The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 4, 1906, Page 14

¢ THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. THE HOUSE WI Electrcity and Its Use in the Home. laid the big eplied thi » York winter affair you neither steam pipes, nor ad th floor make were dia- omfortable arthest cor- plate ri s in the kitchen, however, that Be worked the greatest ousewife saw _neither . the one article that . for ations absolutely presented unless table was to serve as who ever heard of a eat wood a stove? s familiar f them differing in time-established hed by heavy cord table where were back ‘of the a series of electric switches. ere w switch for every sep- arate kettle and pan, a single dish be prepared without involying e use of more than one burner, or € might be bubbling away at the same time shelf below rested the oven, be connected for the baking. the cook, gazing for the wrst time upon the array by which her trials were to be made less and®mistrusting her ability to cope with its seeming ymplexity, may have yearned to go to the understood, if tedious, pro- t had served so long. fancy that as she recalled the range with its rouring fire, owing duil red, tea kettle steam- € like mad, she repeated Touchtone's A poor thing. (perhaps) but mine own.” But after the mysteries, more appar- ent real, were explained, she an obstinate cook indeed who to accept them as a blessing. rticular cook Gid so accept Surely than we decline uld be BY AADBE them and in a short e it was known tnat the house without a c¢himney had realized every dream of its designer eave one. The kitchen outfit was perfect. Never did cereal, steak and rells pos- sess the delicacy of flavor that char- *facterized those served at the breakfasis here prepared and as for the. roasts, vegetables and pastries, they added their share of proof that electricity is the ideal ‘cooking fuel. 5 At least so id the builder of the house and so agreed the friends whom he asked to come, dine and be con- vinced. ‘In the living rooms the electric stoves burned brightly and the cheery glow from the transparent tubes was almost as gay as from a wood fire. Of coursc, there were no coals to poke, no heights and depths revealing & well-nigh infinite range of flame. You couldn’t fuss with one of these fires in a- companiopable way, coaxing it to burn according to your will, scold- ing if the coals were covered by a gray film of ash before you had read to your own satisfaction the story that lay in their shape and shading. Yet there werc compensations. - For if there were no coals, neither were there ashes, apd if there were no danc- ing flames, neither 'was there soot, nor smoke, nor dirt, nbr any uncertainty. Once the currént ‘was turned on the stoves glowed evenly and without fur- ther attention. But, after all,their first duty was to radiate heat and here occurred the single fallure of the plan: -The rigor of a practically New England winter gave proof that those uncompleted LUMTANOTS RADIATOR. %) chimneys must be put in usable con- dition. Transforming heat to electric energy and electric energy back again to heat was adjudged too expensive to be prac- tical in a climate that demands artifi- cial warmth during every hour of the twenty-four for months at a time. In California it is different. In California, where ice and sieet and snow are unknown, where the smile of the sun is very close and warm, even be- tween the rains of what here passes for winter, such a scheme of ‘heating would seem cxactly suited to conditions. There are to be had, in addition to the stoves, cast-iron floor radiators and wall heaters which heat by circulation, draw- ing the cold air in below, warming it by passage over the heating elements and sending it out ot the top. They are really not radiators in the strict use of that word, but wherever only a smalil amount of heat is required they serve admirabl;-. For the culinary department the elec- trical devices can be approved without reservation. If you doubt that practically every necd of the housewife is provided for, consider this list, The first important departure was the electric Irou, and its success encouraged the manufacturers to extend their efforts. So’ gencrally was the little assistant welcomed by womankind that:not a hotel or apartment-house in all the land but has been compelled to take cognizance of it, including a prohibitioy of its surrep- titious vse as one of the rules of faith and practice by which its guests shall live. n And so we read, from the little silken banner tacked to our closet doors—just 2 = 2L S == = SEE =3 FLATE RADIATOR L} after the announcement that children will not be allowed in the ejevator unless ac- companied by parents or nurse, and just before-the reminder that no waste must be thrown from the windows — that the electric iron is forbidden except by special arrangement with tife management, There are all sorts’and comnditions ot ‘these irons, but they are all alike in that their cardinal virtues are absolute clean- liness, control of temperature, so as to prevent scorching, and concentration of heat ut the bottom ‘plate. There is no passing back from ironing board to stove, no use of three or four irons so one may be always ready, no suffering from wasted heat to make the ironer dread the day. A 3-round medel, highly nickel plated, is designed for use of the traveler, or in~ the sewing room where only light work is handled. 