Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1880-02-03
The New Residence Ct z. 2. Wells.
Probably the Best Built House Ga th'
Lima

The residence just completed ami oc
cuoied by Z. p Wells deserves more than
passing notice, from the fact Of its being
the first properly built house west OF
Fargo, and as such it should serve for &
! pattern for others soon to be built in
jamestown. Mr.. Wells purchased in
| September last the entire square bounded
by third and fourth, Pacific and Wisconsin
avenues, and commenced excavation al
| once, since which time force Of from six
to fifteen men have been constantly cm
ploved on the job. The foundation trench>
es were dug down to the shale and 2115
foot stone walls lay thereon. rising
from IS to 80 inches above the surface.
The cellar walls OF same thickness start
feet below the surface aud rise to the
floor,ngjoists, while from the top Of this
wall to the floor, and between the flooring
joists the space is carefully filled with
grout. The sills are laid in mortar and
anchored to the foundation walls; while
above this, ,betw cen the studding and to the
heigth Of the base boards the space was
filled with mortar. Between the studdins
strips were secured, on which lath were
laid and heavy coat of back plaster spread
throughout the building, the inside finish
consisting of another spread of lath and
three more coats of plaster. The outside
finish embraces sheathing covered with
building paper and again with drop
siding. Between the floors, which are
double, and under the shingles tarred
paper prevents the entry of cold in these
directions, and the windows, all Of whicn
are double plate glass, are further protect.
inside blinds within. The inside finish
and designs of the house are in full keep
ing with the substantial character of
the outside All the rooms in the main
building, both on the first and second
floors, open together through sliding
doors. The woodwork is finished in gloss
white which consists of two coats of
shillac, three of flat white and two of
glass with zinc; the blinds are finished in
natural color, vanished, while the trim.
mings are of bronze, jet and nickle. The
mantels and freplaces alorn and make
comfortable the leading rooms, while as
proof that the conveniences Of life have
not been forgotten, may be mentioned
the fact that there are built into, attached
to and part of the house, eleven closets
CLOTHES presses(, twenty three drawers
sixty FIVE shelves, and two hundred and
twenty five clothes hooks. Mr.. Wells
has already expended five thousand dol
lars on the place, which amount will be
largely increased as soon as the weather
will enable him to 60 on with the barn,
for which plans are already made, and the
adornment of the grounds as contemplated
The work has all been done under the
superintendence of Mr.. J. A. Olds, an
architect and builder of thirty years ex-
perience who has been ably assisted by
Geo. NJ. Smith, John McGee. J. G. Dow,
and others, equally we'll known as the very
best workmen in northern Dakota. The
stone masonry was done by John Snody !;
the plastering by those veterans, James
McIain and son, while S. l.. Knapp, Esq.
Of Minneapolis had the contract for
painting and has thereby established such
reputation here that he has yielded to
an universally expressed wish and decided
to locate permanently in jamestown. ....D