New-York tribune., 1895-05-12
CONTINGENCIES IN HOMES.
ARCHITECTS CONSTANTLY STUDY TO FIND
NEW ONES.
LIFE IN APARTMENT HOUSES is THUS GROWING
MORE AND MORE BEARABLE-TDEAs THAT
HAVE BEEN PUT INTO EFFECT.

HAVE BEEN PUT INTO EFFECT
Tho matter of fats and apartment-houses con-
sdefed In the abstract revolves itself into the DID,
vexed question Of servants" said prominent
architect In giving his Views about apartment
houses. MANY people are giving up apartment
houses and going to live in apartment hotels SIM
ply because by 80 doing they avoid the cares OF
housekeeping and the constant attention with
servants. The apartment hote proprietor declares
that his restaurant does not pay. that MS guests
are willing enough to pay for pretty apartments.
but allow too little margin for food. 80 he loses
money Be that as It may. the apartment hotels
gain In popularity. even though the inmates do not
get tho service and attention they think their due
and the proprietor does not get tho requltal he
thinks his due For my own part. do not think
the IdeaP apartment house Is a possibility. Ii Is
not practicable to make a number OF FAMILIES en-
tirey comfortable under one roof. and yet give TO
each all the air and sunlight and ventilation that
they should have. Try he may the architect
cannot get the requisites he wants on the limited
space Of ground: the owner demands return Tor
his money the tenants demand more and more
convenences each year. and so the matter goes
This mode Of living In fats and apartments grew
out OF the desire TO live showily on moderate In
come People fancied that by living in fiat they
could enjoy luxuries and comforts not to be had In
a small house. and that they could thus impress
their neighbors with the belief that they were bet
ter of than they really were. The apartment
house grew out Of the fiat idea, and the apartment
hotel IL tho outcome Of the apartment-house II
the new law is put In operation. compelling an
owner to build only 6s per cent OF the lot where
as he now builds 70 per cent. It will put dam
per on much OF the iat-building by greatly dimn>
ishing the returns"
The recently built apartment-houses largely nave
seven rooms and a bath each suite. and the
builder makes the rooms In each new house triiie
bigger by stealing some OF the ventilating space
ctr
up through the centre OF the building. suite Of
apartments on the first floor OF many-storied
building fashioned In this way Is bound to be dark
and dismal There is no way OF obviating II, though
the rooms above may get due proportion OF light.
The skilful architect. with 30 many problems to
solve puzzles his brain to contrive window OPEN
ing out OF doors for each OF his rooms. although
that out-of- space may be only few feet wide
All the latest apartment houses OF any preten-
sIons have hardwood parquet floors and there Is no
single bit OF paint about any Of the Trainings Of
doors or windows anywhere else In the structure.
All the woodwork Is finished that II may be
vanished The waInscoting is Of marble. the walls
and ceings are decorated In artistic STYLE fine mir
rors are let into the walls. and the freplaces and
mantlepeces are handsomely tiled and all the finish
ings and decorations usually TO be found In first
class private house are provided In the matter OF
bathrooms more and more luxury obtains. Every
suite has It's buffers pantry and appurtenanccs,
and gas ranges are put In instead Of those heated
with coal
Materials have been cheaper within the last six
months or a year. and in consequence tenants ex-
pect a 81, 900 fiat for S2Oo." said n popular builder.
''The prevailing financial depression cheapened ma
teria but labor has he'd It's own. and for that rea
son the owner makes small profit. besides addI-
tional convenences are being introduced all the
time which greatly incre tscs the expense but With
out which the apartments would not be rented.
I'm the matter OF refrigerators. for instance tho
pan has been tried Of furnishing a whole set OF
apartments with cod air from the same source.
There are three methods of doing this: First. by
direct expansion Of ammonia; second by the circu-
lation Of salt brine. and third by maintaining a
vacuum. None OF them have been found entirely
practicable for the purpose. Plants for tho dStri-
button OF cold air from one source are In successful
operation In various large hotels In New-York but
no method has been contrivsd to make them sx'
psa!sat Tor apsrtmsnt-housss Even v the main