Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-02

material, cheats you In the work itself.
He puts a narrow margin OF mortar On
the face side of the brick, not more than
two thirds sufficient to fully cover the
brick, and often go imperfect that you
may see through between the bricks in
an eight-inch wall If we contract to have
the brick laid by the thousand, either
kiln Or masons' count, we should be care
full to stipulate that all the joints be filled
with mortar OF course we shall have to
pay an extra price for this kind of work,
as it requires more time and more mortar;
but the better is to buy your brick at the
kiln, and take none that are not thorough
ly burned, as these soft bricks are of lit
tie value for wall. Employ your work
men by the day, and see that the work is
we'll done. The truth is, that ell,
or nearly all, brick-work done
in the country is of the
worst possible description. A neighbor
put up brick house the past summer.
He purchased material and hired hands
by the day; but SO accustomed were they
to do poor work, that he had to discharge
several workmen before he could have the
work done in proper manner. Another
neighbor laid up his cellar-wall, and no
one would suspect that the Job was not
done by good workman. He found that
he could lay up nearly half as much per
day as an ordinary workman at the be-
ginning and nearly full days work at
the close. This is lesson to the so called
skilled workmen-skilled in learning
how to best slight the work, and to do the
poorest work for the'most money. The
use Of soft brick, and poor work, are not
| a good thing in any building, and should
be dispensed with. 1t is very common
thing for the brickmaker to be also the
contractor, and would warn persons to
keep clear of all such, if they expect to
have a good, honest job done for them.
We are beginning to use brick quite
freely IN the country, and we should
avoid the errors of the city in the use Of
this material. If we refuse to purchase
soft brick and brick bats, they will cease
to be offered to US, and we shall have
good article. The former, by hauling his
brick, sand, and lime, and making the
find that the cost Of putting basement
to his horse barn, and even to the large
farm barns, is not a very expensive or
mysterious undertaking.
A stable that you can drive your team
inside, when you come from market on
cold day, is quite agreeable, both to team
and driver, and often saves them from
bad colds. There is no particular reason
why the farmer should not make himself
and team comfortable, at least when it
can be done at small outlay of ready
cash. These economies are much in de-
mand at this time, when the farmer is so
poorly paid for his labor and, at present,
the only way out of it is by making tie
best possible use of our means. We can
not afford to hire skilled workmen at
skilled prices, but must turn skilled work
men ourselves. A bricklayer at $4a day
and board, in the country, with corn at
1Sc, is a little rough on US Of the rural
districts. / very much doubt if these
gentlemen of the trowel and the saw
would take the best hundred acres of corn
as present In the harvesting, Smelling,
and hauling to market, they would sink
money if they paid the same prices for the
work as they demand for theirs. For
this state of things, we must have a
change-one that will place the skilled
labor Of the farmer on a par with the
skilled labor of the mechanic" Rural"
IA Chicago Tribune.