycd as some of the
real estate Of which Stanley lectures. As u
rule a smoky chimney is not for a day only, but
for all tme-or at all events for as long a
time aS the house lasts.
Hence the doSirablity Of turning the fierce
white light of publicity upon the chmncys of
house before deciding to purchase the prop
erty Let the real estate circulars which 60
into so many details 70 into yet one more
Let them state OF honor for the benefit Of