Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-13
HOW TO BUILD A LOG HOUSE.

A correspondent of the CauadS
Farmer writes: Select straight trees,
say one foot in diameter at the butt.
trim limbs aud knots closely cut the
logs sixteen and twenty-six feet long,
or eighteen and thirty feet leiig.
buildings OF these dimensions can be
divided 10 better advantage than the
| usual 1SX24 house. Divide when
building, and then it will be done
with logs, if sawed lumber cannot
be obtained, for partition. Let tho
bedroom occupy about one-third of
the house; no hall, but a stairway in
one corner OF the largest room, q
landing at the bottom, say two feet
vide, and one er"two steps high, ~
Wo steps, one must be placed sitia.o
ways 10 the landing. The stairs should
ne close to the emf of the house to
economize space. and slant acrOss tos-
wards, or beyond, the middle of the
chamber floor. Place a post or rail-,
lng ut the head OF the stairs, if it 10
nothing more than two or three sap1
llngs or poles. -I{ sT af,;s.-.-
Choose building spot where there
10 little rise of ground (not . hill OF
small mountain to travel ur and down
"forty times" day., where there 10,
II possible, another elevation ssme
six OF eight feet higher than W here
the house is to stand about twenty
feet distant. If not, build q "sEid-
way and draw your logs to it. If
there is not a rock Foundations dig
down to solid ground and place the
most durable timber at the bottom.
or place posts or large stones under
ne walls 4; for, because il ia ssonlv. a "a
log house." little or no attention Of
ten is paid to the underpinling,i con-
sequently much Inconvenience and
trouble is experienced by settling,
deranging doors, breaking window.
etc. Roll your legs upon a couple OF
skids, or long poles, until the walls.
are too high to do SO easily. Then
attach strong rope about an Q iuekb
thIck, in tho middle of the building, :,
mex to the top log, and bring that,
other end over the tsp log, and after
rolling another log on the poles, give,
the rope one wind or half wind
around the middle IF the log, having
placed two beside each other fke
temporary beams inside the house.
TOR one of the men to stand upen:,
then let him ''pull away" while the
other men, one at each end of the
log, assists with light "bulls" (these
are made by w!thes or strong bark
ties across near the end Of q forkcti
poie) until the log touches the build- 70
ing, when by simultaneous effort the
log can be rolled on.
Ii too Lcavy, the men must ascend
cach with IA light hand PRIV. one of
'heih at each end pry up, when it
VII! reli on easily; another should -
theh he rolled up ill u similar man.
ner, or If it is end logs, roll three
zone Tor partltion) before commence
nag to "noich down" while this is
pelng done the third man can be get
'ihg other logs ready, etc. Thorough.
- "dove-taii" or "saddle' notch the
corners. Particularly the top logs, or
plates upon which the rafters and
'ooi rest. Only the top log of the
Dart ton need be dove-tailcd to pre-. ~
Fent it from springing outward on
'cce UNI OF weight of roof resting
he1eon. The wall should be twelve
high, Tor one aud half stories:
between lower and upper floor, eight
eet al least for health.
y lncernlng the loof l need not
peak IN p :rticular, as there are sew.
raj Kinds of material to construct it
i III new country, slch as 'scoops.' :
ark, hand made shingles, etc., but ,s
% not put on a "shanty roof" Build
peaked roof-aud a pretty sharp
he too. This kind affords good
hanber room (Which is lost by
hanty covering), and looks SO much
etter. Do not build on o low. fat
urface, if you don't wish to live in
aud hole: Small log barns and other
can he raised bv three
zen. Moss, taken from staudinU
lees, thoroughly forced into the
racks and crevices, IS all excellent
uostitute when mortar for plaster.
Dg can not be obtained,