The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-09
nrsrERrEs OF TIE FIAT MOUSSE
Strange ways of Building Them That Con-
fuse the LnymRn.

The pecularities OF some houses into which
they 60 are incomprohensible TO the nat
hunters. No reasonable ground can be found
for the eccentricities OF construction to be seen
in many buildings. and the persons In charge
ore rarely able to account for them. III they
seem ed necessary. and not to be prevented by
the skill OF an architect their presence might
be understood. but In the great majority OF
cases there is no such explanation for them.
In the houses once used as private residences
these Inconvenience are most frequent
ly found. They are also present. how
ever. In newly built houses which would
be expected to provide every convenience sug-
gested by modern methods OF construction and
the experience OF architects. The residences
that have been converted into fiat houses rarely
had the advantage OF an architects co-opera-
ton In their original construction. The builder
who put up house used to be thought good
enough for all architectural purposes as WELL
and that impression is responsible for the rows
OF brownstone and interior arrangement
which were for many years almost the only
o. pss 10 be mSfh nd
pensable to-day. but 1t will take two or three
generations to remove from New YORK the
upon as sn % luxury. The % wSndorfui
use made now Of the limited space to be found
that he is really as valuable as the most enthu-
siastic would claim.
The most remarkable vagary q fiat build;
hunter. was In residence that had been
turned into an apartment house. The build;
been added to 1t. to give room Tor good. sized
fiat on every floor. The arrangement Of was
room. That was in the rear Of the house and
doors into the kitchen: which had n, no l,Sht OF
room. In the newly built extension were two
small rooms which might readily have been
the bedrooms might have been put where the
Kitchen Els was, The arrangement that had been
,inin groom the same apartment. | asked tie
(anitor how such a thing could possibly have
happened, He said that everybody asked the
this arrangement. As 1t was. the apartment
Another instance Of the same kind OBJ
served IN fiat that had been built only a few
The anor to that here
was no hot water to be had except that heated
6y the kitchen h stove in syery nat i1 all apart
Is hot water as Its regular accompaniment. i
asked the meaning OF the difference. in this
the boiler was not put in when the house was
built. The owner told mo that he thought the
architect or the builder must have forgotten
architect had nothing to do with that phase OF
the business. The neglect OF the man respon-
OF the house several hundred dollars year.
The Indifference of landlords to defects
that might be readily remetied seems due In a
largo measure to the willingness of tenants to
put up with almost any Inconvenience SO long
as a house has certain advantages of location
TO recommend It. When they can find these
merits tenants are not inclined to be critical
about such defects, although they undoubtedly
have an influence in reducing the rent One
friend OF nine had an apartment that was very
sttrnctive but for, one disadvantage. The
kitchen was perfectly dark All day the unfor-
tunate servant in it had to do her work by gas
light. 1t seemed almost barbarous 10 ask any
body to undertake such an ordeal. and one
winter brought up the number of his cooks to
seven. Yet the back wall OF the kitchen over
looked vacant yard. and nothing would have
been simpler than to cut a window But the
landlord Of the building could never sec that it
was worth while, and that kitchen remains
with as little light and air as a closet
Many complaints OF the fancy and over elab-
crate entrances and Railways are frequently
heard. Tho landlords know how attractive these
are TO tenants. whether or not they conform TO
the strictest ideas of decorative art. The agents
are so certain of the potency Of these features
OF house that some Of them advertise the
charms OF a Moorish reception room or n hall
way decorated IN carved wood They are OF
course cheaper than space or light and they
do great deal toward reconciing some ten
ants to the lack OF advantages which are gen
orally looked upon as the most desirable /"