Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1911 — HAPPENINGS IN THE CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HAPPENINGS IN THE CITIES

Make Their Homes on House Tops

NEW YORK.—AII of New York’s animate myriad do not dwell on the surface. High over the heads of sightseers, at the summit of some- of the tallest office buildingß In the world, live men, women and children, who find life particularly good there in the hot nights of summer. A writer for tjhe New York Tribune was invited to visit such a home the other day, and after using the elevator to the roof entered a comfortable looking living room, occupied by a happy looking family. Far from earth as It was, the room looked pleasingly earthlike and real. The living room had one entrance, through a passage from an office, and two exits, one to the roof and the other into*a large parlor. Beyond that was a big bedroom. The roof was, of course, at noon In summer, a hot desert surrounded fiy a hot parapet.

But the view from an altitude of 360 feet was splendid, and at night, when the moon came out over the thousands of fights of river and bay, the sigh* was enchanting. The "sky idiot" who led tlje way said that the heat was not overwhelming to him up there or to his . household at any time, “for,” he remarked logically, “if there is any breeze going, don’t we get it?” “Do you ever have any mosquitoes* up here?” “Very seldom.” “How about thunderstorms?” “Being near the clouds doesn't make it any worse.” Being asked if he did not miss the grass and flowers he sighed a little, recalling some country bower, no, doubt, but quickly pointed out a bed of flowers in a cupola that “tile boys” called their “flower house" or “hothouse.” “So you have boys? And how do they enjoy this elevation?” “At first they thought It was the greatest out, but you know how klda are. It all lost its novelty in time, and now they think more of the subway than of the sights from so great a height as this.”