HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January, 1914 
The fireplace is really the center of home life in suburban or 
rural districts. Indeed, it is part of the joy of country living to 
have a log fire burning. This is rarely satisfactory in the city; 
sometimes not very satisfactory in the country. To remedy some 
of the drawbacks of the open fireplace, various inventions have 
been made of late. One is the improved fireplace throat and 
damper. There are various patent devices which are planned to 
be built in with the chimney. An iron throat is connected with 
a specially devised flue and its dimensions are scientifically cal¬ 
culated so that there is no possibility of the chimney smoking. 
The damper connection can be regulated so that it works under 
all sorts of weather conditions. One good feature of this fire¬ 
place equipment is that the annoyance of draft along the floors 
when the fire is not lighted is completely done away with by a 
simple method of closing the fireplace completely. Such modern 
and improved construction is not restricted to new houses, be¬ 
cause with a little trouble it may be put in the chimney breast of 
17 
a house already built without causing much new construction. 
Another drawback to some fireplaces is the danger of their 
causing fires. If left for a moment sparks are apt to jump out 
and ignite the floors and rugs. It seems strange that it has taken 
a long while to develop an efficient fire screen that will not be 
forgotten by the most careless person. This has been well taken 
care of in the rolling fire screen. Just at the top of the fireplace 
opening a brass shield is put extending slightly beyond the open¬ 
ing on either side. This is of attractive finish and inconspicuous. 
Within this brass case a fine screen is rolled on a spring roller 
as is a shade. A cord at the side of the fireplace permits the 
fire screen to be lowered and a pull withdraws it from sight. 
This rolling fire screen occupies such a small space and is such a 
practical arrangement and such a convenient one that it will be 
much appreciated, since it does away with the clattering screens 
that are always in the way. 
(Continued on page 69) 
A Small Enduring House of Moderate Cost 
A STUCCO AND TILE DWELLING • WHERE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OWNER’S FAMILY ARE 
SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDED FOR IN LIMITED SPACE—SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF ROOM ARRANGEMENT 
by L. H. Bley 
O NE of the perplexing problems for the architect of to-day, 
and a topic on which much has been written, is the build¬ 
ing of an inexpensive yet durable home for the man of 
moderate means. 
Such a house 
should be medium 
in size yet give 
the proper distri¬ 
bution of space 
so that the rooms 
are proportionate 
in size and large 
enough to accom¬ 
modate the owner 
and his family 
for whom the 
house is d e- 
signed. 
An interesting, 
practical, as well 
as inexpensive 
house was built 
in the little 
western N ew 
York town of 
Hamburg, situ¬ 
ated on the Idle- 
wood River, at a 
cost of $4,200. 
It is located on 
the west side of 
a main road, 
some distance 
back from the 
street and prac¬ 
tically in the center of an old apple orchard, giving ample 
opportunity to embellish the front lawn with a suitable planting 
of trees and shrubs, which, together with the weather-beaten 
red brick walk, give a harmonious and pleasing appearance. 
The house is designed along simple lines and no attempt has 
been made to accent any part of the building except the front 
entrance, which 
is dignified by a 
fitting architec¬ 
tural treatment. 
The hood has a 
projection 
of about four 
feet and is sup¬ 
ported on simple 
but graceful 
brackets. The 
stucco work of 
the gable is given 
a touch of ap¬ 
propriate color 
by the j udicious 
use of stone 
inlay. 
From a wide 
footing course to 
the roof, the 
walls were built 
of ten-inch and 
eight-inch hard- 
burned building 
tile and plastered 
on the outside 
with two coats of 
plaster, the last 
coat floated to 
a somewhat 
smooth but 
sanded surface. These walls were furred on the inside with 
two-inch by two-inch furring strips, thus providing three air 
spaces, two in the tile and one between the tile and 'the 
The house is designed along simple lines, the broad sweep of the stained shingle roof being especially in keep¬ 
ing with the attractive character of the surroundings. L. H. Bley, architect 
