Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-10-31
BUILDING A FIRE
An Accomplishment Most Pa.
sons Can Learn,
y looks Easy, but Il Require, A..
.elal Msthods-Two Recipe. ,,o,' -"
England, Where Goa, and M.
Wood 10 Customary Fuel

2 sWhen the nrst chilly days O, ~,
tumn come, the open fire claims r,n ~
Of the affection and attention =, s .s
household. For nothing is so ch. w
I'll. so comfortable and so bean.,.s,
to look upon as fire of logs craot,,Du
or the hearth. or Of glowing coa,s
burning in a CRATE. ''Si'
There are some women and ,,.
men,, as we'll. who think thew ID U aas
'knoN how to light a fife; SO, i, th ny.
want to be warm or want to he cbass
full or want to watch the crscklipp w.
they must needs wait for some nn,
more skillful than they to build II '
Doubtless there are some perso,.
who cannot build fire, just az ths-s
are some who cannot make geranium.
grow and some others whose caLo :,
ways falls in the baking. But mo-,
persons. If they will take the trouhls
to learn thing or SO about the chin.
ney where they are building a A..
and about the ways of fires in general
will find themselves able to masts,
the art Of fire making.
Every one knows, Of course, that
draft is one Of the first essentials fl,
good fire, dry fuel is another 81
bee to it that you have them both a. (
hand.
Even poor chimney can be msda
to harbor/a good fire. If its drawing
powers are not good, cuddle and Gear
the flre past the smoking stage. Don't
burn an all wood fire. but establish a
glowing bed of Goals and rest assured
that the poor draft will prove sniff.
GENTLY strong to carry off the coal
gas and the little smoke that the GOALS
give off.
Often even good chimney smokes
when the fire is first built, because
the chimney Is cold and damp II you
are sure that there is a substantial
layer of fireproof construction between
the chimney and any framework about
the house, light crumpled sheet Of
newspaper and thrust it as far U,
the chimney as you can reach. Light
half a dozen of these in succession d
and you will have the chimney warm
enough to start smokeless fire.. "a
On damp day this same newspaper
warming process might be used to Z
advantage, as much moisture and
'dampness collect in the chimney in
fogs and rains.
There must always be room for air
to circulate under and behind the fire. Z
If you have andirons your task is sim.
pie. Simply place the logs 50 that 4
room is left behind them for the air 4
to circulate; the andirons hold them
high enough to let the air circulate
under them. If there are no andirons
and no coal basket-a ery'good fire
of logs can be built in a coal basket d
ley two stout sticks like andirons and \
build the fire on these.
Have plenty of kindling - paper,
shavings. excelsior. dry sticks, pine
knots or chjps-and let this get well
lighted before you pile on logs or u
coal.
Here Is an English recipe for light. Fl
ing a coal flre-and the English who
use coal to the exclusion of wood 81
should be authorities on the Subject.
Put some cinders in the bottom OF 1
the crate. These insure circulation
of air. for they are porous and do not 4
cake down. Over them put couple \
of sheets of newspaper, crumpled
loosely and lay ten sticks OF Dry All
wood on the paper. Put the fire well I
back in the CRATE, but allow room De. n
hind it for circulation of air When i
it is cracking. put on a shoVeltul o. vi
coal, and repeat this process until tns !
crate is sufficiently filled with fire.
Another. English method OF nse
lighting is to light the fire from tne
top and let it burn downward-wnlca 4
at first sounds something like scoop
ing up water with sieve. rms Y q
how it Is done: Put a layer OF Gu. II
ders in the bottom Of the CRATE AM
cover these with a good bed OF eosl "A
Then lay dry sticks-a dozen or So
loosely over the Goals. Put on as
shovelful Of coal and then put hal ! NJ n
dozen sheets Of crumpled paper y
TOP. Light the paper and watch ~ II