1t is the fron best sulted to the woman dweller in an apartment who fears to trust her finest handkerchiefs and collars to the laundry, and who welcomes a chance to take proper care of them herself, after ‘“special arrangement with the management.” T Fer the general laundry a heavier type is offered, and others, heavier still, sup- ply the tailor's demand, while for boot- makers, corsetiers and hat, makers spe- cially constructed electric irons have an important though limited use. L As o0 shapes, there i8 the same range of choice, determined by use, as is offered in the irons these are so rapldly super- seding. The oval—pointed at each end—is a popular shape in the lighter irons, while the V is the one most commonly used in general worl:, iy A 3 Qne provision that will particularly ap- peal to those who use the Iroms several hours at a time is the automatic cut-off, SSSSSeSes o S > v N -~ (] by which the current is dhcunnec(ed when the iron is left standing on asgar- ment or the table. A small lever held flat against the handle insures the flow of the current, but when the operator’s hand is removed the lever is released and the connection broken. Another entering wedge by which the prejudice against electricity as a fuel is being broken down is the electric chafing dish. . . E:. e In its original form the chafing dish was long ago accepted as unequaled by every- thing but the open campfire as a fleld of endeavor for the amateur masculine cook, and it becomes a source of added pleasure in its perfected state. M For the new chafing dish is safe. 1 dont mean the combin®kions that come out of it are guaranteed Innocuous and the eater thercof immune from the con- ventlonal rareblt dream—that were ex- pecting- too much 'from science—but the heat being under control there need be no fear that at the crucial moment an omin- ous blue alcohol flame, may spread itself over table and dollies. £ Such a contretemps, regretted by the S CECESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS O PIERETON || AEATER volunteer chef more because of the disas- ter visited upon his concoction than be- cause of the incidental damage done the table and its furnishings, is impossible with the electric dish, and as all the time- tried convenlences are retained the new model cannot escape popularity. The theory of the Ingenuous manufac- turer would seem to be that when you have learned the conveniences, the merits of the new fuel, you will be disposed to try it throughout all your cooking, and just when you are feeling most kindly to- ward the innovation, *‘so far you have gone,” he adroitly presents the electric coffee percolator and marks it exhibit C. “Don’t disturb your kitchen equipment,” he says, as if that were the very last thing hé would want you to do, “but give this coffec urn a trial. “Everybody knows cdffes should not be boiled, and when you have found how perfectly this electric urn distills the es- sence of the fragrant bean you will never go back to the old way of making.” Under pressure, water and steam are forced'into the glass ball, where they fall as spray upon the ground coffee, through which the water percolates into the reser- voir, carrying with it all that is rarest, all that is best, in the coffee. Not only is the novelty satisfactory in P A S S 23 A SN the result obtained, but its convenience is a strong factor. The plug that terminates the long cord may be screwed into a wall socket or take the place’ of ‘one of the lamps in the chandelier, and by a turn of the button the hostess’ work is done. ‘tuere i3 possible, too, a graguated heat, allowing for decrease of current once the coffce is made and there remains only the necessity of keeping it from cooling. It is absolutely impossible for you to kuew tha satisfaction born of using the electric iron, chafing dish and coffee urn without wanting to extend the new agent's fleld to include all your cooking devites, and M you investigate the vari- otis utensils that are to be had with electrical fittings you will be finally com- mitted to make the change. ,In the first place, speaking of strictly kitchen outfits. there is the griddle, per- fectly smooth of top, on which buck- wheat cakes are browred as evenly as an artist could paint them. They can't burn on one edre and be underdone on the oiher. for the -griddle heats avenly and holds its temperature without change so long as the current is on. UT A CHIMNEY These griddles come In different sizes, to suit a variety of nceds, and may be used as a sort of hot plate on which a teakettle or any other utensil of tat-bot= tom type can be heated. You will be re- minded, however, that unless the kettle fit perfectly—covering the top of the grid- dle—there will resuit a waste of heat and power. From first to last this note of econvmy is sounded. Early experiments with electricity as & fuel were conducted on a modified range. but it was soon decided that such a plan was most extravagant since the entire stove must be heated in order to boil & little water. Then came the trial of sep- arate utensils, each fitted for fadependent use, and after that the problem was com- paratively easy. With good reason has care been takem to prevent loss of heat, for after