MODERN LUXURY IN HOUSEKEEPING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 February 1908, Page 3

MODERN LUXURY IN HOUSEKEEPING.

\ An' American writer gives an interesting' account of the luxuj;y ill somo'of tho immense apartment houses and' tho labour saving devices, ■ ivhich are, he considers,.'suro 1 to bb ; applied , sooner or' later to ; small private houses'. ' Tlio machinery, at tho disposal-of tho modern' housekeeper is littlo less' than marvellous. Tho household drudgo is coming -into her own. ■■•;;'.'7,•': : ; .- -r Tiio luxuries of'to-day 1 ., will be thb:'neces- L 'sitie's'.of,'. to-morrow.' The", ingenious, eon'trivanceS .which 'so : simplify; 'tho 'domestic problem.-'lirst; mabo their appear'anco 'in .tho' •.moro'-pretentious apartment; houses. • In tho ' course of a'few. years ! oiio will find- this samO 'oquipmout hi'.'.evpry 'hoiisei 1 •'; ";Tho' new; features -ofVtHis'"general class of ' - laliour : arid ■ nervo;Savirig •devices. which ;■ havei ' recently been installed in ,'ono of Neiv. York's greit apartment houses' ; .may afford 'a glimpse 'of ' thoVfuturo in household., economics..-. ''.':''''•.;

Tho.,sqlution..;bf tho sweeping 'problem';'is a caso'.'in point.'. 'In .ono of. tho newest'apart-: ■ mont. houses thcro is not. a broom 'to'b&found from .'cellar to' garret,, 'or/ rather' froin ' the third: subcollar tb'ltho ; aii -: cleahing chamber ori_ tho : roqf.. :. Every suite throughout' tho building .is 'o,quipped;with 1 a vaciium cleaning apparatus.;. Tbero/is ,a.;pipo cbniiected ; with ■the' vacuum,- chamber/in the. ba'sombnt 4411 -every suite,'whilo .a jlexiblo hoso. long'enough' ~tq reach' to' the/furthest cbrner: of ovory'room lis supplied . j\;hich' : maj;-be readily attached' 'to ai nozzle'to' just as. you would', connect' ai' gardenihose.i j The vacuum is'coii--,trolled".by a spigot..", 'It.is only /necessary ; to'pass'tho n®sz|e of this: vacuum hosb "over tho carpet, ;rug.or' drapory, ,'and every particlo'. of dust/is^instaiitly'drawn ■ tip,'..into tho (hose. : passed.' quickly, t-hrbugli' into'; the pipe','' -and.. tnencc /to a chamber. iii;"thb' subccllavV; ' yrhoro 'an atte.iidant, shoyols/ it' up and carries' ; it ,away.. The jvbrk/.of'.ihburs'is "reduced to' inimitcs. .., . ~. - '\ Vo />/. •//-/-/ /-/ !•" Tho,.' automatic .delivery* qf . th'e •mail ■' is. ' another luxury only rccentlyi installed/ : Thd "postman•'carries , a key for/ an 1 ornate, glass'dqor;; which, on being opened • discloses .'an. elevator., divided' into- series, of pigeonholes. ■Each pigeonhole carrios'.; tho • mail particiilar;.'family.; Tho mail'-'is 'sorted and' distributed. in the-' littlo ' elcvatorj ' and .-'tho .glass .dqor t 'is closed..:/A' 'tiriy./fllectricYniotor raises tho elevator to the top of the great' ; buildiug and .brings it /back /again. • : 'Now. in 'the private; .hallways of : each/suite ' will -be found vah .-.orriato . metal bos' •/ in ithe'.wall;-.with a door,/suited ;"to.the'decora-' ■. tioiist of'.tho room, which'; v may-,.b0 qpohed' bya key. The little elevator .passes 'a ■ series'.of' ;chutes leading' to . th'eso./ bbses;' and'by"'an ■ ingenious 'niecha'uism throws 'tho right letters • into' e'aqh slot 'as, it .'travels'.past: .;1 . In. this ,way tlio mail for tho entire Jiquso;. probably hundreds of is .delivered to'scores; of ; diffcreiit'/faimilies in ' a 'few/ seconds//' /. Qiiq'of 'tho. requirements' of houßb/'fiirnish/mg whichqiily. a housekeeper- will; know' how. /to appreciate, aro ,tho ■ closets ■ especially -der /signed for : garbage pails,/ ./Th' o 'refuso of:the, kitchen,'•especially, in'/a, flat/qr apartment house, presents" a sprious / problem." The ■closets'which afo just''.large;'enbugh to hold a largo, pail,, aro specially .'ventilated by. a ;small opening: in'the ; wall,IbutAvith'the air passage .'iiiclined upward, so , that rib rain, or :snow could.possibly beat.iri..; "'. ' Tho cleansing of tho air in.your apartment "is ;'st'ill another 'lusitry.' -.lin, soino of the hotels and apartment houses all the air. circulated, -throughout''-' ;'the, ,buildihg3 'is -'first passed through- an' ingeniotis maehirie,''which' ' purifies : it, before it. 'is ' forced.' : through ; tlie building: ' , : • 1 ■