New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-13
FLAT JEWELLERS LAMENT
Apartment House Life Semi
Vagrancy, Says Preacher.
NOMADS WITHOUT A TENT
The Rev. G.. W. Grinton Urges
Hearers TO Quit Moving, and
Thus Aid Church.

The Rev. George W Grtnton. pastor OF
the Chelsea Methodist Episcopal Church,
Fort Washington avenue and 17sth street.
preached on apartment house life. as he
had observed It on Washington Heights.
last night He took as his text Deuter-
onomy. wifi. Ii: Houses full of all good
things"
Most of US have been educated TO the
thought that the normal home relation is
one family under one roof said Mr.. Grin
ton. IF we held the deed of ownership II
enhanced very materially the home feeling
and the community interest. Under this
old training. therefore. we do not take
kindly TO the sen1i-vagran of apartment
house life.
We are neighborless, with people above
and underneath us. We are more lonely
than the tent dweller on the mountain side.
We sigh when we think OF the little garden
in the rear of the home, Of the flower bed
in front. of the neighbors running in with
some little delicacy or choice bit of gossip.
We cannot send the children cat to feed
the chickens with the crumbs from the
table; indeed. the law Of the apartment
forbids our having children-though we can
have dog If it is we'll behaved In our
dilemma We sigh for a home in some vast
wilderness
Always on the Move.
THE feeling of unrest is a n1icrobe that
is part Of the life of q great city-a
nlcrobe ever at work. The moving van is
forever at our door. and very little dis
satisfaction will cause US TO move, in the
hope of lettering our condition There are
many things in apartment house life that
are not pleasant. Midnight concerts are not
conducive to piety on the part Of those who
are wearied by hearing of the Little Old
Gray Bonnet with the Blue Ribbon on It
Then, not knowing what the outcome
may be, one Is timid about making &C
quaintances. Al the same time there are
compensations that deserve mention. 1 am
not in the confidence of any real estate in
terests when I say this. Apartment house
life on Washington Heights. 1 say, has its
compensa tons in up-to-date new apart
ments, with all modern conveniences. With
the aid Of janitor and maid, and even
without the latter, think what d lot more
time the average housekeeper has to i'm
prove the mind. to enjoy the charming
views of Fort Washington and vicinity and
to engage in social and religious work. II
the residents of this section would only
settle down to some kind of home life
which has in it d. feeling of permanency
how much better for the individual. the
Church and the community.
Norads Without Tents.
Despite the obstacles IN forming a home
in a great community such as this is fast
becoming. it is both possible and probable.
Do you know. I find many people living
in these apartment houses who were at
one time actively engaged in church and
community interests. But they have lis
tened TO the voice Of the tempter TO hide
their talents and rest q while, with the re
suit that they are has beens.' Others
claim that they cannot afford to identify
themselves with any outside interests. But
it costs more to live all to ones self.
Mr.. Wagner. author of The Simple
Life wrote little book five or six years
ago called The Fireside.' In It he says
that the modern apartment rented by the
month or year is to be scorned. He denies
it the name of home 1t is a cheat and 4
sarcasm. Every three months, according
10 the author. the population is in the
street We are nonads save for the tent,
the light equipments and the broad lori-
zons-nomads from room to room, embar-
raised by endless traps.
In the old Greenwich village. afterward
known as the 9th Ward. where I spent my
boyhood nearly every one owned his own
house, or leased one. There were front
and back yards shade trees were upon the
streets. and the neighborhood community
interest prevailed. To this day, when for
Ter residents Of this old American ward
meet under entirely new conditions, you
will find that this old spirit still exists, and
that a fellow feeling makes them wondrous