American homes and gardens (1911) (17535442333)

Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesgar81911newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



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July, 1911 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 245 minister's family to possess at least a little vacation home that they could call their own. It seemed unwise to build or buy a country home, even if one could be secured within the limits of the preacher's salary, as the next call might take them too far from the country or the shore cottage to make it available for summer occupancy even during a short vacation. But a movable home, and better still, a floating home, came as an inspiration to the minister's wife, who was gifted with a special fund of home-making ingenuity. The romping children of the family demanded a healthful out-door vacation, free from restrictions of board- ing house life in the country or at the shore; and the num- bers of the flock of young people comprising the ministerial household made it imperative to provide a vacation out- ing where the economies as well as the pleasures of home life might be continued throughout the summer. The expense involved in building and furnishing this the owners. At a call from a suburban church to one in the city the vacation home was towed many miles down the river, and anchored in a picturesque nook sufficiently close to the new home to be within reach by trolley, and here the family would spend their midweek vacations through- out the summer, and return to the city home refreshed for Sunday duties. The question of profit from this summer home came about in this wise: A friend of the minister, and an admirer of the ingeniousness of his helpmate, decided that such a real home on the water would be ideal if it might be rented for periods of two weeks or more, for a cruise up the canals or down the river. The rental contract called for special care of the boat and its furnishings, with thorough repairs for any possible damage, and the replac- ing of any articles broken or injured among the house- keeping utensils. With judicious renting to personal
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There is a peculiar fascination in the unfrequented waterways little houseboat has been a disputed question among the minister's friends—one which he has laughingly declined to answer, as he declares that it might seem like trifling with the truth, so inexpensively was the craft constructed. With the gift of an abandoned mud scow for the foundation, the personal supervision and work of the youthful minister in its construction, the enthusiastic co-operation of wife and children in providing, contriving and constructing the furnishings from walled - in bunks, wall - seat - storeroom couches and folding tables, the result was that both house- boat and furniture combined the perfection of usefulness and home-likeness with inexpensive construction. For several years this convenient little floating home has served the ministerial household with the most delightful vacation outings at comparatively no expense. In fact, dur- ing several summers it was known to provide a profit for friends, who would feel the responsibility of extra care of the floating home and all its belongings, it was found to be possible for one or two rentals of two weeks each, to pay the original cost of building and furnishing the house- boat, and, with brief future rentals (though reserved for personal use during the greater part of the summer), to stand entirely on the side of profit. It is claimed that canal houseboating is especially hard on the houseboat, because of its rough usage in passing through the numerous locks. It must be remembered that many of the most fascinating stretches of canal pass through comparatively level sections of the country, where lock maneuvering will not be difficult, but even in the more troublesome locks, the houseboat can be taken through with scarcely a scratch, with careful management on the part of those in charge of the boat—for one must not expect the