American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-24
Dry Cellars and Healthful Homes.

HOUSES have to be built on all kinds OF
ground, especially in cities and towns; in
the country there is often a choice, and in
this case it is well to build by preference
on dry sand or gravel, sufficiently ele-
waited to have the surface water, as well as
the rain which falls upon the roof, natrl-
rally flow off. On such ground we may
dig the cellar, lay the foundation and put
uptlle superstructure without fear that there
will be any settling or heaving by frost,
or any annoyance from water in the Gel
lar or in the walls On springy ground,
on tenacious clayey subsoils, or even on
soils of ordinary tenacity, it is always
best, and often absolutely necessary, to
provide the most thorough drainage.
There are several ways for accomplishing
this; one is to dig trench wider than
the wall, fill it with small stones, and
place the brick or stone wall upon it. This
does very well provided there is sufficient
outlet for the water which may collect in
the trench. 1t is far better, however, to
place a drain beneath the foundation wall.
This may be of tile, which is best, or of
stone if more convenient. 1t makes little
or no difference in regard to the desirable
ness of having the ground beneath well
drained whether the foundation walls are
of stone or brick. But the ease with
which different materials absorb water is
an important consideration, and makes
stone always preferable to brick if it can
be procured.
In building brick walls for cellars,
when the earth touches the wall on the
outside it will be very apt to show much
moisture on the inside, and different salts
will collect, some resembling inter, am
monia, ETC., according to the nature of the
soil; these are formed with the help of the
mortar between the bricks, the ingredients
n yvh car cd inv ,rf1l Inv no
cOlating water. 1t is evident that under
such circumstances the mortar will re-
main soft, while no plaster coat can hold
against the wall. The best remedy is to
dig the earth away outside of the wall for
about six inches or more, and fill the
space with loose stones; then the water
percolating the soil will have "A chance to
descend without reaching the wall; if
then, besides this, channel OF drain is pro-
vided under the wall by means of some
sewer-pipe, and this channel gives exit to
moisture, it is impossible for such a cellar
to become damp by outside influences.
In some instances the ground itself of
cellars is clayish and very damp, notwith-
standing all precautions of the kind men
toned; in such cases it is well to dig
holes in the ground three or four feet deep;
sometimes the water will collect in these,
and if the soil is not watersoaked the
the upper layer of the ground in the eel
lar consists of water-tight clay with sand
beneath, and if this sand is reached it
will give exit to the water. But we have
known instances where it was only posi-
BILE to get rid of the water in a cellar by
placing pump in hole made as de
scribed, and pumping the water out from
time to time. Such cellars are of course
always damp, and should possess open
f,Nr. fl,or 1frI, lnfI 10
make the floor Immediately above in
habitable.
We take occasion to again urge our
warning against sleeping in a room on the
ground floor, and recommend having the
bedrooms upstairs. Ifthis is impossible,
it is of the utmost consequence to have
well-ventilated cellars, or at least space
under the bedroom, and never have the
beams and boards constituting the floor of
any room of II house laid on the earth, as
is still done in many arm-houscs.-4Nanu-
facturer aud Builder.