Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-07-04
SLOW BURNING CONSTRUCTION.
How to Build Dwelling Houses Ia kee
Out Rats and NJ ice and Exclude Cold an

How to Build Dwelling Houses to Keep
Out Rats and Mice and Exclude Cold and
Dust.
have been a builder for the past thirty
years. writes A. w. Page to the New York
Evening Post and have given a great
deal of attention to the better protection of
keeping out cold, odors, coal, and ashdust,
and especially rats and mice, from the
bas sement and cellars, also in making them,
not freproof, but ''sIOw burning" | have
worked at house-building most of the time
for over thirty years, and for the past 6f-
teen years. with this Object in view When
occasionally suggest the idea of keeping
rats and mice out of the house, ! am told
it can not be done On the house that !
am now building asked the masOns to do
the work certain way around the chin
ncy, giving my reason he said could
not keep mice out Of Il house. told him
1t must be done. as ! was under obligation
to pay dollar for every one found in the
house. think it is practicable, and
with little care can be done; also TO take
some precautions against lire. One could
not cOntrive Il more perfect system OI ar
ranging quantity of lumber TO have it
burn quickly than by using it to construct
a modern house. The open spaces in the
outside wall between the boarding and
pastering. and in the partitions, and be
tween the floor timbers, form perfect net
work of tlues, If fire starts in the lowest
part if the house. those fues, with the
shavings and chips that are usually left
there, carry the fire to the attic and roof
instantly; or if it starts above, the coal and
fragments of fire fall down through
those iues, thus spreading the fire very
rapidly.
In the old-fashioned houses, that were
| bDIlt with large posts. beams, and HOor-
| timbers, there were not 50 many of these
| dues: consequently there we're more chances
| for extinguishing the fire, or at least more
| time to save household goods, and perhaps
| life. ! have in mind one of those old
| houses that took fire not long ago beneath
| the floor; the fire was confined there and
| put out there before it had time TO spread.
| In modern house it would have followed
| those natural fues TO the roof very quick
| iy. II is well known how tiercely fire
! will follow ventila, )r or elevator shaft;
| in the same way it follows the above
described partitions and wall-fues IN
| house.
The suggestions that | have to offer as
| an improvement in building are
| simply to let the lining floors in each story
extend TO the outside boardings, and lay
one course Of brick and mortar on the floor
between the studding; refuse or broken
| brick or small stones will answer; fill IN
inside the partitions In the same way If
necessary, not forgetting TO stop all open
ings around steam and other pipes, and
every other place where mouse would be
Liable to 20 or gnaw through. A little
care and > TO Sl2 will cover the cost in an
ordinary house. At greater expense more
might be done as protection against fire.
| If the house is pastered before the finish
is put on it Is a good plan to plaster down
TO the lining floor on the outside walls, and,
| in fact all the walls instead Of plasterIng
to grounds six or seven inches from the
floor think this plan is practiced in
| the Middle States more than In New Eng
land, and may be elsewhere, though !
think it is being done in New England
more Of late years than formerly. think
if one were TO have house built in this
way IT would be more satisfactory TO the
| owner and those who occupy it.