The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-08-04
WESTERN DUGOUTS,
The Houses of Early Homestead Claimant
in Kansas and Nebraska.


in Kansas and Nebraska.
To begin with, the habitation of the
homesteader is either dugout or a
house built of squares of sod taken from
the prairie-Nebraska or Kansas brick,
as they are facetiously termed. The
dugout consists of hole dug in the
side of a canyon or any sort of depres-
sion on the prairie which will serve az
a wind-break. This hole is rooted
across, about on level with the
prairie with inch boards, and these are
covered with sod. A foot or so OF
stove-pipe protruding from the roof is
the sole indication of q human habita-
ton. One room generally serves all
the purposes of the hOmesteader and
his family. If he prospers for sea-
son, he adds to the front of his abode
by erecting walls of sod on the sides
and putting in new front, the old one
serving as partition between the two
rooms. This is considered commodi-
Gus dwelling. After riding over the
quarter section looking for an owner,
espying such an abode, and guiding
your team carefully down break-neck
descent to the front door, would it sur
prise you, upon entering this hole in
the ground, to find, for instance, a
very modern organ with an imposing
cathedral back towering high in one
corner of the room? But this is nc
cause for astonishment-very fire.
quently organs and ornate designs in
furniture are to be found in the dug
outs. Or, if the lady of the house
should invite you to remain for the
meeting of the literary club there in
the evening, would you stare at thatP
Not at all. Literary clubs, which the
members ride all the way from five to
twenty miles to attend, and whore they
discuss with great earnestness every
thing from the latest political problem
to the most abstruse point in metaphys-
les, are quite the regular thing with
our homesteaders. But to behold this
life sc full of paradoxes in the height
OF its incongruousness you should be a
spectator in the dugout when a neigh
borhood dance is in full blast. The
earthen walls have been skilfully
tapestried for the occasion with calico,
and when the fun begins, the clay floor
speedily responds to the capering OF
the many twinkling feet, and there
arises cloud of dust that would stihe
an Indian. But, bless you. they don't
mind bit of dust. A polished floor
and most perfect system of ventilation
attainable could add nothing to then
enjoyment.
The homesteaders are very honest
You can leave house unlocked at all
times and your stores are perfectly
safe-with the exception of what liquor
you may have on hand for medicina,
| purposes. In other words, the home,
steader will steal whisky every time
As a class they are neighborly, kind tC
one in distress, and exceedingly hos
pitable.
But it must not be supposed that al
homesteaders live in dugouts or sleeI
six or seven in a room; such expert
ences attach to the first year or two o
| frontier life more than to any later pc
Rod. Many slightly, cOmmodious and
comfortable sod houses have beer
built. The walls are usually two feet
in thickness, the roof shingled, doors
and windows set into the walls, and
the house plastered inside, sometimes
outside, altogether making a very neal
and desirable residence. These struc
lures, too, are free from the annoyances
OF dugouts, in which are found al
manner of insects and rodents. Occa
sionally rattlesnake will burrow
through the earthen sides and coil him
self snugly in the bed-clothes, where
/ you will find him on cold morning
/ Such intruders are rare, but there are
some people who strenuously object to
even rare visits of this sort; such are
usually energetic enough to get out o
/ the old house and into a new one be
fore spending many months in an abode
| so uncomfortably near to nature
heart. Frank II. Spearman, IN Har
per'S Magazin..