The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16
EQUIPMENT FOR
THE MODERN HOME
HouSework Made Easier By
Mechanical Appliances
CARE PASSING TO MEN
conVeniences Lessen Labor In the
Home, But Make Duties of House.
keeper. More Complex.
What 1t Portends.

years will be done by men or women prob
ably will depend as much upon the develop
will depend as much upon the develop
ment of conveniences and machinery as
upon the eagerness with which women of
all classes change their present apathy
and make rush to do housework
At present the job of housemaid has
evolved to such a point that it requires a
personality which might be described as
something between a lady and an en-
| gineeress.
Inside finish and machinery for wash
ing, ironing, telephone switehboards,
speaking tubes and pneumatic cleaners
save hands, feet and backs. In the most
scientifically kept house there is only one
duty which the most prejudiced could
class as ignominious. and that is the dust
ing Of hardwood floors by hand and the
getting down In position formerly
scorned by the housewife.
She may now alternate this with rolling
and other exercises TO reduce flesh if she
likes, as the expert claims that the pneu-
matte cleaner does not yet effect smooth
busted surface on wood, but only sucks
up the dust from the depths of the rugs
and furniture A cloth over the broom
leaves streaks, it is declared, so that
wiping the floor by hand is up TO this
date the only way in accord with domes-
tic science, while the properly cared for
floor, it is said, is only touched with
water once or twice a year. Altogether,
delicate touch, intelligence and precision
are everywhere required in the appica-
fiOp nd
Housework Made Easier.
Past experience shows that where
machinery has made it possible to put
housework on an easier and quicker
basis men have stepped in and taken it
from the woman's province, as the ba-
kerry, the laundry and rug cleaning es-
Establishments. At present attachments
are being evolved in these lines for
those who prefer having the work done
under their own roofs and the question
comes as to whether the 9th er sex will
not step in to pre-empt the position of
housemaid.
The appliances often require more
headwork and intelligence than goes
with the average girl who now acts as
housemaid. Proof of this is found in
looked at with suspicion by the maid
in houses wher they have been in
stalled and are neglected in favor of
the old methods.
The interest taken by the wives and
daughters who occupy these mansions
in only theoretical, say the architects.
''They are something to be enthused
over when the plans are drawn up and
run away from after they are put in"
of the finest residences in chicago. In
these the kitchen equipment and that
for fighting dirt is so effectual as to
bring 1t into the realms of the fairy
land of science.
Is there a rich woman with corps
of daughters who is domestic enough
to step into this fairyland with them
and do the work from top to bottom of
| the house that has been provided for
| herr"
Tours Over House Interesting.
"Will you walk into my parlor?" one
| can imagine this person saying as glibly
! on sweeping day as on reception day,
| and viii you walk into my kitchen, my
| laundry, or my bathroom may yet
| turn out to be an invitation with more
interest than the first. The latest laundry
| instillments are the electric washing ma
| chimes and the centrifugal wringers, which
I
| all water is thrown off vapor by the
swiftly revolving process. The mangle
| with revolving cylinder Is the attachment
| which does the ironing and the whole
| electric plant, including the tubs and mo-
| tor costs about $500. A good pneumatic
cleaning outfit with attachments where
the cleaning hose can be carried into yari-
Gus rooms can be put in at from $500 to
| $500
! That these extract dust only an inch
! down from any surface leaves the prob
lem of cleaning mattresses one of physi-
| cal culture gymnastics. There are
ways of keeping the dust out, however,
which are invisible, as would be ex-
pected in a modern fairyland. There is
| dust intercepter put on the windows,
which is something on the fashion of an
| old weather strip, only that the part that
! is on the easement as a shuttle ssps
/ back and forth In Its groove.
/ But that the windows may not have TO
| be opened on dusty day there is a VEN
| tilating system installed In most of these
| houses which Sits all air before 1t comes
in and distributes 1t through the rooms.
And II after all is said a dust pan of dust
can be gathered up anywhere chute
placed next to the laundry one will carry
IL from any floor where the sweeper hap
pens to be into the basement.
Wearisome Trips Now Needless.
are unnecessary in these new homes, as
telephone attachment will be found on
every floor, with pad and pencil ready
and dumb waiter which goes from base
ment to the top story. The trip TO let IN
the icerlan is eliminated as the iceman
slips in the cake-a short weight If he
| wants to-through door on the back
porch into the reservoir of the refriger-
ator That the door will soon be equipped
with an automatic scales which shall reg
1t In is only the next step in the evolu-
patented already.
AS another defense against dirt the cor
ners in the floors are brought forward
slightly concave surfaces. This is done
so far chiefly In bathrooms by means OF
metal fixtures which, however, suggest
that wooden baseboards later may be
shaped that way, too. Bath tubs OF heav-
lest porcelain also help to give the bath-
rooms the look of Pompelian rooms, ana
| the same possibilities of being easily
| cleaned.
| There are endless conveniences for the
| dining room, one of the most noticeapie
| being the way in which the radiator is
| being fitted to take the place or the
| waitress Some OF these are fitted with
| grooves for holding plates. others with
shelves, while the most attractive mas an
| oven with doors set into the steam COILS.
| where food can be kept hot instead or
| being carried back to the kitchen.
| As it is at present housekeeping Is
| wonderful piece of machinery unappre-