The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1878-06-20

The articles in the Kansas Farmer
by Mr.. Tweddale, under the caption Of
"Farm Buildings" are timely, and it
is with great satisfaction greet the
efforts of this writer to teach most
important branch of architecture to o
class who have right to healthful as
well as beautiful homes. l trust that
Mr.. Tweeddale's work viii encourage
other writer's to give the benefit OF
their experience through the press,
and that this work of education will
20 on until none but beautiful and
healthful homes will be constructed.
While I shall not presume to teach
architecture, may be allowed to drop
word of encouragement, and point
out that which is now. being accom-
plished in Kansas in the building of
beautiful homes. The dugout and the
sod house have had their day,-they
belong to another generation, and we
are now living in an age in wh'fh the
beautiful can be procured and en- oyed.
There is noticeable feature in the
new settlement Of the State which is
very gratifying, and that is the class
of buildings being erected by those
who have come here within the past
three or four years. l speak more
particularly of the southwest from the
fact that have been making short ex-
cursions from Hutchinson, Sterling,
Great Bend, and Kinsley, into the
country which surrounds each of the
places. To do exact justice L must
say that the further you go west the
better you will find the farm buildings
as class. Careful inquiry leads me
to the conclusion that there are three
causes to which we must attribute
this improvement in the architecture
in the localities mentioned. First
many who have settled there have had
the means at their disposal not only TO
make tasty but permanent improve
ments: then again there are some IN
each locality who have been directly
responsible for a higher and better
taste, having set the example, others
having followed; and the result is the
majority of the farm houses are neat
structures, built with an amount OF
taste surprising to man who has Tor
years been familiar with frontier set
Elements. There is yet another cause
TO which very much of the widespread
good taste and permanent improve
ments may be attributed, and this
will be seen in the answer given me
by one of these farmers when asked
him 10 explain to me this most general
superiority of architecture. Said +
care you all well to do, and was this
whole country settled by rich men ?"
NO. was the reply, ''but we have
been successful III raising wheat, and
this has given us the money to use in
building.o While this conversation
was going on we were driving along
country road, and to prove to me
the truth Of his remarks he pointed
out fsrm house to our right which
had Just been completed. THAT man,
came here "and his first house was q
sod one, but the last two years his
crops have been large, and now he has
money aud can crafty his TASTE" He
went on to state that most of the I'M
provements in his county were the re-
suits of successful farming.
While l agree with this man, or
rather cannot dispute him, there Is
behind this moving spring which
impels-thcse new residents to build
beautiful homes, and attribute much
of it to growing taste in architecture
among our farmers, which promises
much good to the State. Ny theory
is and long has been that pleasant
homes make happy families. and where
there are beautiful surroundings there
you will find contentment.
do not wish TO be understood as
advocating an expenditure in building |
which shall bankrupt the farmer, but
do urge on this class to use their
money to the best advantage, fer there
has been too much laid out in build
ing a class Of dwellings that are dis
grace 10 the beautiful country in
which they are located. 1t costs no
more as a general thing to put up a
well planned and tasty residence, than
It does one of those Demonstrated,
nnsightly structures which give you a
chill as you pass them by, and which
make for the occupants anything but
a pleasant home. C.G.C.