The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-09
AIDS To HOUSEKEEPING
INVENTIONS WHICH ASSIST THE
HOUSE-WORKER
Among the Latest Is the Machine
Which Draws Out the Dust Without
Scattering It Into the Atmosphere
Electrical Appliances Save Much
Toll.

With all the modern appliances
which the housekeeper of the present
day has to aid her, the management
of a household would seem to be an
easy matter, but, in spite of invention,
the good housekeeper finds that only by
thoroughly systematizing her duties
does she find time for the manifold out
side demands. OF course we are speaking
of the somewhat imposing home, which
is large and needs retinue of servants
to keep it in order We are approach
ing the time of year when the spring
housekeeping is to be done, the mere
thought of which fills mans soul with
terror and gives the housekeeper many
anxious hours, For the thorough clean
ing of a home which is lived in by
large family, Whose affairs cannot stop
even for the regular cleaning, is not
simple matter by any means. Usually
several women come in by the day to
assist, and one room is taken at time,
but even so it takes weeks to wash
paint, dust the entire library and take
down and put back pictures, curtains,
etc. No one blames a man for lunch
ing, dining, nay, living at the club
during the process, as it really is
most unpleasant upsetting of the fam
lily life but, of course, 1t must be done,
and particularly in a country of long
winters and much burning of coal
Now comes along a man who has
invented an apparatus for cleaning
houses by an automatic air blast.
Blessed man! The husband who will
not prefer this affair, even at a much
increased cost, to the old way of
topsy-turvy house for month, will be
rare indeed. It is constructed In a
variety of forms, SO that every article
of furniture can be eXpeditiouSly
cleaned. They are now putting such
cleaning plants into hotels and other
large buildings, but for the convenience
of private houses, a portable machine
is taken about on a truck and a hose
is used which drives out ever bit Of
dust in a jiffy. The work can be done
by the maid or man sent with the
machine. Several private houses in
St. Paul have tried this experiment,
and it is by way of becoming popular.
Perhaps the old-fashioned housekeeper
will have none of it, but she may be
sure that it is just as effective, and
more so, than a dozen women with
busters. The motive power of this
machine is electricity, and so rapidly is
the work done that it is said a house of
twelve rooms can be cleaned in a sin
gle day. What a blissful thing to go
out to spend the day and when one re-
turns at night to find the entire spring
cleaning accomplished. This is a case
where science comes to the rescue OF
the tired housekeeper.
Among other novelties for the house
keeper is an electric stove, which is
portable and can be carried about by
the cook and set down wherever she
desires it. Then there is-theSe things
are all exploited in a current magazine
the refrigerator with compartment
for freezing garbage until it is re-
moved. The electrical ktchen-that is,
the kitchen equipped with electrical
devices-is a possibility now, so that
houseWOrk is gradually being robbed of
its terrOrs, and why not? Have not
invention and discovery made it pos
sible for men to labor with ease and
yet do more effective work? Yet for
some reason or other women are sup
posed to go on with the dreary old
grind of cooking, sewing and house
work as if there was some special
glory in not using labor saving devices.
Now it would be we'll to stop before
We fall into the Charlotte Perkins
Gilman strain! Housework is, CT
course, essentially womanly labor, but
woman should not take advantage of
all the helps that science has made
possible. So here's to the house clean
lng-in- day machine, which can be
recommended on moral as well as
economic grounds as it may prevent
separations between husbands and
wives. Many's the man who has stay
ed away from home during house