Evening star., 1934-08-12

~ ENTHOUSE-a dwelling somewhere be-
tween here and the stratosphere.
human habitat not so far from the
citys bright lights, yet as remote as
its canopy Of stars. home where
from its airy perch one can in quietude
even in solitude, look down upon a feverish
world rushing by.
The exact origin Of the word penthouse"
Is somewhat obscure but references show that
from the fourteenth century it has been in use
and means anything from lean-to, an eye
brow, lip stuck out slope, a coonade a
sacred building, up to the cliff dwellers' luxuri-
Gus abode on top of some tall building today It
may be thought Of as "house upon a house"
and one prominent architect defines it as In
tended to hold elevator machinery then to hold
the tank, then to hold the cook then the rest
of the servants, and finally the whole family"
Its architecture this time may be of any size
or shape, according to available space, general
design of the main building personal taste Of
the occupant and the size of his bank account
According to those fortunate enough to live
IN penthouSes, you viii never be quite willing to
live anywhere else. City apartments
: cramped and airless in comparison. Utter
privacy, engulfiing sunlight an encompasSng
view and that sense of wonder and power which
come from looking on beauty from high places
a~e - portions of a penthouser.
h. ! 2 lt4louse originated in New
York, and fortunes have been spent upon
them until today the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon, one Of the Seven Wonders of the
World, have in several instances been sur
passed. 1t is estimated that New York boasts
more than thousand of these Hanging
gardens In Washington less than dozen
can be accounted for
Trying to locate local penthouse or two the
inqcisitorial reporter questioned several real
estate firms brokers, hotel managers and others
who should know. few gentlemen, looking
with pitying eyes land in the direction of st.
Elizabeth's9, suggested chimera, phantasnna,
illusion and hallucination far as a pent-
house in the District of Columbia was con-
cerned Others admitted that there might be
one or two. climb to the top Of tan build
ing was made and 10! thousands upon thou
sands of local penthouseS were plainly seen
and marked for investigation But consultation
with superintendents of many of these apparent
skyhouses proved them simply rooms holding
elevator machinery or sheds over water tanks
Persistency coupled with necessity, at last
segregated a few real penthouses, and the
undercover man is about to uncover them for
your education-and interest in perhaps having
one Of your very own.
Ship ahoyi Here at 1901 wyoming
avenue, an apartment building owned by Joseph
p. Tumulty, former secretary and conhdante of
President Woodrow Wilson. fast lift shoots
US up among the clouds boys and on the roof
we fnd the ship-penthouse of Capt. Frank
Morse, nautical clubman. society man. broker
and q sometime newspaper man of this city.
After imbibing some of the tang Of the sea and
carefully wiping our brogans on a rubber door
mat marked s. S. Frantic, cabin boy ushers
las into the doughty skipper's quarters. with its
shiny brass rail leading to the bridge-the
bridge" being a superimposed roof garden Of
the good ship Frantic The old salts quar-
ters proved to be huge. cedar-paneled room
with portholex and everything The portholes
ere phoney. though cleverly painted. under
gas. 70 show shins that sperk one another in