The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-07-10
CONSTRUCTION OF THE BASE.
MENT OR CELLAR
By Kate Sligatam. Student in Home
Economics, South Dakota State Col
lege, Brookings.

lege, Brookings.
Few people realize the important
Influence that a badly constructed or
little-cared-for cellar has on the SAM
tarv conditions OF a house. Most un-
healthful conditions and the loss or
life may be due TO improper cellars.
In connection with the foundation
and cellar the first thing commanding
attention is the covering of the ground
with some impervious material, that
is. material which does not allow h
passage OF air or moisture through II,
in order that the moist air coming
from the soil may be prevented from
rising into the house. The mount
Of moist air coming from the soil may
not seem worthy of consideration, Dut
it most surely is. The amount or damp
air coming from any heavy SOIL Is
very great even though it is Wen
drained. Damp air in the cellar Will
rise through the walls Of the house,
rendering the atmosphere OF the house
damp and unwhOlesome. Thus II Is
imperative that the atmosphere In a
collar should be wholesome In every
way.
One OF the safest materials for q
cellar bottom and for the exterior
packing of foundation walls IS a clean,
slpooth, compact clay, which may be
beaten into a close mass, and when
has a sufficient affinity for moisture
always to keep its retentive condition.
When used in the damp atmosphere
of a cellar or about a foundation Vt
seems to make a good barrier TO the
passage Of impure air. 1t may be COW
cred with concrete for cleanliness and
good appearance. but six inches or
clav we'll rammed while wet VII I'M
pede the movement of air 10 a consid-
cradle degree. Where clay Is not
available. a good smearing or asphalt
between two t~hickneSses OF concrete
for the cellar bottom will afford q
complete though more costly protec-
ton. Another way of dam~p-prooting
the cellar floor is to lay above a suit
able bed Of rough concrete, three ply
of tarred felt laid in hot heavy coal
tar pitch. The felt is to be laid so
that each layer laps two-thirds or its
width over the layer Immediately be-
low.
Good Foundation important.
The walls Of the house below the
level of the ground and a little above
q, chnn1l no nondn nf pyrpntlOn1HV
good materials. This is a matter Of
ten lost sight OF. and the walls below
the ground are made OF the worst pos
sible materials. Being hidden from
sight it IS often thought that 1t
would be useless extravaganza to use
the best materials for them. But the
bad effects of moisture and soil air
coming through the cellar walls and
floor. and rising through 10 the rest
of the house may cause much greater
expenditure in the end for doctor bills.
medicine, etc. Thus the cellar walls
should be made damp-proof az well as
the cellar floor. The da~mp-proofing
course Of the floor must be properly
Tapped on and secured TO the damp
course in the foundation walls. The
height Of the walls above ground is i'm
portant. They should extend a suf-
ficient distance above ground to adj
NIT Of windows at least two and one
half feet high. This will insure the
thorough lighting and ventilation OF
the cellar and the raising of the first
floor at least three feet above ground.
There should be as many cellar win
dows as possible. Piazzas should not
be placed in such a position as to eX-
clude sun from the cellar.
Divide Cellar by Partitions.
When fuel is kept in a cellar It
should be stored in bins placed as
near as possible to the point OF con
sumption. Bins should be dry and
we'll lighted. Every cellar in which
there is a furnace should have a cold
room partitioned off from the furnace
room. If one has a laundry in the eel
lar, this also must be partioned off.
A COOL plan for the cold room Is to
take a well lighted northeast or north
west corner of the cellar. partition of
a square. leaving a generous opening
for the door. Divide this room into
two parts. using we'll Joined boards or
masonry for the wall. Have strong
supports OF some kind on which broad
slate shelves may rest. The inner
room may be used for storing meats.
fish, vegetables and all other foods
that have an odor. In the outer room
milk. butter and i~nodorous foods may
be kept. The windows OF both these
rooms should have screens OF thin
cheese cloth TO keep out all PARTICLES
of dust. These would be in addition
10 the wire screens.
There are very good grounds for
the opinion Of those who think many
of the minor ailments 10 which the
race is subject. and some Of its more
serious ailments as well. are due. not
to the influence Of an excess of filth
in any form. but due to the influence
Of an excess OF moisture acting often
on a little filth or on a little organic
waste which would not be classed as
filth. Such ailments prevail more es-
pao;olly IN hO,cnc in Uhinh mold &c