Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-09
BUILT HER OWN HOUSE.
Hired Four Dollar a Day Carpenter
 But He Botched Things.

l
 Kansas City, Nov 9-Miss Lillie M. Johnson has completed and moved into a nine room house at No 2S4S | North Eighth street, and she says with pride: q built it all myself, ex- cept little bit of botch work done | by a four dollar day carpenter" Miss Johnson began work on her house in the fall following the flood | in the Kaw valley in 1903. She was a Salvation Army worker in Armour dale at the time of the flood. She lost everything except $7. She went to a real estate firm and arranged to buy on payments the 100 feet of ground on which her house stands. The first payment was $20, but she was allow ed to take the ground on the promise that she would pay the amount in thirty days. She kept her promise.
 After the ground was secured she started canvassing for a medicated soap firm and soon made enough to fence the ground. The cold weather forced her to seek indoor work. Then she began wrapping candies in a fac tory.
 In May, 1904. Miss Johnson built a two-room box house, doing all the work herself and getting the lumber on easy payments. After moving into her new home she received two wo- men as boarders. She was able by the first of July to buy COW. She sold the milk and with her earnings bought an incubator.
 Then she reared fifty chikens hop ing to use the proceeds of their sale to make a payment on the ground She penned up the Springs" to fat ten them, but a thief stole them Then Miss Johnson found herself fac ing a payment without the necessary money. However, her resources were not exhausted. She began taking in washing. Through these various means she paid for the lot.
 But Miss Johnson was not satisfied She must enlarge her house. She graded her lot with a spade and wheelbarrow, laid the foundation, put up the frames, roofed. boxed and weather boarded the addition.
 But she was forced to hire a car penteT to make her window frames. She has finished the entire interior of the house, laying the floors, lathing plastering and papering the walls. The plans of the house were made by her and many original ideas have en- tered into 1t. She has a large cup board in the dining room, which ex- tends along one whole side of the room. This cupboard has compart- ments for all the cooking necessities four. coffee. tea and spices. and a large shelf for displaying dishes.
 Tn her living room Miss Johnson has a bay window fitted up as a con- servatoTy. Tn this she has many beau tifuI plants
 The grounds about the house are we'll kept A large grape arbOr. fruit trees and flower beds with the blue grass lawn make the place attractive
 How did I learn to do carpenter work7 Why. I just found I could do it, when I built my little two room box house. and I determined to try my hand on something better Mis- Johnson said.
 -I had only three tools when I started Out-a hammer, hatchet and saw As made more money was able to buy more tools. till now have complete set
 '-I hope to finish painting the house this fall and when I get the porch columns in place in the spring the ranch will be finished And bet 10 pzsseTby would know that a 70 man built it. "