The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13
HOUSE boats IN THIS COUNTRY.
that the Idea Has u Foot
hold and May Become Popular.


hold and May Become Popular.
New York Times.
Every American visiting England
within the last fifteen or twenty years
must have seen or heard something
about house boats.
If his suburban excursions about Lon
don led him along the upper Thames,
say, from Richmond to and beyond Ok
ford, he cannot have failed to notice
scores of shallow scows or fatboats
moored anywhere out of the navigable
channel and surmounted by more or
less slightly structures in the nature Of
houses.
If his trip was taken in the summer
time he found most of these houses oc-
cupied by all sorts of well-to-do people
families, picnic parties, excursionists,
boating men, artists. everybody, in
short. who loves out-of-door life and can
afford to build, buy, borrow or hire a
suitable house boat.
If he Is of a reflective cast of mind
he may have said to himself:
Just see what these English have
done with their little creeks. What
might we not do at home with our riv-
ers and lakes, into which the whole
Thames could be turned without per-
ceptibly increasing their volume %
Then. perchance, he may have read
Mr.. Blacks Strange Adventures of a
House Boat a romance in which a
very charming American girl appears as
leading lady, while her companions
make up a pleasant company. who un-
dertake a quiet but most ENJOYABLE vow
age together.
Maybe he decides that on his return
home he will build a house boat. instead
OF a summer cottage. BY so doing he
sees that he will avoid the necessity
OF buying a building site. since all the
inland and maritime waters of America
are available for his as
anchorage. He may thus reduce to their
simplest terms many of the most form
liable problems of housekeeping.
In great measure while founding his
house upon the water instead of upon
the land he avoids dust and the many
noises ana annoyances OF highways and
travel close at hand: He avoids tramps.
too, unless they happen to possess
means OF navigation, which is unlikely.
If his next %neighbor proves objection
able he has but to pull up anchor and
drift away till a sufficient interval is
established. If a more considerable
move Is desired he sets his signal for a
tug, and for a few dollars has his en-
tire domestic establishment towed to a
more desirable locality.
There are indications that the house
boat idea is taking root in his country.
1T is understood that a house-boat club
and building is to be formed.
with a view TO the construction, rental
and furnishing of house boats for those
who wish to try this most attractive
plan OF summer life at the water side,
a plan destined at no distant day to
number its disciples by thousands
Wherever water exists in sufficient
quantity to afford the requisite lfiotation.
House boats may be moored within
easy reach of hotels or other bases of
supply, and one purpose of the COM
pany in question is to afford facilities
for the establishment of floating vii
lagos where community of interest will
greatly simplify the machinery OF liv-
inc.
A house boat of the pattern adapted to
popular use will contain sleeping rooms,
with one or two berths. of at least the
size of ocean steamship rooms, a living
room, cooks galley. lavatory and the
necessary store rooms. The deck will
be provided with awnings. and the
permanent structure will be thoroughly
storm proof.
1t is not easy to contrive a nearer ap-
Proclamation to an ideal movable camp
carrying with it its entire outfit
wherever it may happen to go, and
affording conveniences and comforts
that are necessarily unknown to those
who take their outings in tents or other
temporary shelter.