Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-04-03
ELECTRICITY AS SERVANT.
Cooking, Washing and Sweeping All
Done by Invisible Agents.


ton lights the face of tiny clock OF
the dresser and the master of the
house can see that it is time to ge
up The weight of finger on another
button pressed and the electric lumi
nous radiator sends its cheering heaI
out into the room.
In the bathroom the water for the
morning bath is heated as fast as II
can be drawn by the instantaneous
water heater. The luminous radiator
quickly heats the room. The electric
shaving mug prepares the suds for the
morning shave and the electric vibrat
ing machine is ready to administer the
invigorating massage.
With the mistress of the electrical
house there is no waiting for sleepy
eyed servants; no poking at slow
burning fires; no carrying and handling
of coal and ashes. While she is dress
ing she touches button, and the in.
visible fires in the electric kitchen are
started and by the time she appears
in the kitchen the cereal is cooking
and the teakettle boiling away. In a
on the electric stove and the day is
few minutes the breakfast is prepared
fairly begun.
A perfect example of such ar elec-
trical house is presented in the home
of J. E. Davidson, at Montpelier, VT.
This model home is of Colonial design.
with wide columned porches and big
fireplace chimneys. In this modern
residence the servant problem is as
simple as two and two. The cook. the
janitOr and the errand boy are con-
spicuOus by their absence, and cleo
tricity, the model servant. has taken
their places. Electricity seems to de-
light in doing the drudgery about this
house. It does the washing and iron
ing; heats the rooms; cooks the food.
and even prepares the meats and vege-
tables; sweeps the floors, cleans the
house; ventilates rooms and does a
thousand and one other minor things,
from ringing the doorbell to sitting
the ashes.
Mr.. Davidson's home is one of the
very few complete electrical homes in
the world, made possible by the Won
derful development in electric heating
| rocontlv hrouqht ahout
OF course, the most interesting part
of the building Is the electrical kitchen.
The "stove" consists of wooden table
wired for the various cooking devices
and containing the necessary switches.
On the stove sits the electric broiler.
toaster. frying pan. cereal cooker.
water heater. coffee percolator, grids
and electric oven.
II there is a steak to be broiled the
turn Of switch heats the broiler in
an instant. practically all the heat is
used in cooking the meat. and when
the steak is done the economy In heat
can only be secured with electricity.
The frying pan or grid is as quickly
made ready, and another turn Of a
switch prepares the electric oven for
the potatoes or biscuit. There is no
waste Of heat, no gases, no "broiling"
OF the cook while preparing the viands.
A large poterhouse steak can be
cooked fit for a disciple Of Epicurus
in less than ten minutes; an egg can
be poached in a minute, planked shad
can be cooked in fifteen minutes. a
sirloin steak in five minutes, lamb
chop in four minutes. squad or quail
broiled in four minutes, or a spring
chicken in seven minutes.
The result Of one days cooking on
the electrical stove were automatically
as follows:
Breakfast, four persons. food cooked
Steak. Lyonnaise potatoes, cream
wheat. coffee. time. forty minutes.
k. W. hours 1; cost 5 cents.
Lunch, two persons, food cooked
Warmed potatoes. warmed steak, fried
cabbage. tea; time, twenty minutes.
k. W. hours, s.; cost 23 cents.
Supper. five persons. food cooked
Veal chops, boiled potatoes, boiled
corn, stewed apple sauce. coffee; time
fifty-five minutes, k. W. hours, 2; cost,
10 cents.
Total k. W. hours, 3.5; cost 17A
cents; cost per person per meal, Is
cents.
Besides being heated and lighted by
electricity, the diningrOo contains a
few novel electrical devices. The elec-
trio chafing dish is ever ready to pre-
pare any delicacy. When the switch
is turned the dish is hot in an instant.
and with another turn the heat van.
ishes as magically as 1t came. Coffee
prepared in the electric coffee preco-
lator Is the finest bIewed. With this
modern device the coffee is not boiled.
Hot water and steam are sprinkled
over the ground coffee to absorb the
favor of the berry and to trickle back
into the electrically heated reservoir.
Each and every room in this won.
derful house contains one or more
electrical devices. The reading-room
or den contains luminous electric
radiator besides the open fire. An
electrical cigar lighter stands on the
table. and electric lights in the odd
form Of candles illuminate the room.
The bedrooms are provided with elec.
trio lights, telephones, electric heating
pads, luminous radiator, instantaneous
water heater and electric shaving
mugs. The parlors are heated with
radiators and lighted with electric
lights. In the laundry electricity heats
the water and runs the washing ma.
chine. On wet days the clothes are