The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-11-17

Editor Chase Of the Lyndon Uaioa writes
home u his paper the following descript.
Of the dwellings in New Mexico:
You would not like to lie in mud
house. reader, would you9 But let me
tell you about lit. To begin with it is
cheaper than wood, and, to say nothing
about looks. is great deal better.
Very comfortable houses are made here by
digging prairie sods, piling them up, one
top Of the other, enclosing square, the
size wanted, across which is laid poles,
which are again covered with sods, A
place is left in one side for adoor, and one
or two places in other sides for windows.
This is the common Mexican's house, and
until one geteclose to it, one cant distin.
guish it from any other lump OF dirt. Un-
less traveller keeps up tolerable look
out he is liable to pass the mansion ofsome
unpretending native without knowing it.
Ia Mexican wants TO give his donkey
shelter he can dig few turfs. pile them
ave or six feet high around small space
and turn the animal in. II he is particu-
larly tender OF his beast he will roof that
over also with straw or mud. But the side
shelter is generally considered sufficient
for the purpose. A little regard for looks
will sometimes induce Mexican to dig
up little dirt. mix it with sand and
spread il on the outside Of sods with q
wooden trowel. This gives the outside Of
the house asmooth surface and adheres
we'll.
The adobe brick is prairie clay, water
and ssnd mixed together, moulded and
laid in The sun to dry. They are eight
inches long, nine inches wide and four
inches thick, and when dug are not as
hard as burned brick, but sufficiently hard
for building walls .esd are durable. Men
car be hired to furnish their own material
and make them for eight dollars a thou
sand. An easteren builder ean compare
these 9itli the size OF burned brick and |
,ssl'y essapare the comparative cost OF
BRICK houses III the east and New MEXICO
Men charge ten dollars Thousand for laY.
ing them in the wall Few houses are
built over one story high, though occasion,
ally an ambitious man will build two and
,nce ina great while three stories high.
fhe walls are usually eighteen inches
thick, but il the house is two stories, the
drst wall is twent.seven inches, and the
,aeond eighteen inches. Partition walls
're eighteen inches in the first and nine IN
he second Partition joist is sometimes
,t MP. in which case the bricks are set on
dge between the joists making four inch
all. The bricks are tackled TO the joists
ith ma liz and the partition is made per. :
,ctly Arm. A kind OF mortar is made OF J
ue.third mud and two-thirds sand, which
spread on the partitions with trowels,
ID is ~ firm ~ lime mortar The house
very warm in the winter and cool in the I
,mmor Evesdropping though the par.
tions is out OF tho question, and in .
,mo eastern communities they would not q
popular on that account. Many build
8 plaster on the outside with mud and 81
leck II of into squares to resemble brick
square st ones. The best abode houses 81
. papered aud nicely finished inside with d
A =. al, htekp AL |
gu, and. The regular house Of the ma II
tive was fiat roof but Americans usual. M
put Oh the pitch roof, and shinse it. nj
10 pecu iarity Of the houses here is ~
It most of the rooms have an outside vi
Dr., and in ,Orner rooms it is not uncom-
n 20 find tw OF them. II seems odd TO II
p out OF on,,'s sleeping room directly
o the open air. J.