Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28
INDOOR FOUNTAINS.

Feature of House Interiors Which is
Adopted by Some Rich People.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat
When Mrs. Jack Gardner Of Boston built
herself a house and placed fountain In
the middle of the staircase hall people
said she was crazy. II all the people who
own fountains at home now were called
eccentric" The homes of wealth would
be a world Of freaks.
Mrs. Gardner, according to a friend, said
she wanted a fountain, SO that she could
enjoy winter resort at home. Others
winter resorts indeed.
The private fountains in New York city
run well up into the hundreds. The Yer
kes will have, it is said, the largest and
handsomest private fountain ever built In
a private residence. A lovely little figure,
rising from the water, holds aloft spout
ing bouquet, from which spring the water
jets brilliant and clear to the very top
of the ceiling.
The way of procuring fountain at home
is simpler than the neophyte In luxury
would imagine. A tub sunken in the floor
with a faucet in the middle is all foun-
tain Is, but its variations run the gamilt
of fancy. The most popular style of foun-
tain for hallway is the round basin with
fancy figure in the center The sides of
the basin are flush with the floor and are
surrounded with Towering plants. Within
the great, round sunken basin are palms
and water plants. the palms around the
edge and the water lilies and callas well
toward the spray. where they are con-
The architect who plans the fountain
has only to have the sculptor complete his
fancy figure and place it in the sunken
pool. The plumber takes the pipe up
or nod nf fhA
and the water connection is ready for the
fountain to begin spouting.
There Is handsome fountain in the
town house of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and
another at the Breakers, Newport. The
Newport fountain is underneath the grand
staircase. 1t Is round and very large. The
central figure stands five feet tall, and the
water spouts twenty-five feet above her
hands, for 1t Is pretty water nymph
There Is childs play room and nursery
in Washington that has a Pompelian foun-
tain within its walls The play room is at
one corner of the house, and leading from
II Is long paSsageway running around an
open court in the center of the house. At
the end Of the passageway is the play
room. and the feature Of the play room is
the Pompeiian fountain.
This style of fountain Is the easiest of
all to plan. 1t is only a bath of white
marble sunken in the floor itself. There
is only the tniest of rims around 1t. The
fountain is perfectly square, and has water
so clear that you can easily see bottom
1t is from ore to three feet deep. In this
particular play room 1t is just one foot
deep. The name fountain is not u mis-
homer. There is no Jet spouting in the CEN
ter, but at one side there is fresh water
supply, and at the other there is pipe
carrying it off.
AS the children use the water for all
purposes-paddling in it with their hands,
sailing boats upon 1t, floating toy fish in
1t and finally drinking out of 1.-THE water
supply Is a filtered one.
There are fountains in all of the more
recent dwellings Of New York, even out
side the charmed circle of those who pos
sess millions AS matter of fact foun-
tain once built costs annually no more
than a first-class window garden and Is
great deal more comfort.