Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-08
HOMES WITHOUT SERVANTS
Copenhagen Man Who Originated
Servantless Housekeeping.

Otto Flick founder Of a servantleSS house.
keeping plan, which is demonstrated by
establishments of his own in Copenhagen,
in Stockholm and in London, arrived We'd
nesday on the steamship United States to
investigate and ascertain if New York city
would not take kindly to the idea. His
method differs essentially from that of
the family hotel and is something on the
lines that might be represented by large
fiat house, with a cooperative kitchen
and servants in common. The municipality
Of Copenhagen was so interested in the
scheme that it underworld it to the extent
of advancing 5000 on mortgage.
There are rooms for twenty-five families
In the houses which have been built under
Mr. Ficks direction. and they are so con-
structed that each household is entirely
separate The administration department
acts in an expeditions manner. 1t provides
three meals q day, without causing the
family any more annoyance than is re-
quired in ringing a bell
Instead of the woman of the house rising
while it Is yet night, and giving orders to
the butcher. the baker and the grocer, she
merely signifies by pressing button when
she would have breakfast. luncheon or
dinner. No cook is required. The meals
come I'D the QuInDWdlteT anu CdH tneTc Dt
lifted off directly into the dining room.
Large families. if they wish. may have
one servant of their own. who can be both
waitress and lady's maid but that is
not at all necessary. Indeed, the whole
scheme is devised that persons of
moderate means can be absolutely free
from the servant problem. Tenants in
leasing apartments in the building must
file list of things which they do not like
to eat or drink, and in preparing their
account and they will never get anything
which they have tabooed. They cannot
according to Mr.. Flick, expect to order
on their own initiative. Part of the charm
of the scheme Is state of prandial ex-
pectancy. The latest health fad in Copen-
hagen is that roast beef produces rheuma-
tism, and on that account in the Danish
house there Is not so great q demand for
that article. In the Flick dwellings the
central plant washes the dishes. makes the
beds, cleans the rooms with the vacuum
process dusts, sets things to rights, washes
the windows, blackens the Shoes presses
trousers and attends to the family wash
ing. There are no rooms In common as
there are In family hotels except the
kitchen. The house servants have quarters
next to the roof. Separate houses may be
built for bachelors. or for unmarried wom-
en-, or for married persons blessed with
children.
'It is thoroughly understood" said Mr..
Flick. chat when tenant moves in he is
to take LOCO kronen In stock. which is
valued at about $3.50 in United States
money. He pays his rent and gets Q divi-
dend on his stock. If he leaves he must
sell his shares to the incoming tenant
This gives him a sympathetic interest in
the place. Tenants must be normal in their
ideas of housekeeping and diet. 1t won't
do to have them too fastidious They have
to declare themselves before they are adj
mitted. We declined an application from
q vegetarian recently because, although
she was an estimable woman we did not
care to be responsible for furnishing so
special diet. Neither do we cater to
persons with indigestion.
'1Of course We might easily build meat
less mansions or gastritis fats"
Mr.. Flick was formerly school principal
in Copenhagen. and his plan was result
self with servants.