Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-06-17
USE,
Found Valuable For Many Pur-
poses In the Suburbs.
MAKE HOMES PICTURESQUE.
II Is Possible to Build Attractive
Chimneys, Pereolas. Porches, Walls,
Walks and CURLING of Cobblestones.
The Fad Growing Fast.


The fad for using cobbestones in
suburban towns for quaint and prac-
teal building material has become so
widespread of late that it is not I'M
usual to find these little smooth faced
stones utilized in most surprising and
picturesque plans. The small villages
in many states are carrying out the
cobbleStone idea in q most attractive
and unique fashion. Throughout the
country many towns are now piling
the supposed useless small stones III
heaps and using them for construct
ing walls, porch posts, chimneys and
curbing.
The rural districts of Pennsylvania
have during the past few years as
tonished both builders and architects
of other sections concerning the posi-
bilities of cobblestones. But it is in
the suburban and the country sections
surrounding Philadelphia that the real
beauties of cobble buildings have OF
late attracted the most attention
Many beautiful. rambling cobble dwell
ing houses. quaint schoolhOuses. sta
bleS, broad summer porches and viii
ter sun parlors are all expressive Of
the quaintcst and most charming de-
signs III cobbe work.
Many of the homes in the vicinity
of Bryn Mawr. Pa, display the rapid
ly growing cobbe fad.
The evolution of cobble building is
an interesting story. Builders say
that there is nothing common or use
less in the eyes of the optimistic man
who is able to find unitarian and ar
tistic possibilities in everything nature
created.
For many years the farmer. with
back breaking toll. gathered cobbles
into his cart or on his stone boat and
heaped them in great piles with anath-
emas. and in these piles the snakes
made their nests.
Then came an idea to an architect
one day who was not bound by the
letters Of conventionality. In his
search for that which was novel and
unknown he came across one of these
piles, and while he sat Oh a stump and
unused Of the heartrending toll it rep
resented his mind was flooded with
inspiration. The plans for the next
house he drew provided for a wide
porch with supports and posts built
of these same rough and generally
useless stones. When the house was
finished it satisfied both his artistic
soul and his patron. Then straight
way he proceeded to build another
house with a great stone chimney on
the outside This. too, he pronounced
good and so the use of the cobble-
stones came into excellent repute
among the architectural clan. The
stone piles melted, and the snakes were
forced to find new refugees in which
to nurse their broods. Even the stone
walls which the farmers Of old had
reared with infinite patience and la
Dor, because they had nothing else to
build fences Of were carted away to
become building material in the hands
of the masons.
But while entire buildings of cob
blestones are now popular, in ordinary
building construction it is found that
the most artistic manner of using field
stones is to employ them in connec-
ton with frame houses. combina-
ton of wood and stone may be made
more effective than either material
used alone
a stone porte-cochere is another sug
gestiOn which is growing in favor both
in frame houses and the house that
is not of wood, but of plaster, with a
tile roof. and the combination seems
equally effective.
In addition to the use of cobble-
stones as an integral part of the house
many and charming ways are being
found of utilizing them in other parts
of the sui urban towns. Very effective
and massive gateposts are being made
from them. and the list of possibilities
includes summer houses. we'll houses.
sundials and similar accessories TO
an extent which Is not as yet really
appreciated by the owners OF the sub
urban homes.
Cobblestcne floors and cobblestone
roofs are "A distinctly Pennsylvania