Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-09
HOW TO LIGHT A HOUSE
Where to Place the Electric and Gas
Fixtures.
Begin With the Cellar Near the Fur
nhce--trtistic beauty of New
brackets.
Written for The Evening Star.

written for The Evening Star.
Half the trouble with modern eyesight is
said 10 be due to the fact that peop,e now
DO 50 much of their work indoors where
the houses are imperfectly lighted If this
IS So and there is probably more than a
grain of truth in it, it behooves us TO look
Wei, after our artificial lighting
Nearly all houses now are lighted either
with gas or electric light. and the proper
placing of the fixtures determines whether
the place is well or lily illuminated. In the
house where lamps are used they cannot be
conveniently carried about and placed in
! the positions where they will he most use
Jul. Even in that case it IS useful to have
a bracket for the accommodation of the
| lamp in the neighborhood. to be lighted.
for the mante table is not always suiti-
GENTLY convenient
1t is always much better to have the To-
cation of the lights arranged for when the
pipes wires are put IN. If the owner of
the house means to occupy it, his wife
should go over the building and indicate
where she will need special lights.
She will probably begin with the cellar,
her first request for fixture being for one
near the furnace which is generally In an
uulghted portion of the cellar and always
requires some attention at night. Another
light will be asked for to show up the in
terror of the preserve room in the cellar,
anu another one near the STAIRS.
In the kitchen there may be a drop light
in the center of the room, with fixture
at the sink where dishes are to be washed
and such serious work to be done. If there
IS "A large pantry near the kitchen II should
be provided with light, too. for it is I'M
reasonable to expect the servants to spare
the dishes and be economical with sugar
and spices when they are compelled to cal
culate locations and quantities in the dark.
If there IS buffers pantry. 1t, too, should
be provided with lights In the dining room
n large light over the center of the dining
room table is not only economy, but
necessity.
For the Family Comfort.
In sitting room or parlor the tendency i.
to light the rooms from the sides rather
than from the central chandelier that used
to be popular
In the bed rooms brackets at each side
o. the dressing table mirror are required.
The others may be arranged according to
taste and convenience. The hall Is gem
orally supplied below with a lantern light
and with brackets at each landing on the
stairway. the upper halls being similarly
equipped Many of those who have used
electricity claim that nothing would in
duCe them to do without it. while others
are very unfavorably disposed toward it,
saying that the strong white light is very
bad for the eyes. Electric light may be OBJ
tGined in almost any town of considerable
size by consultation with the local COM
IanV. Even when electricity is used for
lighting it is lust as wei to be supplied
with gas or lamps for emergency, as ii is
very likely to fail at some time when it
can least be spared.
Caution Against Fire.
When the electric light wires are put
into the house ii is always wise to have
them iniorsed by the insurance underwrit-
ers before they pronounced satisfac-
tory. The uncertainty of the electricity
makes it absolutely necessary that the
wires should he well guarded. that in
case Of an accident there can be no danger
o. their setting fire to the walls. The COM
pany always examines and tests the wires
before they are pronounced comp etc. but
il is Just as well to have them Endorsed
by the company by which the house is in
sUred. and thus avoid the danger of any
later and serious objections on its part
when there is an insurance to be collected.
There is nothing noticeable the
artistic construction of the modern house
lighting fixtures. This is due in a measure
to the impulse given to household decora-
ton by local and national societies. The
beauty of the hail lanterns challenges ad-
Miration. Some of the handsomest of these
are of iron, wrought into intricate patterns
with a skill that would reflect credit
one of the great smiths of the middle ages
whom Sir Walter Scott paints picturesque
" in his novel, "A Fair Maid of Perth"
These lanterns are lined with colored glass
and fitted with chains that the light falls
with a soft and mellowed beauty the
rather severe aspect of the entrance room.
The side brackets equally handsome,
the shades that accompany them being of
the finest and most artistic patterns In glass.
frosted, cut or co.ored, and sometimes
blown into the shape of garden flowers.
FRANCES HYDE.