The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-01
Making Over Old Houses.


over" an old house, the famou advice
to candidates for matrlmony is sup
posed to be always pertinent, =
don't" But as in the one case, in
spite of this prohibitory counsel, the
children of men still continue to marry
and to be given in marriage, so in the
other, notwithstanding much appar-
emily disastrous experience, men per-
sist in renovating remodeling, rebuild
ing, charging and otherwise attempt
ing to re uvenate their old houses.
They are likely to continue to do this
rs long as love of home exists, as long
rs families increase in numbers and
men improve their own worldly condi-
ton or lind the houses OF their fathers
inadequate to their own wants. 1t is
the commonest thing in the world to
lind that the making over of an old
house has required a greater outlay
than would have been necessary to
build anew outright, while their still
remain in the renovated structure radi-
cal defects which could easily have
been avoided if the building had been
new, and yet if this losing experience
were well known to be the rule raj her
than the exception, it is probable that
men would still 90 on trying to improve
their old houses by patches, amend
ments and compromises. There are
various reasons for this apparent lack
OF wise management.
Sentimental considerations, though
often unacknowledged, are undoubted-
ly strong. The love OF home, however
homely, is an Anglo-oaxon instinct of
such strength that it seems almost
sacrilege to destroy its visible temple,
though it may be old-fashioned, incon-
venient ana unsuited to present needs.
Moreover, it is not readily believed that
it will really and truly cost quite as
much to make over what is already
in existence as TO begin at the beginning
and produce new structure from raw
materials. Deliberately and with NAL
ice aforethought, to pull house down,
from turret to foundation, leaving not
one stone upon another, seems SO much
more destructive and wasteful than tax
ing it down by degrees. replacing the
removed portions one at time as the
work goes on. Yet every builder knows
that The Inconvenience and loss that re-
suit from working in this way far more
than offset the small amount OF rough
material that may be saved.
Still another apparent motive exists
when t is desired to keep the house in
the same old place. The occupants
labor ander the pleasing delusion that
they can save gent and trouble of mo-
ing by beginning the work of renewal
at one corner and working gradually
toward the other eAtreme, somewhat as
the plaque crosses continent or a cy-
clone moves across Western Terri
tory, the house being all the while hab-
liable without serious annoyance.
Experience is. perha s, the most ellie
lent teacher on this point Those WHO
have tired it will generally assent to
thu Old estimate in geometrical pro-
gression with another term added:
Three house cleanings equal one NOV
ing, three movings one fire, and three
fires one remodeling.
But there is another and q most
worthy and honorable side to the ques-
ton of making over an old house; not
additions, simply, they are always in
order, some of the most charming
houses in the world having grown with
the growth of the families occupying
them, their added wings and stories in
dicating the increased numbers and
strength Of the household. But aside
from alterations that are additions
simply, made over" house has
otter this advantage over q new one;
it has been lived in; its merits and de-
fects. both Of which exist in every
house that ever was built. have been dis
covered by actual use and if the right
changes are made in the right way i