Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-03-08
REPORT OF FEBRUARY. ls43.

Plan Of cheap Coffages. After selecting a
,,,shle .pot OF ground, as near the place OF
1,,ld,ng az practicable. let a circle OF len ieel
orr he described. Let the loan be re
,ooved and the clay dug Up one foot 'h'cB'or.
r cl.v is mol found on the spot, lei u be carried
IA "a that depth. Any ordinary clay VIII an.
aver Tread this clay over win ca'ue' ana
aAI same straw cui SIX or eight inches long -
A6er The clay is we'll tempered with working
!, y;,h the cattle, the material rs d1iy pfepnr-
"A e., Tho making the brick. mould is then
formed Of plank Of the size OF The BRICK desir
cd In England, they are usually made Is
inches long, | foot wide and 3 inches thick
have found the more c0nVInent $50 10 be
foot long. ? inches wide and inches thick
The mould should have bottom The clay
i hon nlaced 10 The mouIGs. in The same man-
ner tha, brick monlds are ordinarily filled.
wire or piece OF iron hoop will answer very
well fnr striking of the top. One man will
monld about 40 fast as another can carry away.
two mouIds being used by him. The bricks
are placed npon ,he level ground, where they
ara suffered 10 dry two days. turning ihcm up
edoewise the second day. and then packed IN
a nile. protected from the rain. and left TO dry
10 or 10 DAYS during which time the founda'
lion # the building can be prepared. If eel
Ia, "a desired. this mus, be f)rmed Of stone or
h,;cL one foo, above The surface of the ground.
FL, cbeap buildings on The prairie, wood stills.
10 IA inches wide. may be laid on piles or
stones. This will form good superstruc
lure. Where lime and small stones abound.
prout made of those materials lime and slones)
will answer very well.
In all cases, however. before commencing
,he walls for the first story II is very desirable,
IA well ia his case as in walls OF brick. 10 lay
single course Of slate; this will intercept the
dampness so often rising IN the walls OF brick
houses. The wall is laid by placing the brick
lenp,hwise, thus making the wall one foot
thick. Ordinary clay, such as is used for clay
mortar. will suffice. though a weak mortar OF
sand and lime, when these articles are cheap,
is recommended as aflording more adhesive
material fo the plaster The wall may DO
safely carried OPP one story. or two or thee sto-
ties: tho division walls may be 7 inches, just
tho width of the brick The door and win
dow frames being inserted as the wall pro-
coeds, the building is soon raised. The root
may bs shingles or lhaich. Ia either case. IL
should project oper the sides Of The house. and
also oper The ends, at least tire feet, TO gurd me
paH from vertical rains. The exterior wall is
plas,ered with good lime mortar and then with
second coat. pebble dashed. The inside Is
plss,ered withou, dashing. The floors may
be laid with oak boards. slit. or inches
wide, and laid down without joining or plan
inc. if they are rubbed over with rough stone
sfier the rooms are finished. Doors Of cheap
and neat appearance may be made by taking
two single boards of tho length or width OF the
doors; placing these vertically, they will fill
The space. Put wide batien on The bottom
and narrow one on The top. With STRIPS on
the side and a strip in The middle This door
will be ba,en door, but presenting two long
nanels on one side and a smoth surface on the
other. liza porch or veraadah is wanted, II
NAV be rooted with boards laid with light
Joints and covered with thick paper dipped
in tar, and then adding good coat,atier sprnk-
linz il with sand from a sand box OF other
dish with small holes.
Houses built in this way are dry. warm in
winter. aud cool in summer and tufnish no Te-
TRAITS for yermin. Such houses can he made
nv common lahorers, lf a htHe carpenter $
work is excepted, 10 very short hme, win
small outlay for materials. exclusive Of floors,
w;adows, doors and roof.
The question will naturally arise, will the
wall stand against the ram and frost! ans
wer. they have stood well 10 Europe, and ,ha
Hon. Mr. Poinseli remarked to no that he
I'D sean th,ln IN South America after having
been erected 500 years. Whoever has nolc'
cd The r,pid absorption Of water by brick
,h,, has been burned. viii not wonder Why
brick walls are damp. The burning makes
The hrlck porous. while The unhurot htiek is
less absorbent; bat il "a not proposed 10 pre-.
sent The unhutnt brick TO the weather. W h1-
ever has erected a building with metchan'ahle
btick. will at once y, rctise The large nnmher
of soft and yellow brick, partially burned. that
il con,ains-btick ,ha, would yield 10 lhs
Wondering Influence Of frost and slorms.-
Sch brick ale, however, placed within. be-
yond tho reach Of rain. and always Kept dry.
A good cahinis mrde by single room 90 feet
square. A better one Is Is feet wide and "a
feet long, cutting oil feet on one end for two
small rooms. S by each
How EASY could ses,ler erect such cabin
on the western prairie where clayis usually
found about Is inches below the surface. and
where stone and lime ore often both very
,h,ap The article of brick for chlmneys rs
found 10 be quite an item of expense 10 wood
houses. In these mud houses no brick ard
needed, except for the top OF the ehimneys.ihs
oven. tho casing Of the ireplace-ihcugh this
last might be well dispensed with. cement
10 pu, around the chimneys, or 10 oil any 9TH
or c-ack, is easily made by mixture OF one
pari OF sand. two Of ashes. ard three OF clay
This soon hardens, and will res'stthe wealth
er. A Gule lard or oil may be added, 10 make
the composition sill harder.
Sueh cottage vii Sc 4 cheap as los
cabin, less extensive than pino buildings, and
durable f centuries. have tried the eSps'
-, ~ -, - ,ro.finr hDildinu is BY