The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-25
LoRILLARD's HOUSE BOAT.
The Comforts of Home While Living on
the Water.

O~~
the Water
1t is well for the peace of womankind
that houseboats like the Caiman of Mr..
Pierre Lorillard are not to be met with
on every hand. Every woman who did
not preside over one would straightway
be consumed with envy of her sisters
who did. So long, however, as this is
the only one of it's kind in the country,
the breaking of the tenth commandment
is, in measure, prevented.
The first impression that woman re-
ceives as she steps from the speedy little
naphtha launch, which, coming up close
to the swinging stairs at one side of the
float, permits easy access to the lower
deck and thence to the upper one, where
are the quarters of the owner and his
family, is that it is a pretty seaside cot
tage she is entering. The boat effect is
wanting. The vista of daintlly furnished
rooms with growing plants, cushions
piled on divans, silken curtains swaying
in the breeze, an open piano, the pretty
litter of needlework-all this does not
suggest floating home, but a villa on
the shore, immovable and firmly estab-
lished. AS the Caiman rarely moves in
anything but smooth waters, things and
belongings do not have to be set IN racks
and chained down. a necessity that al
ways unpleasantly suggests tossingabout.
Except in the buffers pantry. where the
glasses fit in slots overhead, and the
dishes are piled on shelves protected by
doors with Y-anaped openings, after the
manner of yachts, there is almost nothing
which hints of unsteady travel. This,
too, in spite of her very light draught of
80 inches, which would seem to produce
top heaviness and consequent rocking in
a three-decked vessel 172 feet long. But
she is as steady as ferry boat.
PARLOR AND LIBRARY.
The pretty sea parlor in the bow is the
general one. Its windows are many,
giving the lovely water perspective from
every point. Nothing can exceed the
| cheerful coziness of the apartment, which
is spacious, too, as it's dimensions, 46 by
20 feet, will attest.
| Mr.. Lorillord's especial sitting room is
amidships, and is as charming in its way
as the other larger room. An open
writing desk, with shaded electric light
suggests one occupation of the room. and
| books, a smokers table, and a general
air of Longing comfort tell of further
pleasant qualifications of the place.
Two large bed rooms open fIom This
room, their doors concealed by portieres
OF swinging strands, closely strung with
| shells, which harmonic admirably with
| the aquatic effect.
There are bath rooms off every one Of
| the six state rooms, and one splendid one
| stretches quite across the boat, and is
| fitted for both salt and fresh water baths
| Every bed room is an outside one, anc
| doors and windows are screened with
very fine weave of wire TO keep out no
so much the mosquitoes as the tiny in
sects of the Florida rivers, while secur
| ing all the air that is wished. The din
| ing room is the most gracefully shaped
room in the boat 1t is IS by 20 feet
and, like all the rooms, high studded
and spacious. 1t follows the easy curry,
of the stern, it's eight windows being Sc
in slightly elongated semi-circle.
Next the dining room is complete
buttler's pantry, with draw cupboard
to the kitchen just beneath.
THE DOMESTIC APARTMENT.
Down stairs the housewife is at ono,
interested in the colossal refrigerator
with a capacity of five tons of ice and
months supplies, even in Florida tenn
perature, of fresh meats, butter, milk
and other perishables. The store room
also appeals to the provider of a home
amply stocked as it is with all manner o
dry groceries and timed relishes. TIL
kitchen is big and roomy, and fitted witt
every appliance for modern cookery, ant
if it is not nautically designated, it
'scoppers'' are as bright and shiny a
that of any ships galley afoat.
A doctors room on the fret deck i
the only intimation that this paradise i
earthly, but, like the big gilt alligator
in relief on the bow, it may be presume,
that he and his room are only aboard TO
the general fitness of the establishment
aud not because he is expected to be Pre-
fessionally interviewed. The vesse
moves by its own power, being propelle
by twin screw and three triple-expar
sion engines of 100 horse power eacl
Thus equipped, the Caiman can make a
macy as ten miles an hour in the smoot
waters of rivers, and do nearly as we
when she takes short sea rms. as she
occasionally forced to do.
Altogether, the American household
as frustrated by this famous specimen.
a thing to be desired, and although til
sumptnous fittings of the one Just d,