New-York tribune., 1896-04-22
THE MODERN FLAT.
CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS AS TO CON-
vENIENCE AND ATTRACTIvENESS.
CHEAP APARTMENTS GENERALLY OFFER GOOD
VALUE FOR THEIR RENT-THE NEW
FRoNT-DoOR LAw-AN UNPROF
TABLE BUSINESS.

TABLE BUSINESS.
People who rent a moderate priced nat or apart
ment nowadays get more convenences and more
attractlve-looking abiding places for their money
than they could have secured at the same outlay
few seasons ago The materials OF which the
cheaper apartments are built may not be better,
but the finish and ger era effect more artistic
No longer common woods used In finishing and
stained dark to make them resemble walnut and
other expensive but scmbre trimmings; light cheer
ful-lookng woods, such as cherry birch and white
maple, used in their original color and the
whole scheme OF decoration is such as to bring out
what light there IL In the inside rooms. instead OF
darkenrg them still further
In the matter OF plumbing there is marked inn
provement the lower-priced fats having the
exposed nickel-pate pipes instead of the od-fash
oned kind. No builder dreams OF putting
plainshed-copped bathtub in fiat. that descrip-
ton of tub which, when the tin dressing wore on
left the copper exposed and discolored, with an
unhygenic suggestion OF verdisris clnging to It,
The tubs all OF porceain-llned iron, set up
from the floor on individual feet admitting free
ventilation underneath. and, in nearly every case
the bathroom walls are tiled Wel-buiit refrigerat-
ors are put in every house. Gas ranges. too. are
mon and housekeepers who have battled with
the ar noyance Of coal coming up from below and
ashes carried down, with the attendant premontory
and ear-plercng whistles and shrieks OF the mis-
called dumb" waiter. appreciate this forward step
most OF all
Authorities who have looked into the matter Of
comparative values declare that the man who hires
a fiat for sS7 a month gets more In proportion. for
his money than the man who pays ss3. or course
the dweller in the $50 fiat has his letters sent up to
him on a tray has haboy to attend him or his
guests to the elevator and has the general vesti-
bule entrance which for himself and neigh
bors adorned With Mexican onyx and bronze. 1t is
probable also that his fiat Is freproof-that Is, as
nearly ireproof a building made necessarily or
so much wood be. and the hot water for his
establishment Is heated the general source OF
supply Here. however, his advantages over his ST
neighbor stop. His private hall is but shade
wider. his but fraction bigger than his
neighbor's Each have six rooms and bath. and the
s37 fiat has gas logs. gas range ana steam neat,
Just the same its more pretentious rival. The
dweller In the cheaper fiat hears noises and move
ments voices and strains OF music. other than
those Of his household. The occupant OF the
more expensive f1at hears almost the same. for the
numerous pipes passing from his own to ms nelgn-
boris rooms above and below prove admirable con-
ductors of sound. The walls may be deadened. but
the resonant pipes and tubes cannot be done away
with The floors are different In these respective
apartments: those in the S37 fiat being Of plain pine
those in the other OF hard wood nlaid; an advant-
age, indeed. The elevator too. must be regarded
as boon: but, them II is a far cry from sSi
month to ss3 and when the 57 man reflects on this
Il
willingly unlocks his letter box when sum-
moned to do so by the postman's ring uncom-
planingly mounts the stairs and resgnedly re-
ceives the ministrations of janitor who gets only
$40 a month and his living rooms, instead OF $50
month and household quarters. 1t must be mem
toned too that the s37 fiat is scarcely block away
from the high toned rival and enjoys the privileges
OF a very good location indeed
Regarding front doors that give access to indi-
vidual apartments. the new law In regard 10 "teh-
ement-houses," by which name the finest and most
exclusive apartments are referred to- as well as the
meanest and dIng!est. has most significant pro-
vision 1t declares that "al entrances from stairs
to halls shall be closed of with iron. double-swng-
ing doors. and 1t shall be the duty of every owner
OF a tenement house to have such doors closed
every nigh; not later than 10 o'clock.
In view Of the fact that every house in the city
occupied by three more families living inde-
pendenty Of each other comes under the head OF
a tenemen, house. the handsomest, as well as the
most squalid this stipulation regarding doors is
singular.
Imagine an apartment-house furnished with
grand staircase having spacious Railways tiled with
marble and bronze apartments rented at s2'uo
year, having the front doors Of the various occu-
pants made OF iron. to swing both ways ana
locked at 10 o'clock each night" said an architect
dejectedly such doors would be artistically i'm
possible. and tenant OF any taste would stay In
an apartment subjected to such jail-ike environ
ments This view OF the case has been put before
the Superintendent Of Buildings who Is at present
attempting to enforce the provisions. but he says
calmly that that phase of the matter is none of his
business that he 10 In office to enforce the law,
and that he expects to d. his duty.
These iron doors wero -eally suggested as a
safeguard against fire in Tao crowded tenement
houses In the poor quarters OF tbe city ana Ger
tainly not meant to be Imposed on people Oh
reason and intelligence. who would take all pre-
caution, against accident without them.
moth Sfafn
apartment-house owners is the law requiring that
all apartments shall be whitewashsd twice & year:
likely be with the present Jealous seeking TOT re-
form, and then what Will become OF the ple.S'
fresh papering. handsome tapestry and wall deco
ration which the demand by people OF goOd taste
makes the rule and not the exception IN apart
ment houses? II would that definite grad
ing of apartment houses should he established sep
from the ow-grade Baxter-st. tenement but, as the
law stands now. 1t Includes the one as nucn as me
board OF Health saw ft, he could cause the white
wash brush to be dashed over the most artist!caly
decorated apartment wall in New-York, and not
IAN apartment house owner could also be COM
res 70 the n%mSer Of people he had as
their names and occupations, or else be Liable 10
to guard against the overcrowdng of the lower
grade tenement with four or five families on a
floor. but 1t applies to all apartment-houses as
we'll"
prominent architect. who has put up many
handsome and satisfactory apartment houses. was
asked II increased light and space In moderate
priced flats would not be possible In the near future
because so many active brains are engaged In sov-
Ing the problem ...
under existing circumstances apartment-nouse
building In this city will not come to a stop. ne
replied. "Since the enactment or the new law iast
July relative TO the area to be occupied In build
Ing a good many plans have been passed on py
the Superintendent OF Buildings. but none OF tne
houses have been completed to test their practcabl.
ity. The law stipuates that only 90 per cent ot
the area OF any lot shall be built over, except IN
such case as the Superintendent OF Buildings shall
specially permit more ground to be used when the
limit may be extended to Is per cent Up 70 the
time of the passage OF this law IS per cent OF area
allowed" , ,.
ment?' Was asked
"Very POOR lust at present." the answer.
.The landlord must pay first the interest on his