Tuesday, January 03, 2006

In 1909 The Bathroom.

This may answer some questions for people with turn of the century homes!

From Household Discoveries 1909

"Bathrooms are no longer a novelty in small towns and farmhouses. But it must be understood that to enjoy these in winter, requires almost of necessity a range or furnace. Pipes in kitchens may be kept warm by stoves, and bathrooms adjoining the kitchen may be warmed by leaving the door open between or the bathroom may be over the kitchen, and a drum or stovepipe arranged so as to heat the pipes in the bathroom. But it is usually better to not have running water in the bathroom in winter until a furnace is put in. It pays, however, to partition off a bathroom near the kitchen and put in a bath tub, if there is running water or a hand pump in the bathroom, with drain pipes to carry away waste- even if it is necessary to carry cold water to the tub from the kitchen sink and hot water from the stove in pails.
A good bath tub is not a luxury, but a necessity to comfort, cleanliness and health. If the bathroom is near the kitchen, the tub can be filled by bringing hot and cold water in pails; and if the tub is elevated slightly, the water can be drawn off in pails and carried to the drain after the bath; or, if a tub is used that does not have a faucet for drainage, the waste water can easily be removed by using a small piece of rubber tube as a siphon, or by a dipper and a large bath sponge. Every household should be provided with a full sized tub, even if it is only of tin. Portable rubber tubs which can be folded and put away when not in use are also obtainable. But a cast iron tub is preferable and not too expensive.
The entire cost of plumbing for a bathroom, including supply pipe, hot water pipe and all necessary fixtures, provided you have water supply in the house, will not exceed $150. This sum can be reduced by doing some of the work yourself.Even if there is no furnace, the bathroom can be used from early spring to late fall, and especially through the summer season, when it is above all essential to health and comfort. Every family should make the necessary sacrifices to put in and enjoy this great convenience."

3 comments:

K said...

Interesting stuff.

Greg said...

Yes it is interesting. It sounds like this is for someone one retrofitting an older home. By 1909 all homes, at least city homes in this area, would have been designed with bathrooms. Even well before that bathrooms were standard in nicer homes.

Unknown said...

Man - I wish the cost to redo a bath was still under $150! Enjoy reading your blog. I finally have mine up and running.