The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-07-17

II = matter Of surprise that farmers
and others in building houses do not often
er select more durable and permanent
material than wood. especially 20 since the
requisites Of such a structure are so easily
obtainable. and are withal 20 cheap and
durable For some unzccOuntable reason
there =eems 10 b. prejudice against the
Use Of concrete. or a'iobe a. il j. called. in
some localities. which j. unfounded and
wrong Concrete makes q strong. sub
staniial- and warm house; IL j. a. durable
a one made Of cut stone, and can b. made
a. ornamental a. any one would desire a
house TO he. and a. the same time az a cost
Of from fifty Ia twenty-five per cent less
than one oi brick. wood. or stone ANY
farmer with ordinary Ingenuity could build
the walls Of a. good house a one man In
a hundred. on the average. has: and the
saving in the price Of labor alone j. an
item that would 90 far toward furnishing
the completed building with carpets and
nice furniture. liz the hope OF sfimulat-
ing some Of our readers 10 make the at
tempt 10 Use concrete in a barn. pig cry,
or ii nothing better. a sm0ke-houSs. we
give a few suggestions a. 10 its compost
ton and management Concrete is mix
ture Of hydraulic lime. sand and gravel. or.
better still. rubble or broker stone; COM
mon lime may be used for ordinary pur-
poses but il does not give so strong and
permanent a wall a the hydraulic. The
proper proportions 10 b. used in the mix
ture are twenty parts Of hydraulic lime
mixed 10 paste with water. thirty parts
OF clean sharp sand and fifty parts of gravel
or broken stone. In laying out ones
work. care should be tsskentO mix no more
than Is needed al the time, a. il har,Iens. or
sets. rapidly and If left for an hour or two
in the sun becomes too hard 10 work with
and j. useless. In building the commence
ment may be made ar the base of the cellar
wall. and the concrete carried up To the
roof in a solid wall Several methods are
employed. one Of which i 10 have a mold
in which the plastic concrete i put, which
i placed in position. filled. and when il is
- j. taken away. leaving the large cake or
brick. Upon this place ano r block
and 80 on until the wall l. completed.
The mold being open AZ one end. laps a
few inches over the end Of the first block.
which retains il in place and permits
close. tight Joint 70 he made. When the
first round j. laid. two small sticks may
De placed across the blocks upon which
the mold rests until filled. These sticks,
when the building j. completed. may BE-
broken OF and the cavity filled with CT
ment. A. the walls are carried up the
door and window frames are placed in po-
sirion a. IN brick buildings. Often mex
perienced persons who try 10 make con-
crete buildings 20 too fast. and their walls
fall down. a. the gentleman from the En-
erald Isle would say. before they are up.-
About one foot in height day i As much
a. i advisable TO raise the VAL, ,i2 good
should progress sui slower Affer the
cellar walls are finished. and the t.mbers
for the lower floor. if for a house. are laid.
cover all up with boards and give the
work a weeks rest. Then examine the
walls and see If they appear 10 b. suff-
GENTLY ST TO justify the loading them with
more weight, and DO not 90 on till all ap-
pears 10 he safe. 30 with finishing The
walls for each story: make a stop. and do
not 90 on until all i safe.
The cellar walls Of twO-siory house
that will b., say thirfy-five feet high from
cellar bottom 10 cave. should b. eighteen
inches thick. At the tops Of the joists Of
the floor OF the lower story lessen the
thickness to fifteen inches. and at the
second floor lessen again. and bring the
walls 10 twelve inches thick. II the work
has been well done. and the materials We're
Of good quality. the walls will b. strong
and durable a. stone made In natures lab
oratory. But ii the materials Were bad. or
If the work was not done with skill and
faithfully, all the labor viii be lost.