Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-09-09
HOUSE OF PAPER
PROVED HEALTHFUl
Built CheapIy by ingenious
Workman.

Wellesley, Mass, Sept. 8.-(Spe-
ciaD The frailest house in New
England perhaps is one which was
constructed principally of thick pa
per, and which has for ten years
stood summer showers and winter
storms. The structure is owned by
George L. Adell OF Wellesley, who
built it himself during his spare
time for a summer home. A house
that Mr. Adell and his family
lived in it all one winter, finding it
fully as warm as their modern home
in the center of the town. The house
is situated in the heart of the woods
of Ridge Hill, a few miles from
Wellesley College.
In the summer of 1896 he had an
opportunity to buy two-thirds of an
acre of land covered with fifteen or
twenty years growth of chest
| nuts, oaks, birches and naples 1t
was situated three miles from the
nearest railroad station and thirteen
| miles from where he was then en-
ployed,
The cost Of land, $50, had been
| saved. This was paid over, leaving
nothing with which to build except
what could be saved out of a salary
of SIS a week. The first summer he
got the use OF the old farmhouse a
quarter of a mile distant Here he
lived, spending his spare time
in clearing portion of his land
cutting stove wood and excavating for
a cellar.
Planning originally to put up
| merely a teRt for a summers out
| ing, he decided to put a floor under
| it. BY the following spring he hao
| saved $50 and then various plans
were considered.
Estimating how much of his salary
he could spare weekly to carry on
work On his house, Mr.. Abel with
the help of a friend who volunteered
| his services, working spare moments
| completed the structure in abou,
twelve days working time. This
however, covered about four months
| elapsed time
When $3.50 had been spent Mr.
Abel moved his family into the
| house, which then consisted princi-
pally of four walls, and a leaky
| floor. By this time he had establish
ed credit with a lumber dealer and
had no difficulty in securing mater
lal when needed, paying when con-
Venient
At the end of the following sum-
mer the house had been partitioned
off, a chicken yard built, fruit trees
and bushes planted, and considerable
land cleared. Mr.. Abel then started
in business for himself in Wellesley
| two miles distant, and the real strug-
| gle began. His income became un-
certain but his credit was good. The
house had now cost $500, including
the land, and Mr. Adell had perform
| ed most of the work himself.
The test of the strange house came
within few months. He decided to
| spend the winter therein. Purchas-
ing a large stove which he placed in
| the cellar he arranged the pipe SO
| that 1t would run under as much O,
the floor as possible and yet have a
good draught Registers were
placed over each bend in the pipe
, This furnished heating apparatus
| which did it's work we'll even in the
coolest weather. The cellar was
| banked up instead of being walled,
thus keeping out the wind Mr.. and
Mrs. Abel and their little daughter
came through the winter in the best
| of health.
Later, an addition 80 by Is feet
was built to the original house of
80 by 40 feet, the chicken yards ex-
tended, larger gardens made, and
considerably more woodland cleared.
Mr.. Abel now estimates that he
has expended on the house and ten
! acres which he has now ACQUIRED
about $1,000