all waste is avoided the new fuel will be costly enough, as compared with the old, but you must remember thers are ad- vantages In Its train that make it worth more. Your new teakettle, of whatever size or shnn\e, will be fitted on a special base with its own “heating element’” and de- signed for direct connection with the switch, a plan that is followed with svery ¥ wvessel shown. Of broflers you have choice of two. One is very much like the single griddle, nine by twelve or twelve by eighteen inches, except that it has a corrugated ‘» In the other, the steak is held by & rack between two white hot surfaces. There is no direct contact, of courss, but the sides of the steak are seared at once, holding all the juices within. Either of these serves as toaster as well. Very much more than a pan for fry- ables will your eléctric frying pan prove, and one could wish no better shallow stew Lettle. A two-quart water heater and the list of essentials is complete, though thers are many specialties to meet particular needs. Whether of pint, quart or two- quart size, all the water heaters are so arranged that the central portion of the 1id may be removed and a nursery bottle inserted. No more struggling with a fire to heat the baby's milk. By the new way the milk may be warmed ready for use at any moment of the day or night. In another modification of this same half gallon cup there appears so many conveniences I do belleve it would be possible for one to manage a very com- fortable light housekeeping campaign with no other “kitchen.” It is a water heater. cereal cooker or double boller, veg- etable steamer and egg cup, and so ex actly does every part fit into the next that one heat does for all. If but a single glass of water is to be warmed, the immersion coil is the most economical device to use. As it lies in the water, all the heat of the coil is con- served and the action is almost instan- taneous. “Comes, now, the electric curling iron heater, doubly welcome for tha tells the final disappearance of its diabo cal cousin, the alcohol lamp. It s to be had in a varlety of patterns and some of them are very handsamely plated. One provides an extra conve enee in a small detachable t for warm- ing grease paint or cream, but most are content to render just the one service. These heaters are portable or fixed to the wall, as you may prefer, and may be provided with a cut-off that disconnects the current as soon as the iron is with- drawn. Foot warmers and plate warming closets are not the least of the new alds to com- fort and there is even an electric warm- ing pad intended as a substitute for the old hot water bottle. In it the heating element is surrounded by asbestos and a tiny thermostat, fixed in one side, automatically shuts off the current when the temperature rises above a safe point. By a regulating switch, the user .can control the heat as desired, ap you have veur choice of covers, boua elderdown and rubber being supplied. Can a man light his ecigar withott flame? Nothing easier, if he uses the new elec- tric lighter. . By pressing down a smail plyg in the handle the current {s turned on'and in a few seconds the tiny coil of wire, within is heated to incandescence. This heats a thin sheet of mica. over the coil and the cigar is lighted by being heid against the mica. No smoke. no gas, no sulphur will the user of this lighter in- hale—nothing but the breath of the “long Havana filler,” If that be the kind he buys. So that every smoker’s convenience may be served, the lighters are made in two ways; one is the suspension or pendant style and the other, being fitted with a heavy base, is for use on table or desk. One dealer in summarizing the reasons why electric heaters and cooking utensils are to be preferred over all others gave me this list: The absence of smoke, flame and soot. No vitiation of the atmosphere. * No fuel or large cooking range required. No laber in making or maintalning the fire. No danger from fires or exolosions. Small cost of working, if properly used. Comprehensive, isn't {t? And it is con- servative, too, as a practical test will show. There Is no happier sign of a good day coming than mankind's concern that the housekeeper’'s labors shall be simpiified Time was when the complaint that woman's work was never done met with the crushing explanation that the fault lay in woman’s fallure to arise and start at it early emough, but now—— Kitchen cabinets, compressed to almost tabloid form, place every needed article at hand and of the taking of unnecessary steps there is an end. The kitchen is no longer made to include whatever room Is left after the main part of the house is bullt, for it has been rec- ognized as the Keystone of the arch and is most carefully arranged. In the modern domestic lsundry are cunveniences that would impress our great grandmothers as more marvelous than the transmission of thought by wire- less telegrapu. Housewives can no longer lament mas- culinity’s indifference to the!r portion of the weight of care that seemed to crush to deep despair half the human 'rac:. Perhaps masculinity hesitated to recog- nize the burden lest sympathy 3ho|_|fl lead to open revolt, but the pruviding of improved devices iS a. ouce a tacit ad- mission and a practical offer to help. Not to acknowledge the service were ungrateful.