Show LIVE IN BASEMENTS BACHELOR GIRLS IN NEW YORK HAVE STRANGE FEVER example of woman who was first to perceive advantages Is being generally fol lowd new york bachelor girls of new york have been struck by the base ment apartment fever ever since one clever woman set the example a year ago by settling herself comfortably even luxuriously in the basement of one of the city s fashioned old brown stone fronts in the vicinity of wash ington square since then this woman has been overwhelmed with the petitions of friends to assist them n finding other fascinating and independent quarters with the result that she says she has turned into a flat hunter pure and simple though her business is that of bouse decca ration As a result in the vicinity of her own little domicile there has sprung up a little colony of base ment apart menters who are living in complete independence and corn lve luxury the advantages of the basement apartment are many first of al it is cheap ranging in price from 20 to 30 per month tor which sum any one who has ever gone flat hunting in manhattan knows anat there Is positively nothing to oe had any where within the city s limits next it is an independent mode ot living quite as if one had one s own home the entrance os from the area door and once inside the ten ant is as absolutely alone as though she were living in the wilds in some cases there Is a convenient suite of rooms extending through the entire floor in others perhaps three rooms and a bath but as nearly all ane basement apartments are in the old fashioned houses of the city the arrangements are about the same the only differ ence being that perhaps the janitor and his family may possibly occupy the rear portion of he flat but of course quite separate and distinct from the front one feature that appeals to the lonely bache or maiden more than all else Is the charming old fash boned fireplace that is usually found in the front and sometimes the rear room at least they are old fashioned in a sense tor while they do not ad mit of big logs being used one of them would quite swallow two of the modem apartment house gas logs denizens of these adorable quarters declare that their fireplaces are worth dozens of uncongenial people when they come home at night tired and weary after their day s labors besides washington square the vicinity of stuyvesant square and Gram mercy park are honeycombed with these attractive basement apartments and several real estate men have been besieged to prevail upon tenants and cl to make over houses into similar quart ers |