The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-16
LUXURIOUS ELEVATORS
Satin-Lined Cars Used in the Houses
of MilliOnaries.

Little boudoirs on wings is the appropriate
description given by an enthusiastic French
man of the elevators he found himself in
Vited to enter on arriving in the very new
and sumptuous houses of his American
hostesses. In fact so agreeable an i'm
preston did these elevators have on his
receptive and appreciative Gallo mind that
he is going back to Paris to preach the
benefits the elevator VIII confer in the tall
French houses. So far in Paris there is but
one of these conveniences known, and that
has been recently fitted into the splendid
town residence of the Countess Castellane,
says the New York Sun. In the great
houses of our American millionaires the ell
eVator is becoming the rule and not the
exception especially so at Newport and in
New York city, where a foot of land is
worth small fortune. and the houses are
rearing their heads more loftily every year
me exceeding usefulness and beauty Of
the private elevator has never been more
clearly demonstrated than in the great
Astor mansion on Fifth avenue especially
"hen an elaborate entertainment is in pro-
gress. One of the chief beauties of this
admirable dwelling is the grand staircase.
that sweeps up from the very doors of
the marble vestibule to the great hall open
ing onto the picture gallery. At night
when palms and candles shed alternate light
and shade along the crimson carpet silver
rods. and carved balustrade this is the
very choicest spot which to display
gracefully gorgeous toilets. Therefore,
when the women in their wraps and fur
boots are set down under the porte cochere,
they are led to one side Of the veStibule,
a grilled door slides back, and six at
time are ushered into the Suggest little
elevator ever seen.
Its floor is covered with a velvet carpet
of the warmest cerise tone and, being
octagon shaped, four of the sides are made
of plate glass mirrors framed in
gilt. and four sides are panels of
tufted cerlSe satin. The roof is built
of gilded iron, wrought in odd shapes and
partly filled in with rose-colored glass, over
which a spray of electric lights spring
BY this device the interior of the car is
filled with a tender. becoming glow that
every woman keenly appreciates, as she
does also the six comfortable seats the eie-
vator contains and the fact that she was
saved the necessity of parading in her
wraps like a chrysalis up that splendid
stairway
solemn young man in powdered head
and court livery guards the electric lever
and the travellers in the elevator. all Of
whom are landed on the third floor. There
they are ushered into a dressing room,
wraps removed, toilets touched up and the
charming butterflies are ready to meet
their male escorts and join the gay process
sion moving down the great stairway.
Mrs. George Westinghouse, however, who
owns one of the most gorgeous homes in
the city of Washington, has gone Mrs.
Aston just one better in the completeness
of very up-tO-date COnveniences Her hall
way is provided with tufted satin elevator
on both sides. One is used to carry guests
up. the other to bring them down, ard
gilded baskets attached to the corners of
the elevators hold the programs CT the
dances, music, or whatever especial enter
tainment is provided for the evening.
Though so exceedingly important on occa-
sions of festivity, the private elevator is
not for such slight convenience alone, and
1t is commentary on our American CIVIL
cation that eight out Of ten Of the private
elevators have been put in at the COM
mands Of the family physician There is
one New York woman of wealth who
boasts that in twelve months she has not
walked up or down not only her own stair
way but that of a friends's house, since
she only leaves cards at those places where
no elevator is provided.
Of course, it all depends upon clrcum-
stances whether the private elevator shsli
be a costly inexpensive addition to the
modern comfortable house. Since electricity
has come 50 rapidly into use as a domestic
servant for lighting and heating. small
elevator capable of holding three persons,
can be fitted into a house at an outlay
of about $780, 1t is maneuvred by touch
of a button, and is safe indeed. No elabor-
ate interior decorations come for this price,
as for instance, will be found in the ex-
quiste little basket affairs that some wom-
en- use in Journeys from floor to floor OF
their homes. These wicker cars, and
hold but the owners and a couple of their
friends.
On stepping inside wicker elevator. the
sensation is Of having entered gorgeous,
gigantic wastepaper basket. The walls are
of rattan treated with white goatskin rug,
of rattan treated with gliding and enamel
paints, the floor covered with white goat
skin rug, against the broad seat upholstered
in delicately tinted china silk. pillows are
heaped. and the roof is a prettily woven
dome of wicker, with a cluster Of electric
lights falling from the center.