The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-06-08

OCCA
wholly tanned.
Early recollections of the county inn
press me with growing interest, as
the years go by and the marvellous
work of transformation progresses
Thirty to forty years ago Coyington
county was practically one continuous
broad expanse of primevial forest OF
towering yellow pine under the dark
and dank shadows of which herds OF
sleek fat cattle browsed leisurely ana
uDdisturbed
Small. settlements were dotted here
and there ranging from five to fifteen
miles apart.
Some of these settlements-the more
prominent ones-boasted of a dozen or
more houses, while others had only a
fourth as many-near enough each
other that a large blowing horn could
be heard by neighbors on occasions of
1D1mergency and distress.
These houses were literal creations
from natures stores OF material at
hand.
Let us build one to get the correct
idea: We will hew triangler shaped
blocks from tarry pine logs and lay
the pillars.
On these we will place hewn stills
about 12x12 inches square, length de-
sired. We will string the "sleepers," or
floor joists, across these stills, made of
peeled (barked) pine poles, three to
i've feet apart. Great hewn slabs
twelve to eighteen inches wide by three
10 six inches thick are laid for floor
ing and made smooth and uniform on
the top side
Large pine logs are spliR in halves,
the fat sides hewn, the round sides
barked, out of which the main wall is
erected, being careful to notch cor
rectly so as to bring the narrow edges
close to each other.
We will now hew out the plates and
cut the rafters from saplings, rive out
~ Ia+ I've IL r.r,ff a,-e
are crossed over a ridge pole at the
top, or a comb" holes are made.
through the ends and they are pinned
together with wood pins.
They are also pinned in the same
manner to the plates. The Iathing is
pinned to the rafters. sometimes by
bearing small holes through the two,
sometimes by simply driving a spike
into them at the proper place, pulling
1t out and driving a tough sharp ended
wood pin into the place where the
spike was inserted.
Now we win lay double course of
boards. weight them down with a
heavy pole and pin the first weight
securely to the plate.
Now another double course of boards
and another weight, but to held this
second weight in place we will cut a
inches in diameter the length of the
distance between the two weight poles
and the second will rest against the
ends Of the short pieces-or "dividers."
We will continue this process until the
roof is finished. The chimney is made
tern of stick and dirt chimneys. with
its fire hack and hobs" of clay.
d-Fashioned .House Warming"
Now that the house is finished we
will have an old-fashioned house
warming"
All the neighbors and those from
adjoining settlements are invited.
Fires are started in the yards and
In the chimney
The "fiddling" begins and everybody |
takes turn at Virginia reel"
Hush!
Old Brother Jones' son, from the
Clear Creek neighborhood. arrives
with tidings.
Listen
The Circuit Rider happened into that |
settlement today, and hes coming over
to have services and ehristen the |
brothers new house.
Sure!
He's on the way here now.
Alright, we'll put out a sentinel /
down the road a quarter OF a mile |
from the house and when the preacher
comes along the sentinel will run |
ahead to the house and let us know.
Then we'll put the fiddle away and |
make ready for religious services.
The program is admirably carried /
out. The preacher announces services
at the school house for next Sunday, |
bids the folks al good night and re-
turns with Brother Jones.
And now since It's only an hour and /
a half past midnight we will resume
the dance which continues till day.
light.
The only disturbance that occurs is
home-cured tobacco from his pants
pocket and passes it generously
through the crowd.
Sam Smith, owner of the new house,
calls attention TO exclaim that "the
fust pusson who splits at a crack and |
misses it has jest naturally get me
ter whip. Fer 1 don't want my new
floor besmeared with hacker juice"
This was in the reconstruction period
following the deyastations of the war.
Poverty was rampant throughout the
county and its ravages paled the
cheeks of bright and innocent children,
tore away the maiden beauty of wo-
manhood and marked her face with
deep furrows-hierglyphi of strenu
Gus days; Slapped the vigor and life
his body with ceaseless toll.
Worst of all. 1t robbed the younger
generation of educational advantages,
Impeding the county's progress for
twenty-five years.
Patience and Perseverance,.
But through time and patience and
perseverance, miracles are wrought.
The citizenship of Covington county
was made up of men and women who
possessed remarkable faculties for
combating the existing conditions
which were very unfavorable to even
mere bread winning.
Old men, men with a peg leg, or
empty shirt sleeve bouncing in the
hreezes. gathered together what few
implements the ravages of war had
overlooked on the farm. rubbed the
rust of four years accumulation from
them and took up the burden of trans
formation with brave strong and con-
tented hearts.
Spinning wheels, looms and other
crude implements were manufactured,
and the noble women - Covington
county ought to erect a marble shaft
to their memory-brought the wooden
wool from the focks and the cotton
warn from the fields through the vari-
hama ar,lIfa ct llreIy