The Washington times., 1895-03-05
RENTING A HOUSE.
Choose Rainy. Gloomy Day to Look for


Choose Rainy. Gloomy Day to Look for
New Home.
House hunting and house renting usually
devolve on the woman of the family.
Changing the home entails many arduous
tasks, with choosing new one easily in
the lead.
or course, women have more aptitude In
selecting a home, because, using the house
more than man, they learn to look for its
drawbacks and advantages. But on the
other hand, flues and drains are as sealed
books to most of them, and on these the
health and happiness depends, almost more
than on pantries and heaters. 1t is possible
to live comfortable without bathroom,
but equally impossible to retain temper
| with leaky roof. AS far as possible.
before taking a house, every detail should
be looked to.
IL the house under consideration is occu-
pied, it is generally very easy to obtain in
formation. Where the house has range,
hot and cold water, heater and bath room
which usually together are designated as
conyenienees, questions should be asked as
to drawing of the two fires, the amount of
coal used and heat thrown off; the drains
stopped in any way, and the liability OF
the watert ofreeze inquired into. Some W ateI
pipes are laid carelessly and freeze at the
slightest drop in temperature. The bak-
ing qualities of the range and also the state
of bricks, CRATES, etc, seen to, and a note
made OF the state of papering and paint
ing.
If the house be unoccupied, q rainy day
is preferable to a clear one, as any leak
ages in the roof or sides can be quickly
detected. Then, too, the gloomineSs of
the place is more apparent. The draft can
be noted by lighting paper i'll the stove
and opening the damper of heater or range.
If all right it viii be denoted by bright
blaze and a swift. rushing sound. II
obstructed, the flame viii only burn duly
and finally die out.
Any repairs to be made should be insisted
upon before renting. Broken windows, fire
bricks, etc, can only be demanded of a land
lord before possession is taken. Owners
and agents are always on the lookout for
good tenants, and when sure of their rent
usually fix up the premises in the beginning
but arterward it's mighty little they ever
do toward repairs
A snappy, churlish landlord is never an
! agreeable party to rent from. Make out a
list of everything in the house needing re-
| pairs, and il he growls and tells you, as so
many do, that they viii do nothing, just
| strike the house from your list. 1t is much
better in the long run.
Also beware of the man who tells you to
! fix up yourself and take it out of the rent,
or, rather, beware of that way OF doing
| business unless you have written guar
! antee to indemnify you should you, by any
chance. move before your rent has equaled
| the amount spent on repairs. Never be
| backward in showing yourself a business
woman, and if, after taking possession, a
| broken sewer pipe, or water main, or roof
! is not attended to- Just refuse to pay your
rent till it is 1t may not be law, but gen
| orally landlord VIII soon come around
| when brought to the strait of losing his rent.
| OF course, in this case, as in all others, dis
| cretion must be used, but an ouispoken
| tenant is generally better treated in the end
| that meek one, who endures all kinds oi
| hardships uncomplainingly.
KENNEL WOOD.