brand new house perhaps this would be something he could count on, but
certainly not in an older one. I have to wonder though, what would be
the
point of splitting the circuit making 240v present between two sections
of
an outlet? Sounds dangerous more than anything.

It's not 240 it's split 220. The top and bottom hot lines are on two
separate breakers off two sides of the split 220. It helps to spread the
kitchen load over the two hot lines. In apartment buildings with a 3 phase
supply it's usually 208 between the two hot lines.
--


Line voltage here in the US is 120/240, and yeah I understand what you
meant, I've just never encountered a house that was wired like that, nor
have I seen an apartment building with 3 phase power, always had 120/240
just like houses.