Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-08-23
EARLY HOMESTEAD CLAIMANTS
How The Pioneers of The West Begin
LIfe-The Dug-out.

HOW inc fioheef~ OF The West Begin
Life-rhe Dug-out.
To begin with. the habitation of the
homcsieader is either dugOut or a
house built of squares of sod taken
from the prairie-Nebraska or Kansas
brick, as they are facetiouslv termed.
The dugout consists of hole dug in
the side of a canon or any sort of
depression on the prairie which will
serve rs a wind-break. This hole is
rooted across, about on a level with
the prairie, vi il inch boards, and
these are covered with sod A foot or
so Of stoye-pipc protruding from the
roof Is the sole indication Of human
habitation. One room generally serves
all the purposes of the homesteader
and his family. If he prospers for
season. he adds to the front Of his
abode by erecting walls of sod on the
side aud putting in new front. the old
one serving Us q partition between the
two rooms This is considered a COM
modous dwelling. After riding over
a quarter section looking for an owner,
eSpying such an abode. and guiding
YOUR team carefully down "A break-neck
descent to the front door, would il sur
prise YOU, upon entering this hole in
the ground, to find, for instance,
modern organ with an imposing cathe-
dral back towering high i'm one corner
Of the room? But this is no cause for
ast0nishment-very frequently organs
and ornate designs in furniture are to
be found in the dugouts Or, if the
lady Of the house should invite you to
remain for the meeting of the literary
club therc i'm the evening, would you
stare at that? Not at all. Literary
clubs, which the members ride all the
way from five TO twenty miles to at
tend, and where they discuss every
thing from the latest political problem
% the most abstruse point in meta
physics, are quite the regular thing
with our homesteaders. But to behold
this life so full of paradoxes in the
height Of its incongruOusness YOU
should be a spectator in the dugout
when a neighborhood dance is in full
blast The earthcn walls have been
skilfully tapestried for the occasion
with calico, and when the fun begins
the clay floor speedily responds 10 the
caperug Of the many tWinkling feet,
and there arises a cloud Of dust that
would stiile an Indian. But, bless you,
they don't mind a bit of dust A poll
ished floor and themost perfect system
Of ventilation attainablc could not add
20 their enjoyment
The homcstcaders are very honest.
You eau leave house unlocked at all
9 q
safe-with the exception of what liquor
You may have on hand for medicinal
purposes. I'm other words, the home
strader will steal whisky every time.
AS class they are ncighborly, kind to
one in distress, and exceedingly hos
pitablc
But it must not be supposed that all
homesteadcrs live ia dugoCrs or sleep
six or seven in room; such experience
cs attach to the first year or two of
frontier life more than TO any later Pc
riod. Many slightly. commodious, and
comfortable sod houses have been
built The walls are u~uallg two teet
In thickness, thc roof shmglpd, doors
and windows set into the walls, and
the house plaStcred inside. sometimes
outside, altogether making "a very neat
and desirable residence. These struc-
ltres, too, are free from the annoyan-
ccs of dugouts, in which are found all
manner Of insects and rodents. Occa-
siuually a rattlesuake will bmTOW
through the earthcn sides, and coil
himself .uugly in the bedclothes, where
you win find him on cool morning
Such iunuders are rare, bat there are
some people who Strenuously object to
even rare visits OF this sort; such are
usually energetic enough to get ont Of
the old mousse and into 81 new one be-
fore spending many months in an
abode $50 mcomfortably near to ma
lures heart FraHh H. SpeUma1, IL
turner's Nlg0.jHt.