The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-02-17
Random Observations.
APARTMENT HOUSE liFe-cOM.
FORT AND PRIVACY COM etNED
THE JiTNEv AND THE STREET
cAR--rHE PASSING THRoNc.
BY Frank NJ. Dallam. Sr.

BY Frank Nj. Dallam, Sr.
1t has been stated that Spokane is
becoming distinctly a city Of homes,
Or at. least. the home building spirit
was being manifested in the many new
buildings In the process Of erection,
yet for all Of this evidence OF families
seeking the privacy and isolation Of
home life there remains very large
element that prefer to hive to gether
in hotels and apartment houses. OF
course the hotel clientele Is largely
confined to the transient and floating
population, and from the enormous
number Of buildings bearing the hotel
sign, from outward and visible appear
ances running the whole gamut Of
character from the repellant last re-
sort in cheap flops to magnificence of
fittings bordering upon the palatial,
the transient seeking temporary ac-
commodations in Spokane must be
legion.
OF course It is natural tendency to
sravitate to the center of a large pop
ulation by those living within easy
reach of the city when taking an out
Ing OF few days, and as there are
scores OF trains reaching Spokane
daily over standard and electric rail-
roads, with the convenient and hardly
less speedy automobile as means of
travel, the flood of new arrivals is
rarely at the ebb. As all sorts and con-
ditions Of people come and go there
are naturally all sorts and conditions
OF accommodations provided to meet
the taste or pocketbooks of this daily
stream Of arrivals on business or
pleasure bent. Hence the prodigality of
hotels and rooming houses.
That lire of hostleries is for the fit.
ting population. the apartment habi-
tant is in and Of another class. Taking
an apartment is establishing ones fam
lily for an indefinite period, and living
in we'll appointed apartment one en-
Joys close resemblance to private
home, escaping much of the drudgery
that is inseparable from keeping up
house Of ones own. There is no
fuel to bring in, no stoves or fTs;aces
to wrestle with, no repairs to make,
no upkeep to meet, no walks to clean
in winter. There Is always comfort to
welcome the home conner, and the
rooms can be furnished according to
the taste OF the occupant. The popu-
larity of the apartment for residential
purposes has grown steadily in all the
larger cities, and the supply can hard
ly keep up with the demand. There are
scores Of apartment houses in Spo-
kane, many Of them built upon stately
and substantial lines, and none of
them lack occupants, or at least so
the statement goes on the Rialto. From
the prices asked for these apartments
in the more pretentious and more
pleasantly located buildings, apart
ment houses would appear to be
very attactive investment. but there
is apparently halt in this class Of
structures just at the present time.
The supply must be equal to the de-
mand or the upkeep such drain that
very little surplus remains to the own
ers from the gross income thus dis
couraging additional ventures along
that line.
One would naturally think that there
would be very little privacy in a large
apartment house, but such is far from
the case. There seems hardly more
chance Of tenent living in one part
Of the building meeting tenant living
in another part of the same building.
although the same ingress and egress
is constantly used, than though the
entire width Of the city separated the
parties. We are stopping in an apart
ment that accommodates 30 families and
although going out and coming in a
dozen times day. often more fire.
quently, We have hardly met dozen
different people and there is one gen.
tleman living in the building WHOM
We have known probably for 35 years
whom we have not met. At times one
may hear a slight. indefinite noise in
the rooms Immediately above, or the
adjoining rooms, but so slight as no,
to be annoying and hardly sufficient
TO attract attention. We have always
been prejudiced against apartments,
but there is something appealingly
comfy about them even if they do not
possess all the attractions Of a private
home
Since motor vehicles have come into
common use the street car systems of
all the larger cities, Spokane among
the number, have found it rocky going
to make both ends meet, and owing to
the falling off in patronage the num-
Der Of street railroad companies that
have gone into the hands of receiver
is multitude. Not only has the private
! ownership Of automobiles cut down
the street car travel, but new system
of transportation service known as
the "jitney" has put another crimp
into the receipts of the old establish
ed street car lines. 1t can be readily
, understood how the private motor car
could reduce the street car travel. for
few people living in the suburbs, or
even a short distance from the bust