The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-09-18
Modern Apartment Life
By Frederic j. Haskiu
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l8 by bfederl
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The modern apartment renter
wants = list of advantages long
enough TO MI sheet OF old-fashlon-
ed foolscap paper. He knows ne can
MOI have them all and the agents
must DIVIDE desirable Things. IL you
have sleeping porch, you cannot
have elevator service. II there Is an
elevator. the kitchen is dark. II the
pkchen is light you have no foyer
nall. II you nave foyer you must
give up one bedroom, and so ON.
straight down the list. 1t is q case
OF you pay your money and take your
..si.Le." but paying the money always
comes first.
The thousands Of apartments to let
each fall would seemingly make selec-
ton easy. but the woman who has
climbed long flights Of stairs and rung
hundreds OF elevator bells In quest
of the conveniences needed for the
comfort Of her family is sure that de-
sirable apartments are growing scar
Ger each year because Of the increas-
ed demand for them. Having taken
Inc one wnicn seemed nearest suited
to his needs, the renter signs an ir-
reyocable lease and moves in, COM
hitting himself to Providence. I'm
forseen disappointment can develop
In the one which seemed most de-
sirable, while the least attractive
a No r%rnnp% ,,ny nrn1,a nnnuantany and
comfortable. The disappointed ten
ants console themselves In the hope
of better luck next year. 1t is the
annual movings of the dissatisfied
tenants which cause the rush each
fall.
Reaching Suburbs.
The apartment house Is actually
displacing the dwelling house, both In
large cites and small. 1t has reacn-
ed the suburb also, and is rapidly de-
lveloping in the smaller towns. The
economic advantage OF the central
heating plant, which relieves the head
of the family from the responsible
ty of the furnace fire is its strongest
attraction. Having the rooms chiefly
upon one floor, with no steps to clean
or other outside work, appeals to the
woman, especially II she keeps nc
maid.
The possibility Of living within
easy reach of employment was the
first argument in favor OF the apart
ment. This does not apply to the
suburban apartment, the increase OF
n has been one OF the notakle
real estate developments of New
York within the past two years.
Life in apartments is unique in
many ways. In a building inhabited
by several hundred people you can
live as hermit, not even knowing
the name of the person separted
from you by a slx-inch wall. You
may hear your neighbor snore and
be keenly aware Of the subjects OF
his quarrels with his wife withou,
ever seeing his face or acquiring q
speaking acquaintance with him.
An Infinite Variety.
An English alienist recently ex-
pressed the opinion that the large in
crease of insanity throughout the civ
ilized world was largely due to the
monotony of fiat or apartment life.
The average American finds more in
finite variety in single week OF
apartment life than could be experi-
enced during whole year In the
average private home. It is always
a gamble whether the janitor is going
! to turn the heat on in time for your
seven O'clock breakfast, or If you will
leat while shivering IN your overcoat.
The elevator boy may turn away the
one person In the world you most
desired to see and usher to your
apartment full assortment of book
agents and bores.
The night you are tired and want
to go to bed early the tenants upon
the floor above you are giving a
dance and the music Of the fox-trot
strikes like the hoofs Of satyrs upon
your aching head. Yet when you
want to give musical the next
week and the lady across the hall
sends the janitor to request less
noise at the very minute when your
soprano is preparing to render her
finest solo, you feel a deep sense Of
grievance.
Thus the apartment house dew
elops degree Of forbearance and
consideration for the rights of others
not likely to be acquired otherwise.
The crouch is his own worst enemy
and the man who complains of his
neighbor is likely to be complained
of. It is better to ignore the lose
Of an occasional nights sleep and
to forget that water from the porch
above was spattered upon a new
book upon your porch. Next week
you may unintentionally splash
water upon the floor below you.
Rapidly Growing.
4 Outside of New York and one or
two other cities, apartment life il