Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-19
FIRST APARTMENT
HOUSE IN 1869
Experiments in Brooklyn and
Washington Made Fifty
Years Ago

The notion of multiple housing
facilities was being advocated In
this country fifty years ago, as u
means of solving the problem of city
living. The apartment house, al
ready stablished abroad, was Just
coming into existence here, as the
Washington Star OF August Is. 1869,
thus sets forth:
The heavy and constantly increas-
ing expense of housekeeping in
most American cities, is forcing at
tention to the subject of reform in
that direction, and hence we hear
of cooperative movements and va
rious other plans for cutting down
prices. High rents are being con-
stantly complained of, and various
remedies are discussed. and some
few adopted, the only one whlch
has so far amounted to anything be-
ing the erection of suburban cot
tages: but for active businessmen
in cities the disadvantages of a res
idence in the country, even near a
city. and on a line of railroad, are
manifold. Overburdened New YORK
is casting about, therefore, for other
measures of relief, and there, where
the evils are greatest, we may ex-
pect to see the most effectual rem
edies applied.
1t is now proposed to build new
house in Eighteenth street near
Irving place, in that city, to be CON
structed on the European plan, with
suites of apartments entirely inde-
pendent of each other. AS the rents
are to vary from $500 to $1,000
year, the dwellings will be hano-
some and expensively decorated
An equally interesting experiment
for persons of smaller means has
already been made in Brooklyn. The
building has front of 1SO feet on
Duffield street, with two wings,
running sixty-five feet back or II at
right angles A court is inclosed be
tween the wings sixty-five feet
square, which is entered from the
front by an iron barred gate lead
ing through covered archway.
The houses have handsome street
doors. The first two floors of each
seven rooms, with closets, kitchens
and a bathroom complete, and rent
for $500 a year.
The two upper floors of the
houses rent for $23 q month each,
and contain, respectively, four
rooms. The ground floors of the
wings are divided into apartment
suites, each of four rooms, and open
upon the court. which is foored
WITH dSpidllutI anu VI -
the center with a bed of flowers.
These apartments are rented for
s25 a month, and those of the three
upper stories. opening upon ball
comics. rent severally for S23, s21
and SIS a month. All these tene-
ments are neat, well finished and
inhabited by respectable persons.
Each family has a separate store
room in the basement for coal or
provisions. and a defined space upon
the roof for drying clothes.
A janitor regulates the whole es-
tablishment. He directs visitors to
the apartments sought, keeps tbs
court and staircases in order and
restrains the children from becom-
ing noisy and from injuring the fur
naces. The buildings are of brick.
The number of apartment suites is
forty-two. The cost of the whole
was $4,000. It is said that other
establishments of the kind might
be erected for far less money. The
rent of the different apartment
suites now brings s11.700 a year, or
about 8 IL per cent on $4,000.
Pittsburgh Dispatch.