The times., 1900-12-18
Apartment Houses.

If there Is any ore thing of which the
city of Washington is particularly in need
az this stage of its existence. it is apart
ment houses of tho right sort BY this is
meant the apartment house which contains
ten or dozen suiles of small rooms four
or five in each suite. renting for a mod
crate price. With the development of the
| Capital into a residence city there is an
| increasing demand for small houses, or
places in which a young married couple
bachelor, a single woman. or a small fam
! lily Of any description may make for them
| selves homes without the trouble and ex-
pense Of a large establishment.
| Hitherto the boarding house system has
prevailed. But lodgings are not homes.
The essence of a home is separateness. In
| the boarding or lodging house people of
all temperaments and various walks in life
are thrown together pell-mell. 1t is good
discipline for the character, but it is wear
ing; ard it does not bring out the finest
| qualities in most people The normal hu-
man being does not want 10 live in a crowd
like flock of sheep. He wants to have
place OF his own, in which he may do as
be likes and choose his associates
If the right kind of apartment houses
can be built here-and there are a few of
them already-it is almost certain that
they Will prove a profitable investment. A
great deal depends upon the way in which
they are managed The dweller in fiat
is not going to pay the rent of house. nor
is he going to put up with all the annoy
ances os lodgings. lie must he free to keep
his OWL hours and his own company; and
though some few Eiay take advantage OF
too great liberty, ii is better to lose a few
dollars by them than to restrict all the
tenants so that they will be uncomfortable
The question of restrictions. moreover.
IS settled partly by the tenants them
selves. and they also must be prepared to
Dc reasonable. There are too many peo-
pie who consider their neighbors' business
their own. and these people often behave
IS if they had a special right of enquiry
ever their neighbars' affairs when they
i've in a house with other families. It
Should be Clearly understood that an apart
'ment logse= is practically the same as
5Ieok sf houses. Most people would never
link Of enauiring into the morals or man
ners OF those in the same block with them;
they sEculd no more claim jurisdiction
over their neighbors in the next fiat. OF
course. al extraordinary amount of noise
is grievance, but if one lives next door
10 a house where there is piano which |
is inesssantly played. one seldom goes to
the landlord OF that house 10 complain OF |
the fact unless The noise is very bad. The |
remedy is simply TO seek 4 quieter neigh |
borhood. It should be tie same in an 1
apartment house. The attempt to know |
all ones neighbors in such q building is |
rot wise. Country people often think that |
New York people are heartless when they /
confess 10 knowing absolutely nothing of |
their .heighbors oE the 1coT abcye or be- /
low -b'.t il is the wisest and most inde- |
pendent plan. In the country where peo- |
PIE settle down for life on adjoining farms. |
is necessary and right; but |
it would certainly be crazy plan to make |
intimate friends of the family next door,
when they may only be next door for six |
months Mischief can be done in that /
way. as well as by going to the opposite |
extreme