San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-18
glre 1ai1y Eight.
KITCHENS ON TOP FLOORS.
An Innovation That Promises to BE More
Generally Observed.


Generally Observed.
Will you have your kitchen in the top
story of your house or will you have your
boudoir? This is the question yet pending
in modern domestic architecture in'cities.
Everybody agrees that the present system
is unwise and wasteful. This assigns the
top story for servants quarters that are
rarely occupied except at night, and squan-
ders the glories of sunshine and air that
are the prizes of all city architecture.
If the boudoir is in the top of the house
there must of course be an elevator. But
in all the new houses there are elevators,
and the time is not distant when passenger
elevators will be as essential feature Of
private houses rs the dumb waiter.
The late Mrs. Mary Jane Morgan had
her boudoir in the upper story of her Madt-
son square mansion. Here were the paint
ings that pleased her most-those works of
art that gave her personal delight On
one side the view commanded the trees Of
the park, and the distant panorama of the
street. and the pageant of the sky. The
other side connected with the orchid house
a span of glass resting on the stables. Here
was promenade for a princess.
In a house of one of the Stuyvesant
square colony, the architect has devoted
the upper story to the private apartments
of the lady of the house. Here are low
divans, the easiest of chairs, cabinets con-
cealed in the wainscoting which contain
all the paraphernalia for immediate hos
FATALITIES. Around her are her choicest
possessions, her dearest personal belong
ings. Into this sauctum no profane foot
steps. Not even the gentleman to whom
she holds allegiance ventures here except
by invitation or coveted permission.
Here with nurse, or listening idly TO the
chorus in the tree tops of the park, she
hears the doorbell ring with equanimity.
If her mood is social she surrounds herself
with chosen spirits, and they are as effect
ually cut off from interruption and inva-
sion as if in a castle digged around with a
moat.
The proximity of the roof to the boudoir
suggests its value as promenade, re-
treat in the milder evenings of spring and
fall, place for luXuriance in the sun.
Several projects of roof transformation
have been proposed, but have not taken
effect chiefly by reason of the migrate y
habits of the leisure class, which does not
need such alleviations of city life.
AS to the other proposition-the transfer
Oh lDe hllCutu W lHt upper StOTl-DTuCt
Price, the architect, has made the expert
ment in a handsome city house on one of
the up town streets. The kitchen looks
east, south and west. 1t is a large, square
room, floored and wainscoted with enaln-
eled tiles, equipped handsomely after the
manner of modern kitchens, and, flooded
with light, is as blithe spot as could be
found in any country house.
Adjoining the kitchen is the laundry,
alike wainscoted and fioored with tiles.
Abreast is the servants sitting room, and
beyond their bedrooms. The dumb waiter
holds communication with the ground floor
and the dining room below.
Both mistress and maids found the ar
rangement satisfactory. To be sure, there
was less social visiting by way of the area,
but there were compensations for the
maids in having their Offices all on one
floor, and thereby escaping the WEAKNESS
of stairs In the entire aloofness of the do
nestle machinery the mistress found re-
pose, while the master blessed the sun
which sent its first and last rays to the
service of the cook for materially reducing
his bills for gas.-New York Evening Sun.