St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-08-31

not had any experience with that
class of buildings, but have turned
my attention to the better protec.
ton of dwelling houses in the way
OF keeping out cold, odors, coal and
ash'dust, and especially rats and
mice from the Easements and cellars.
also in making them not fire.
proof but slow-burning. | have
worked at house building most of
the time for over thirty years, and
for the past fifteen years with this
object in veiw. When | occasionally
suggest the idea of keeping rats and
mice out of a house, | am told it
cannot be done. On the house that
| am now building | asked the ma
son to do the work in a certain way
around the chimney, giving my rea-
son; he said that | could not keep
mice out of a house. | told him it
must be done; as was under obi
cation to pay dollar for every one
found IN the house. | think it is
practicable, and with a little care
can be done; also to take some pre-
cautions against fire. One could
notcontrlvea more perfect system Of
arranging quantity of lumber to
have it burn quickly than by using
it to construct a modern house.
The open spaces in the outside walls
between the boarding and plaster
ing, and in the partitions and be-
tween the floor timbers, form per-
feet network of flues. la fire starts
in the lowest part of the house,
those hues, with the shavings and
chips usually left there, carry the
fire to the attic and roof instantly !;
or if it starts above, the Goals and
fragments of fire fall down through
those hues, thus spreading the fire
very rapidly.
In the old-fashioned houses, that
were built with large posts, beams,
and foor-timbers, there were not so
many OF these hues; consequently
there were more chances for extin-
gushing 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 be
fore it had time to spread. In a
modern house it would have follow
ed those natural hues to the roo
very quickly. 1t is well known how
hercely fire will follow ventilatol
or elevator-shaft; in the same way
it follows the above-described parti
ton and wall-hues in house.
The suggestions that | have tt
offer as an improvement in house
building are simply to let the linins
floors in each story extend to tn
outside boardings, and lay one ccurs'
of brick in mortar on the floor be
tween the studding; refuse or broker
brick or small stones will answer
fill in inside the partitions in tn
same way if necessary, not forgettin
to stop all openings around steam
and other pipes and every othe
place where mouse would be liabl
to 60 or gnaw through. A littl
care and eight to twelve dollors wi
cover the cost in an ordinary hous
: At greater. expense more might /
a, done as protection against fir
If the house is plastered before tt
finish is put on, it is good plan t
plaster down to the lining floor o
the outside walls, and, in tact, all {
the walls, instead of plastering
grounds six or seven inches from tn
floor. think this plan is practice
in the Middle states more than
s, New England, and may be elsewhere
,, though | think it is being done
New England more late than TO
merly. | think if one were to have
: house built in this way, it would
> more satisfactory to the owner ar
=, those who occupy it,