The sun., 1896-06-20

Success or the Isowton House Scheme FL
nnnnInllr and HrnctlcnllK.

nanoiniiy and Practically.
Lord Rowton's attempt n solve the problem
o. housing the workinRman who Is not look
ing for charity with somo degree OF comfort
and decency seems to bo at least financially
successful, dividend of four por cent. having
been paid this year on tho invested capital of
f75. 900. the creator part OF which was employed
In putting up a new building that will bring in
still greater returns. As regards the success
OF tho scheme In accomplishing what was in
tended for the woikinGman, tho london Tfrncs
tells the following story:
Tho workingman who secures by payment
of slxpcnce ono of the or cubicles at Rowton
House. Kings Cross Road, obtains primarily
tho by night OF n separate cubcle, with .
window under his control, and an excellent
bod, which is made for him. and OF which the
linen Is changed ae frequently Is tho GUS
tom in n gentleman's house. He has also the
use OF lat 90 nnd comfortable dining rooms, In
which he may cook his own food, buying II in
the building or outsido nt pleasure. Excellent
cooked food may also DO bought in the build
ing ut n cheap rate. Then there is n smoking
room, with comfortable chairs and teak seats
fxcd at an cxcelently commodious angle, and
with n floor space of 600 feet or almost
equal sze ia the reading room, which, with its
pictures and its trophies Of stays heads from
the Highlands, is pleasant indeed. The ar:
admirable footbaths, fitted with hot and cold
in a private bathroom with soap and towel
supplied, costs one penny. The sanitary ar
eiicet than those IN use a. the Comfy Council
lodging house of Drury lane. There are
for hange f ,ao4s
lockers for the ,Lse of residents. storerooms
for ,nsr e6.Se, n Spg
ing room attached, Tho house kitchen itselfs
IKE the res, Of the building is gis'qnIS, nS,S Sf
ing compares very fayorably IN point of clean-
liiess, comfort. and homelike appearance.
lane, with ts dimnutive and rather dirty
beds. its prison.lke arrangement OF corridors
partitions and doors, which close with chang
that echoes through the building.
arc Mane as ysors sfS to hoes are VARIED
not to smoke in the bedrooms, but some Of them
DO smoke h Yhey & must nnt baSe rSe
access to their bedrooms by day. These virtu-
ally are oil the rules. and they are all that have
turned out to DO necessary. The object II 70
treat the residents in such a manner that they
may feel themselves 70 be as independent az
q state OF publio opinion has arisen that misbe-
havior is almost unknown. The men are en-
which, in TACT. it sand to feel that they are
payius hor es,ly for the comforts, which they
felt that It would be a hlunder TO permit tho
clcrg! g!rcn Of the district TO enter and ply their
sire ot the directors that he men should DO a.
free in ,heir club house as the members Of the
Carlton in theirs. And the result is a trium-
phant success. On Saturday evening, the
house full, as it always is. for the most part
their Saturday nights beer a trife moro than
was necessary. but they were quite harmless
and even entertaining. the overwhelming
majority were decent and respectable fellows
laborers artisans. and clerks-who sat and
smoked or read their papers or played draGghts
or played chess as quietly and comfortably as
men at West End club: OF poverty there
was no sign; OF respectability of many classes,
there was abundant evidence. One residents
smart tall hat tbv no means unique) and good
clothes argued q position in the city; another
vas the living image in face and dress of lead
ing member Of the junior bar many were clerks
in commercial houses: others were artisans OF
the better class and burly laborers. Lord
Rowton and his associates are extending their
work Though possessing already between Veux-
hail and Kings Cross Road. /, ,l6l cubiclee, they
have acquired great site at Newtngton Butts,
upon which they will erect a building contain
ing new comforts and 500 cubicles.