The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-09-29
WESTERN puoouTs.
The Houses OF Early Homestead Claimants
In Kansas and Nebraska


The Houses Of Early Homestead Claimants
In Kansas and Nebraska
To begin with. the habitation OF the
homesteader is either a 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 as
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 a 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 a 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 no
cause for astonishment-very ire
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 THAR
Not at all. Literary clubs, which the
members ride all the way from five to
twenty miles to attend. and where 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 witt
our homesteaders. But to behold this
! life 80 full of paradoxes in the height
/. of its incongruousness you should be
/, spectator in the dugout when neigh
bOrhood dance is in full blast. Th'
earthen walls have been skilfull.
tapestried for the occasion with calico
and when the fun begins, the clay foo
speedily responds to the capering o
a the many twinkling feet, and Their
J. arises cloud of dust that would stifi
. an Indian. But, bless you! they don
q mind a bit of dust. A polished hoo
\ and most perfect system of ventilatio
y attainable could add nothing to thel
enjoyment.
n The homesteaders are very homes
IT You can leave house unlocked at a
a. times and your stores are perfectl
is safe-with the exception OF what hquc
10 you may have on hand for medicine
10 purposes. In other words, the hom'
steader will steal whisky every tim
As class they are neighborly, kind
~ one in distress, and exceedingly no
at pitable.
e. But it must not be supposed that a
es homesteaders live in dugouts or slet
nv ak or seven in a room; such expeI
. ences attach to the first year or two
ry frontier life more than to any later
Rod. Many slightly, commodious al
ad comfortable sod houses have be-
lie built. The walls are usually two fe
is in thickness, the roof singled, doc
I'd, and windows set into the walls, al
'or the house plastered inside, sometim
tie outside, altogether making very ne
CT and desirable residence. These strr
- lures, too, are free from the annoyane
of dugouts, in which are found
nat manner of insects and rodents. Oct
ate sionally a rattlesnake will burr'
ear through the earthen sides and coil hi
SO. self snugly in the bed-clOthes, wac
our YOU will find him on cold mornir
7ell Such intruders are rare, but there ;
can some people who strenuously object
APP even rare visits of this sort; such
~ usually energetic enough to get out
the old house and into a new one
Fell fore spending many months in an abb
UGH so uncomfortably near to natui
tell heart. II. Spedrman. IN ID
no per's Magazine.
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