Evening star., 1901-08-24
RooF-DwELLERs OF NEW YORK.
COzy Homes in the TOP Stories OIL
Modern ONCE Buildings.


From the Ledger Monthly.
Perched high up in mid-air, atop the lofty
office buildings of the city. are little homes
as quiet and secluded as though they stood
beside some country lane, instead of dt
rectly above throbbing, hurrying, madden-
ing Broadway. Quaint little houses they
are with ample door yards, many of which
are filled with brightly colored flower beds.
To one who is hungry for glimpse OK
country greenery they are as oases In the
great stone desert that constitutes tna
business section of New York. These arc
the dwellings of the modern ciin men, moss
of whom are the janitors and superinten.
dents Of the great skyscrapers. Severa.
years ago some inventive architect deVisso
the plan of locating the caretakers ana
their families on the roofs of the buildings
of which they have charge. The plan was
so satisfactory in every respect that IL mas
been very generally followed. Within an
area of a few blocks In the downtown ois.
trict dozens of families are living thus,
above the caves of the tallest buildings IN
the world. They form quaint and inter-
esting colony.
The little dwellings which form the
homes of the roof-dwellers are regular cot
tages, quite separate and distinct from the
great structures on which they are built.
They are constructed of wood or brick. ana
they nestle on the great skyscrapers llko
Swiss chalets on as many mountain peaks.
At first thought 1t might seem that the
life Of the roof-dweller must be lonely
one. but he has his own diversions, and he
enjoys many advantages not to be obtained
by other residents of the city. not even by
the wealthy householders OF fashionabie
Fifth avenue. Sunlight and fresh air-the
nectar and ambrosia of city ife-are en-
joyed by the residents Of the roofs IN un.
stinted quantities. They are not crowded
by their neighbors; they enjoy delight.
full secluson; while at their feet Is spread
the vast and ever-changing panorama OF
the city and its glorious harbor;
From his aerial home the new clin man
can look down upon the streets below
with their swarming crowds OF what,
from his lofty perch, look like scurryin8
ants. He can see the elevated trains puff
ing along. looking almost like toys. Around
him rise the rival sky scrapers-modern
towers of Babel pulsating with the hurry
ing life within. The great metropolis
stretches away to the northward, between
it's confining rivers, as far as the eye can
reach. Here and there it's uniformity 10
relieved by some great building looming
high above it's fellows. Southwark the hars
boris broad expanse. alive with craft OF
every sort. invites his eye. The roof. {
dwellers too, see the tremendous
forces Of nature at work In their magnif1-
cence. When summer thunder storm
sweeps the city they observe the full
beauty of it's display; the black clouds
yelling the sky, the great curtain OF rain
walling out everything around and the
binding glare of the lightning with per- !
maps some ndSe puiulng oullIneu against
it; or, again. they can watch the fog
stealing down to veil the city and harbor
in gray.
The enterprising housewife among these !
denizens of thesroofissabls TO Brighten her |
home with many delightful featugesss She |
may have her flower gardens, and even q |
little patch Of vegetables reared In soil |
brought from below Trailing vines may |
be trained along the cottage walls, and |
with shrubs and plants disposed about tbs |
borders of the roof 1t is possible to trans. |
form the whole into a charming hanging
garden. In the long summer evenings the
tables can be moved out into the yard. and
amid the GOODNESS and quiet. Here, too.
they can entertain their less fortunate
friends who are condemned to Hive in stufry
flats or apartments. Hammocks may be
swung to give added comfort and pleasure
to life, and awnings put up in summer to
keep the place cool through the midday
hours.