Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-11-21
A UNIQUE sANITARY HOUSE.

"A ONltROE cANlAAhA hOD>'G'
Among the exhibits at the late Oor-
gress on Tuberculosis held 10 Washing
ton Was a model of q sanitary concrete
house which attracted much attention
and was awarded the nnt gold medal.
Ice following are few Of the especial,
and for the most part new features, which
the architect, Milton Dana Morrill,, of
Alexandra, has incorporated in the de-
sign:
The entire house ia cast, the walls.
floors, and fixtures beirg of reinforced
concrete; window frames are of cast
iron. Duplication is of course the secret
OF the proposed economy as 1t Is esti-
mated that six room attractive houses
can be built fer 81 200 when once the
frames are perfected or n ade.
These forms are being constructed oil
q standard unit type 30 that they are to
a great degree interchangeable and BY
this means homes may differ In plan aud
design and still be contributed over che
same form. The possible conclusion Of
insurance and repairs and their general
indestructible character makes this type
OF buildings especially applicable TO
rented houses. To thoroughly clean q
vacated house the hose Is used on walls,
ceilings and the composition floors are
graded to plugged tile spouts discharg-
ing on the lower door. All corners ars
curved and all fixtures are brscketed from
wall which leaves no places for the shell
ter of dust, vermin or insects. The coal
is, hoisted by simple chain block at
tsched to q swinging dsyit and IL dump
cd through hole In roof to large pocket
from which 1t feeds by gravity into fire
box of stove, the ashes falling into pit
and being removed from an outside door.
This stove combines in one compact
fixture cooking range, house and hot
water heater and gaI stove.
The garbage Is placed 10 cast iron
chamber in smoke flue and after drying
is dumped by dampsr into the fire bed.
Fireplaces Ia each room have haes
about smoke stacks forming q natural
ventilation.
Tue ice box Is arranged for use as a
fresh air closet, doing away with use Of
Ice, except in hot weather. This IL also
arranged to be flushed with hose.
The walls are hollow to prevent damp
ness, and the roof is of open cellulor
construction, cool 10 summer.
Az attractive feature of the house is
the roof garden aud sun room forming
out.of. door bedrooms divided by use OF
movable screens.
Window boxes form an inexpensiVe
and q! the same time artistic decoration.
The exterior surface 10 of concrete wi b
pebbles worked and exposed.
The model has been for q week on
display 10 the window of the drug store
ccrGsr 18th and Pennsylvania avenue,
Washington, and upon its return from
New York will be placed on display in
this city.
The model is 10 form B part OF the ex
hibition 10 New York on the prevention
of tuberculosis to be held there soon anC
the OF arities organizations are consider
ing making a duplicate model to form g
part of their permanent travelling exhibit.
The great interest which this house
has aroused shows thst It should mark a
development In construction as well as
solution to the problem of the healthy
housing of the poorer and indu'tria
classes.
The first thirty houses have alresdy
been ordered and will be- built nta'
Washington as soon as construction
plans and mould details are complete,
and steps are being taken toward form
ing q company which will build these
houses near many of the large cities.
Mr.. Morrill, is well-known in this city
where he has designed the Fairfax
Apartment House and toe First Nationa
Bank, which Is nov being constructed OF
King street.