New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-05
STGGESTIGNS ABOTT SrBTRBIN LIFE

II is a little carly 70 think Of the country :;
and vet we doubt not many heads of families
in town are already beginning to do 50. We
refer mere cspccia - that llrgc number Of
rcorlc who have annual attacks of what may
he called spring fever for life in the country.
the only cure for which i the lease OF house
in the suburbs Ii X true that III some IN
stances the cure is only too effective; such
cases are recorded every season. where the
urban pilgrim 10 Lonclyvillc," finding life
in the country drcary. fiat. stale and unproht-
able. rcpacks his iarcs and penates, and HES
him back 10 the great city again. Either his
vague longing for the country was founded on
~ intelligent understanding Of It's charms. or
els" the many pleasant features of city litc
had become necessary II his happiness. The
number OF such people i without doubt large.
II i generally a matter OF tcmpclamon mt rather
than training. Strange IL II may seem 10 the
true lover Of Nature, there are men To whom
he dull roar of the city Is swcetcr music than
the most melting melodies Of the birds. and
who much prefer the composite od1rs OF the
town 10 the most enhancing perfume OF
flowers.
Bu, either choice or necessity sends a large
ard the same reasons operate T. make their
residence Permanent. The PEOPLE who are thus
of Ncw-Iork but not in it, are themselves
equal in number - the population OF some OF
CIR largest cities. Moreover, this spring, owing
10 the failure of the scheme for rapid transit
in the city, the suburban real estate dealers
expect q stampede 10 the country. All this
would suggest that some intelligent effort
should be made II add 70 the comfort Of this
large class of people Bat this is far from
being the case. II too often happens that
families arc Jared into the country by down
right miSrcpIcSentatiOn>-a fact which they
discover only after they have signed the lease.
There arc none Of the improvements in tho
Ilacc which they foolishy took for granted.
Tho house, so picturesque in summer, is unfit
for habltation at any other season, and il is only
10 ssiblo TO exist in il AT all in winter by IN
enormous consumption Of coal. Pclhaps tho
water is poor in quality and insufficient in
quantity. and almost certainly the roads arc
mI,assabIe most Of the time. There is little
society, and there arc no amliscmcntS; and
pretty soon, unless they have resources within
themselves, many such families vcgc,atc and
90 to seed, if they do not speedily return to
the city.
Plainly the real estate dealer cannot be OK
pcctcd to go into the business of improving
the conditions of suburban life. He is net
doing business for fun or sentiment and it
is hardly just to blame him for the fact Nor
can the various suburban Improvement societies
now in existence, excellent ~ they are, do
away with all the drawbacks Of suburban life
They can and do bring the people together
socially in the pretty country clubhouscs now
to be found in many suburban towns, though
even here suspect that the question OF
social congcniality often causes deep heart
burnings. They can bring about an improve
mcnt in the paving and lighting OF the place
and by their artistic taste can hide away some
Of that bald ugliness that seems to characterize
all new settlements Of English speaking
peoples.
But no volunteer improvement society or
country club can radically change the con-
ditions of suburban life so long as people
allow themselves to drift into suburban life
by chance Instead of falling into some Sc
ductive real estate dealers syndicate and going
to live, perhaps, on swampy land. in a himsy
but pretty shell OF house, there is nothing
to hinder n number OF hOuss holders from form
ing a syndicit' tn, m>elves and purchasing a.
a moderate price a desirable piece of suburban
property on which they could erect comfortable
houses ard surround themselves with many
of the luxuries of modern life at n compara-
lively small cost. The many possibilities OF
this plan are so evident that they need not
he dwelt on. To carry it out would require
some intelligent thought and careful choice
of c'nsenial members for itSefSonm"nity but