The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-12
Our DWELLINGS.

dwelling, we wish to know how to con-
struct it that we may secure health and
comfort, what materials should we use,
wood, brick or stone. A frame house or
a house of wood permits cold air as we'll
as hot to penetrate its walls and will not
protect US from the cold blasts of winter
as well as brick or stone. In our recent
war it was found that the sick and
wounded in barracks recovered less rap.
idly than those in tents. In civil life,
those who are Injured to an airy dwell
ing are more vigorous and hale than
those who live in houses tightly built of
brick and stone. For several reasons
we prefer wooden house, having stone
foundations laid we'll in cement and
having its cellar floors made imperyious
to gas and water. Brick is very porous,
and permits water to be absorbed and
pass through its limits, unless the outer
part is covered with impervious paint
Observers have often noticed that sand
stone and brick allow gases to pass free
" through them, while granite and
limestone and other building stones
nearly exclude gas and moisture that
may be deposited upon its surface. I'm
der ordinary circumstances this is
surely true, but under extraordina-
ry circumstances it may not be.
Gas and moisture can be forced
through brick, stone and iron. Wall
papers are Objectionable on the ground
that they absorb moisture and organic
matters. This objection nearly disap-
pears in well-ventilated houses, unless it
be those in which persons having infec-
tious maladies may live. And still
painted, calcimined, or white-washed
rooms are more salubrious than those
whose walls are covered by any kind OF
absorbing paper. Covering the walls OF
dwellings repeatedly, layer upon layer,
with paper, presents q large and deep
absorbing surface.
The first thing to be done in con.
structing healthy dwelling is topro.
tect its foundation from dampness. I'm.
derlraining and an underlayer of con.
crete, consisting of broken stone GOV.
cred with cement, secures this valuable
result. Many other means have been
used to secure this result more perfectly
Double walls protect better than thick
walls against changes of heat and cold,
Air is a good non-conductor, go we have
double doors and windows. And 20 the
body of air between the inner and cute,
walls is poorer, conductor than o. solid
wall would be. The space between the
two walls should be three inches !; slonp
stone should cross. this interval eyerv
foot or two, to give the wall strength
and firmness.
The ceiling Of the cellar should be
lathed and plastered. The cellar should
be divided into several rooms for various
purposes-one for milk, one for vegeta.
bles, one for fruit. Each room should
be well ventilated, having I'm inlet Of
pure air and an outlet of impure. In
the rooms above the cellar The same
general principles should be regarded.
Each room should have at least one win.
dow on each of two Sides Every,room
of any size should have an open fire.
place as an outlet of vitiated air. Them.
let of pure air should be near the ceiling,
SO as to driveth impure down and for6e
it up thechimney. Every sleeping and
keeping room should have an open fire.
place. The kitchen chimney should
have a double lue-one for the smoke
and the adjacent one, having only the
thickness of brick between, for yentila.
ton. ~
A very important point is proper roof.
ing. The slope is often not enough to
prevent leakage. especially in winter,
when snow ard ice accumulate upon its
surface, near the cutters, and stop the
free flowing Of water into the conduct
0rs. Very often the cutters are too
level, so that the water remains in them
until it evaporates. Slate we'll laid or
tin well painted form the best roofing F;
when rain water is collected for domes-
tic purposes, slate laid at an angle of
thirty.tive degrees makes the best roof.
II the house be properly ventilated, an
inlet OF air near the top of each room
and an open Fireplace obviates the need
OF high ceilings and windows. Every
sleeping-room should be well ventilated.
The nursery and sick room should have
On open fireplace to warm and ventilate
the room. The comfort conferred BY q
wood fire upon the hearth is very great,
especially in spring and autumn, when
only q moderate fire ID needed. The bad
air, close, dry and offensive. is usually
very obvious in rooms warmed by 3
close stove or furnace. Such a nursery
is very harmful and diminih hes in some
cases the chances OF recovery. II no