The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-29
THE FLOORS OF A FLAT.
Inns0erabae Advantages oGset ~
Their Improper LAying.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune
Broad marble ves;tbllex. marble stairs.
elevators. pSEfrct hall service. electric
light snlaid doors. telsptlone ia every room.
NJ children IN the house, and perfectly
lovely clt sets. waTdro5es AMI k.tcaen ar
engagements are the points toward which
the owners of modern apartment houses
uo~ direct their attention. and when q
houses possesses these advantages the
apartments remain .; q premium mt. ant.
upon. making some OF the rooms dark. or
Until more advantages have been discover
cd in other and newer houses-
But Al these good points amount 10 moth
Ing. according TO the testimony Of a fiAi-
dxeiisr Il the floors hare been Improperly
laid. Mr.. Uptown Flats new apartment
was ali that the most fastsdiouS man or
woman might wish for. The rooms were
light. hardwood finisa, beautifully decorat-
ed, and arranged with view TO somfoEy
as well as artistic effect The first van load
OF furniture had been carried 10 the rooms
when Mrs. Fiat smiled and Snuned. and
soon Mr.. Flat joined her IN the action and
opened All the closed wlniows. LOT sns.s
With the windows open * was soon forget
ten, the rest of the household goods were
brought IN, the baby carried ~ ,roI rom .as
comfortable as possible IN lis haA-fufnisaea
room. the windows were closed. ana II Was
the evening OF the first day.
broke the record thai night while he ana
his wife showed their relatives through tue
new apartments. because with the WIN
dows closed the smell came back. ana on.
what a smell.
ut mus; be the new wood suggested
one "Cpr the moist plaster. said ahoins.:
"Or the glue under the wall nAngings.
"Or the sauerkraui boiling IN the next
house" 'Or the smoke from tn. .ch smneys
on the next street" or the Thugs In the
drug store on the corner" and many other
things But the smell was there, anu me
next morning the baby WAS sent 10 MRS
Flats mother and tae landlord was ASKED
10 come and tie presented 10 the ONSET 10
the advantages" mentioned In ms aosef-
t!semeut Hts verdict was:
ut will all pass away In day or two
You can't expect the new wood and plaster
and paint and varnssh 10 he o1ofasss. II
all right. and you VIZ agree Win me ~
tor became SO much worse that the health
board was called in. and after a careful
examination found the plumbing and sani-
tary arrangements perfect -
Then In rand Succession scientists OF ali
kinds visited the Place. shifted, shook their
heads and went away without suggesting
remedy The rent y, vas y,g gon asa on ,,,, me
and rs toys. Mr.. ana Mrs Fiat were
boarding around Hike school teachers OF
long ago. and something had 10 be done,
A last desperate effort was made 20 get at
the source Of trouble. and men were set
TO work taking up the ift!asd floor of the
largest room In the apartment. IL was no
no,hsr~ had gone there and died. rs the
ttresssv stantiai evidence Indicated. the real
'Ae trouble was discovered in the
form OF ashes.
- ( u.s4 20 deaien the floors ana make
them iireproof, the spaces between the
raftcrs had been filled in with mixture
OF cement asbestos and ashes. The ashes
had been taken from the gashouses and
were supposed 10 be coal dross from which
all gas had been extracted. Examination
disclosed the fact that the ashes stil con-
tatned gas which made combination with
~ ,. ar tai
the floors and between them created an
atrnosnhere which ohI.terated the beauties
Of the apartment. TO which even the ample
vocabulary OF the confirmed FIAT dweiier
could not do justice The fioor filing Was
cleaned out and replaced with 9aslsss
ashes cement and asbestos and IN few
DAYS the apartment; was ready for house
keeping and the baby. But Mr. Fiat will
never be esazxled again by little things like
fire mirrors, tiied bathrooms. onyx manteis.
cold storage, parior safes and electric
ranges What he wants ~ know about l.
how the floors have been laid and the pos
sshiitfy OF ercountersng a smell