New-York tribune., 1919-11-16


any structure that carries = roof 10 Of
value and should be utilized until such
time as the building situation, both
with regard to material and labor
costs, will permit Of extensive con-
struction.
Many old buildings. long abandoned
as having no value, have been re-
claimed and made into structures
which will give service for many years
to come. A most interesting revamped
structure Is to be found on the out
skirts Of Lincoln, Neb. Some years
ago Professor Erwin II. Barber, state
geologist of Nebraska, travelling about,
was impressed by the number of build
ings which he found abandoned, build
ings which he decided could be made
habitable at small expense. To Illus
dilapidated building, near Lincoln, and
at a cost Of 5000 made the derelict
building into q good appearing, COM
Portable and coZy home. What pro-
fessor Barber has done can be done by
others, for he says that he had no
practical knowledge of mechanics. 1t
would cost q good deal more money to
make over the house to-day since build
ing and labor costs have increased
manifold since 1911 when the little old
house was reclaimed. But q made
over old house is cheaper and, perhaps,
much more substantial than q brand
new house.
Worth $1,000 Finished
When Professor Barber had COM
pleted his house a builder estimated it
shows the possibilities, for gain and
for home purposes, possessed by old
houses.
What Professor Barber had to say at
the time of tho completion of his house
may be interesting to folks who have q
similar plan in mind. The tale of his
experience might also serve to encour-
age folks to look about and see II there
are some old structures lying idle that
might be developed into agreeable and
comfortable homes.
Here is the story Of the rebuilding Of
the little Nebraska barn:
"The curved and rickety weather.
boards were nailed securely to the
studding, regardless of breaks. cracks,
snot holes, missing pieces, misft lum
bsr or rotten spots. Metal lath, which
comes ii convenient strips about eight
sen inches wide by nine feet long, was
nailed securely over the house. 1t was
put on by mailing through it into the
studding, and then bending the nails
over and pounding them down. AS soon
as the house was properly lathed coat
Of cement plaster was troweled on with
"a Arm hand so as to insure good keys
and at the same time to f1ll completely
cracks and joints in the weatherboard-
ing. It matters not how rough this
coat Is, in fact it is we'll to make it
tougher by scratching
"This is known as the scratch coat.
The scratches we used was made by
irving a few wire nails through a
.voden block. With this simple tool the
cement was quickly and effectively
roughened before it had set, thus pre-
paring 1t for the succeeding coat. The
'ornula for mixing the scratch coat is
rne measure Of cement and three Of
and; one to four or Ave would do.
An Amateur Job
"In mixing I used a clean platform
boards. the barn floor or large
'ox. Put the sand and cement together
.ry and turn repeatedly with a shovel,
. mix thoroughly; make hollow in
ae pile, pour in water and continue to
urn and mix with shovel until an
ven mortar is made that will spread
cely under the trowel. 1t is a very
easy and simple process, requiring no
previous experience, and the amateur
nay feel entire confidence in the re-
sults if reasonably good cement is
lsed. Trowel on the second coat as
soon rs convenient, making it little
gicher in cement than the scratch coat.
Jse, say, one measure Of cement to two
If sand. By all means avoid trying to
make this last named coat nice and
mooth.' Let it be rough and irregu-
ar, for the worse it is the better. The
eoat Of cement plaster when done is
about three-fourths Of an inch thick
nd Is as hard and enduring as stone.
This work was done late in the fall,
q the injurious effects of the summer
an and rapid drying were escaped
iithout the necessity Of shading. Take