The sun., 1903-11-08
IA MISSISSIPPI HOUSEBOAT.
LUXURY THAT WOULD SURPRISE
PEOPLE on THE THAMES.
The Original British Model surpassed by
western Entcrprise-Lafayette Lambs
Idler and the Steamer That TOws
H-A 2.OOO-Alile River voyage.

CLINTON, IA, NOV IA houSeDoat
which is said to be the fines in the world
has just tied up here for the winter. Along
side of it lies It's constant companion a
shining white steamer which invariably
tows it. II you were of a thieving turn OF
| mind, or morals, and could and should take
the houseboat under one arm and the
steamer under the other and decamp with
them, you would be richer to the tune OF
$4,000 or more.
The man who would be the poorer 10
the same tune is Lafayette Lamb of this
place, who, five years ago, set the house
boat fashion on The mississippi and set 1t in
such way that he is still the leader by a
good margin over all his followers.
Along with other marvels Of equipment
these vessels are furnished with pe culiarly
! beguiling names. The Idler towed by the
Nanderer-the very words are guarantee
OF leisurely lettering along river highways
and byways.
The lettering is not obligatory. however
When the owner chooses TO hurry. the
Wanderers engines can accommodate him
with speed which kt cps him out OF the
swell Of almost any boat--except the hose
passes. The white squadron, as the 1dler
and Wanderer have been dubbed along the
river, has record run OF 200 miles in four
teen hours.
If the original houseboats along the
Thames could have but glimpse OF this
American cousin they would shiver their
timbers in amazement. The members OF
the Thames branch Of the family are con-
| tent to stick like mud turtles along the
bank. That is their British conservatism.
Conservatism, however, is the one thing
| that doesn't go in Western Yankee dom,
! Out here no one would choose a mud turtle
| for ones coat of arms; not even mud
turtle rampant. And when II comes to
10 de ri mol not n
| to accept "Get a move on as the watch
| word of one s existence. In short, this is
| locality where a houseboat must be a
movable. quantity or nobody will have any
| use for it
| Hence the wanderer. Left to itself the
| Idlcr would be as incapable of locomotion
a. cart without ht rSe.
BY the way, speaking of carts and horses,
| this is one case where the former is put
| before the latter with II suits which are
delightful. The Wanderer tows the Idler.
but it is sort of towing which mnst be e1-
planned to New Yorker.
Instead of pulling, the Idler along by
means Of cable, the Wanderer pushes
the houseboat in front of it. The stern
| Of the Idler is fitted to the bow of the Wan
other as easily as from one car to another
| OF vestibule train. The two boats are
! held together by heavy chains. one to
! starboard and one to lai board-as they
I say on the river-so that they steer as one
, craft
! Coupled up in this way the two boats
, make very pretty showing. First, the
F., houseboat proper, long and graceful. as
white as snow her three decks surmounted
by the swapping penant and flag which
would tell her title to the curious v it could
! only keep still long enough.
The Ider is 12O feet long and 20 feet
beam Her lower deck contains all the
! cabins. stateroOms, &c. of the vessel. 1t is
several feet above the water line. and as
! the boat draws about 2H feet of water
this gives very g4od g Sxrd Us ho,d, o. ,ot;va
power on the houseboat are many. There
| is total absence of the throbbing and
I jsrrins of machinery, There is no heat,
no smoke, no smell. Fest of all. perhaps
, no room is taken, by the engines which
might be put to other use,
The main deck is entirely surrounded
! by light but strong iron guards. At the
! bow is the forecastle, as the rlvermen
! say: front porch, "A landubber called it.
The guards here have three gates, one on
each side and one in 'front.' so that the stage
plank may be put out according to the
necessities Of anding.
A great plate glass window fills the bow
end of the enclosed deck and is fanked
by two doors, These lead into the saloon,
a luxuriously furnished apartment, l8x22
feet.
1t is entirely finished in polished woods.
Besides the large bow window there are
twelve others, As many large transoms,
operated mechanically, make it possible
either to give little ventilation or TO trans
form the saloon into practically an open
air place
Writing desk, piano, tables, chairs,
divans, books, pictures-all the acces-
sories of a comfortable and up to date
home are here. Electric lights make it
brilliant at night, and steam heat enables
the happy yoyager on the Idler TO snap
his fingers at storms or cold weather.
Every door, window and transom on the
boat is carefully screened. so that the dis
covery of a mosquito or Of fly in ones
room is matter for excited discussion, it
is so rare. Everywhere on the boat one
finds an electric bell at ones elbow.
From the saloon a long narrow passage
leads through the centre Of the boat and
of these is 81fxll feet. Each has lower
berth of the size Of an ordinary bed. while
above is a berth of the width of a single bed.
Each room has three windows and six
large transoms, electric lights, porcelain
basin with hot and cold water, steam heat, !,
large dressing bureau, wardrobe. and
one chair. Each room is completely fur
nished in it's color; red, yellow. blue, green,
pink, lavender, the color scheme Is COM
plete even to the candlestick and the candle.
The passage flanked by the staterooms
ends in the dining room, a beautiful apart
boards where the bouts own special glass
and china CLEAN behind the loaded panes
Everything on the vessel is marked for it..
The china was made to order with the name
Ider in delicate green. The name Is ground
upon tie glassware, engraved on the silver
and embroidered on the linen.
Back of the dining room comes cross
hall opening at each end onto the outer
gangwav. giving air and preventing any
heat or cdors from the kitchen or the electric
light plant from invading the forward part
of the boat
A drop table here is raised to be used as
a serving table at meal times. At the other
end of this hall is recess for the water
cooler and conveniently near by is the
lemon squeezer, the ice shaver, the shaker,
| &c.
Beyond the cross hall on the starboard
side is the aft gangwav leading to the upper
, deck Next comes the kitchen, a mar
vellous example Of multum In parvo
Behind the kitchen is the cold storage
| room. next the ice house, then the mems
bathroom. next the laundry, and finally
the servants bath. On the larboard side.
beginning at the cross hall. are. first bath
room. then the electric light plant then the
servants rooms.
There are two gangways leading to the
upper deck, which is entirely open at the
sides, although canvas curtains may be
dropped so as to shut it in, either in part or
entirely. latticework screen divides
this deck, but the forward portion is a clear
ninety feet in length.
Here are hammochs, great swinging