Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-09-24
A HOUSE OF BOTTLES.
Singular Structure Erected bv a
Nevada Man.
building Material Being Scarce. tbs
Architectural Curiosity Result.
Ten Thousand Bottles
Used.

Tonopah, aside from being iustIv
famed the world over on account of
its vast mineral resource, hidden and
otherwise, also occupies the UNIQUE
distinction Of numbering among it's
inhabitants man who is able TO live
IN a glass house and throw unlimited
quantities Of stones at the same time
without suffering any OF the serious
inconvenience popularity supposed 10
surround such an association, SAYS the
Detroit Free Press
Not tree grows within 60 miles OF
the great Nevada mining camp. and
very naturally building material and
fuel bring all sorts Of fancy prices. The
commonest lumber selling for Sos
thousand feet, while inferior grade Of
scrub cedar commands S22 a cord.
Consequent upon this condition. vari-
Gus subterfuges are resorted to IN the
architectural makeup Of Tonopah, II
being nothing uncommon 20 encoun-
ter six or seven different styles with
In close range Of observation, and in
most instances IL appears as If the
imagination must have run riot in the
picturesqueness of design. There are
houses made Of straw, Of burlap sacks
trimmed with blue jean oyeralls; of tin
from fiye-gallon oil cans; Of dry goods
and crackerbox lumber; Of mud,
stone, tents, cloth-in fact almost
every sort Of cuntrivance Is resorted
70 as a makeshift for place Of habita-
tion. but il has remained for William
f. Peck. a miner in the employ of the
Tonopah Mining company, 70 devise
a way Of living not only in class by
himself so far as novelty IS concerned,
but fully as comfortable and enduring
as that offered by any Of the more inn
posing edifices that adorn the swell
portion Of Tonopah. He has built OF
empty beer bottles a house i6x20 feet
in the clear. with ceilings eight feet
high. and containing two rooms. II
was built IN October Of last year by
Mr. Peck entirely unaided, at such odd |
moments as he could spare from his
regular duties % the mine. Water was
then selling at sl.50 o barrel hence
the principal element Of expense cen
tered in the supply Of mud that was
as mortar between the bot
ties comprising the edifce.
Ten thousand empty beer bottles
were Incorporated In the structure,
and even IN this arrangement consid-
cradle artistic taste was shown, the
northern and western exposures being
composed OF bottles Of light green hue,
while those on the south and east are
almost black. The combination lends
4 very pleasant effect on the outside.
The inside walls are plastered with
lime. which is spread TO q depth sufii-
,ient TO cover the protruding bottle
lecks about one inch, thus obliterat-
ng all rough features and making a
smooth surface.
Mr.. Peck lived all last winter in his
peculiar home with his wife and two
children, girl Of seven and boy aged
hree years, and says that, while the
water in many residences Of Tonopah
cached the freezing point quite often,
lis family found their glass house ex-
,eedingly warm and comfortable at
m times. He has enough bottles on
hand for another room, and It is his
20 utilize them at his leisure
n building an addition 20 his prem
ses
Mr.. Peck removed with his family
rom Prescott. A. T.. TO Tonopah last
ruly. and It IS quite evident he viii get
llong all right wherever he IS