The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-11-15
- -
BUILDING A CiSTERN.
How to Construct One without the As
sistance of a Mason.


sistance of Mason.
Dig a hole in the ground the size
you want it. II 10 or u feet deep it
will keep the water cooler and better
than if broad and shallow. Make the
middle the lowest. Use water lime
with, il coarse sand, as l to 4 or 5; il
fine, it may be to or 6. Coarse and
fine sand together make the best NOR
tar with the least lime. Plaster over
the cistern on the earth with two or
three coats until 1t is about an inch
thick. After this is dry or hard it
must have two or three coats of white
wash made Of lime mixed with boiling
water TO the consistency of cream. 1t
may be put on with a whitewash
brush or a small broom. II the white
wash or lime be run through a sieve,
all the better.
After few years the life gets out of
the mortar of any cistern and the
water leaks out. 1t then wants this
whitewashing instead OF plastering
over. If mason is not employed,
take a piece of new sheet iron Axe
inches, lay it on stone or iron and
hammer it through the middle until II
is rounded out to better fit the sides
of the cistern. Then nail on a handle.
For a hawk, take your one-legged
stool with a top foot square.
The top of the cistern may be made
of scantling and plank foot under
ground, with hole in the middle large
enough for the pump. Put a box
around this that will come as far above
the surface as you like, and grade the
soil up TO it. II the timber is good this
top will last eight or ten years. A bet
ter one is made of brick by beginning
two feet or so, according to its size, be-
low ground. Lay two sticks across the
cistern and board it over closely.
Round it up with straw, fine sand or
sawdust in the shape you desire the
arch, setting barrel where the hole
is desired, For a cistern six or eight
feet across the arch should rise about
a foot from the outside to the center.
Lay the first tier of brick in plenty of
mortar against the bank about half
edgewise and half fiat, Put the next
tier against them, breaking joints and
letting the ends of the brick touch, but
the sides should not come in contact
with those on the outside course.
Continue this until the center
is reached, using no mortar.
Mix mortar about one to four and
very thin, so that it will run between
all the bricks. When all are filled,
plaster over with thick mortar all you
can afford. The earth may be covered
over it soon, as such mortar is all the
harder when dried slowly. If the NOR
tar is to be used in a dry place it is
better mixed day or two previously
and worked over several times to keep
it from setting, after which it will not
set quickly, but harder.
To make the chimney, lay the bricks
endwise to the hole and level up the
outer end with mortar. After few
courses the bricks may be laid the
other way and worked into square
chimney as high as desired, with
plank top, having sides to hold it on.
The form should be taken out before
the chimney is finished. Reach down
and pull out the hay and then saw off
the cross sticks and let it all fall into
the cistern. Plaster the sides well up
TO the brick, but they need not be
plastered. am using cistern made
in this way thirty years ago, which is
now as good as ever. 1t does not need
a mason to do it Il. Brooks, IN
Farm and Home.