The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-31
BUILDING ADORE HOUSES.
The Simple Architecture OF the Mud Il Rest.
dences In New Mexico.

From the Chicago Record.
Architectural engineering is IA branch Of
the gentle art Of making mud pies in the land
where the adobe houses grow. In the land Of
sunshine. where n rainy day is so rare that 1t 10
marked with a red cross, the native %contra"-
tor and builder wastes no time figuring on tho
strength of material, the crushing limit OF
tubular columns, and the wind pressure per
square foot of elevation. He does not pore over
blue prints OF plans, cross sections. and eleva-
lions, nor does he white down his figures to
the finest point, so as to come under some 9TH
er contractors bid. He simply rolls his trou-
sers up above his knees. digs down in a favored
ditch or pond until he strikes the =" 'dobe mud"
and in n short time he is ready to begin con-
structive operations.
Adobe houses are brick.houses, but the brick
is sun.dried and made with straw. The clay
or mud of which the brick Ia made is a natural
cement, peculiar to the arid plains OF New
Mexico, Arizona. Nevada. and that helt of
States and Territories. 1t is turned out in the
most primitive manner. and the Blue Island
PRICK MAKER Who night hanpeh upon q half.
the operation with amusement or disgust.
kiln-burn.d brick. made of blue clay. however.
would not meet the requirements Imposed by
the climatic conditions of those countries
where adobe brick is used.
In summer an adobe house is cool: in winter
IL is warm. Its thick walls alb orb the occn-
sional rain, and although the sun-dried brick
lie soft compared 10 the kiln.driod article. 1t
4 man who recently travelled through New
Mexico vas much interested in the dobe
for a 'dobe house in the hands of The builders.
At length in Santa Ee lie stumbled upon .
S %nnD cI of mT = , s'S %nd p Ti1h Their IT, bare ,nnn fee;
and found that lie was looking upon two Next
cans making. adobe brick. In describing the
The men actually dug up the 'dobe mud
from the bottom OF the ditch which skirted
pered' il. with water urtI' it was Of a stif.
;Iayey consistency. Then they chopped alfalfa
and their material was ready to make inio
prick, a w1Gh frame Jay on thr GROUND TINS
s wism hN Ma' and Huo@ on S't Of the the mem mem r mui into m't the
frame and stamped tho mud down with his bare
feet. at the same time tanning il with a stick;
the surplus mud of with a stick, So that the
top surface was level with the upper edges OF
clay he carried the brick 10 cne side OF the road
and, stood II on Its edge, The next bIick he
he had a dozen large bricks each tw'ce as
wide and long and thick as an ordinary brick
that the bricks would be ready re- to may iay in MI thr rec
or four days, and that they used the mud which
the bricks are made uf for the plaster.
THE walls of an adobe house are very thick,
sometimes Two or three feet, aud n The, orli.
nary ,one-s'ory adobe house, which Is charac-
fectly plain until they reach the roof. Tho
roof is supported on wooden beams, lad odGe-
level with the TOP or tie beams BET wcen the
timbers, leaving, the edge .ot the rafters eX-
posed. The roof has "A slight slant. and Is
made Of adobe bricks. When IL rains the
water soaks into the roof bricks, but does not
begin 10 drip down into the rooms below un-
Ill the rain is over. Then the family moves
out until the water is through with its drin-
ping. saw an adobe house in santa F9
which was built in the sixteenth c%en'Irv,
and, so far AS could see, the walls were as
strong and good as any house around there.
walls are built OF stone, plastcred with
adobe cement, II | may 50 call 4, aud such
walls are strong and solid suppose u that
Chicag' the 'dobe houses would after "A time
cTumblS away, hut the average year ia New
Mexico is made up OF M DAYS OF uncloudcd
sky, l3n days when sunshine predomlnates,
and only 80 days NJ cloud, ~ that the raj ltHll
does not amount 10 much more than a good
sized fall Of dew"
IL Is estimated that an aiobe house costs
built OF this material which cost not less
than $50, 900 to construct. When the "AmeTl-
cans settled in New Mexico, Utah, Arizona,
Nevada, and the lower part ~ california, they
accepted the t~reeless condition ~ the country
mud lnilt THAR houses ~ 'dpla mud