Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-13
BY Richard G. kimbeII, Architect,
National Lumber Mfrs. Assn.

In Washington, in New York, and
in doubtless many other of the older
cities of the United States one of
the most marked and interesting
phases of home making at present
is the systematic, one might almost
say professional reconstruction and
medernization Of old homes. 1t Is
not only a salvaging process Of much
economic value, but it is also an alb
sorbing and educative enterprise and
is having no little civic value in
that it is restoring whole run down
neighborhoods, bringing back real es-
tate values, and is at the same time
preserving hundreds of the charming
specimens of the architecture Of the
period preceding the civil war.
1t is, almost invariably found that
these solid homes of our forefathers
were so we'll planned and built that
any structural defects that have de-
veloped have been due to the settling
of walls and foundations rather than
to any weakness Of material or poor
workmanship. Recently a 200-year
old house on the New England sea-
coast was restored. 1t was found
that the softwood under floors, put
down so long ago, were as sound as
the day they were cut and so much
hardened by. age that when dressed
they made excellent top-flooring. Re-
builders are finding every where that
almost all of the lumber in these old
houses, whether they are Of frame
or masonry construction is as good
as new, and wherever the dimensions
permit it is being Reused in the al
terations. When additional new ma
terial Is required the renovator finds
that he has undertaken his work OPP
portunely as lumber is now about
40 per cent cheaper than it was in
1920, and even 10 per cent cheaper
than in 1923. Other building ma
terial shows similar declines.
In the smaller and also in the new
er towns and cities Of the country
there is just now being developed a
systematic drive to rebuild houses OF
a comparatively recent period. 1t
is well understood that dwelling ar
chitecture was at a low ebb in the
last part of the nineteenth century
and the first part of this. For near
ly a quarter of a century q small
home that was not an eye-sore from
the day it was built was rare. and a
ma jority of the large homes were
atrocities perpetrated on defenseless
eyes. Many Of these houses are lum-
ber-built and contain so much sturdy
material that to wreck them Is apt
to be sheer waste. So everywhere
we hear Of men, who, having grown
into larger means and better taste.
are examining their old homes with
a view to improving their architec-
ture by alterations and extending
them to meet new requirements.
Thousands of people who hate to let
the old home go are finding that
simple external alterations and ad-
ditions transform an ugly edifice in
to home of beauty and that the ad-
ditional room required may be secur-
ed at lower cost by additions and
rearrangements than by the erection
Of new house.
In the cities, unfortunately. hideous
architecture appears to have been
accompanied frequently by Jerry
building during the period Of
architectural twilight, so that there
1t does not always pay to re-
construct a house Of the first
or second generation back. The
good materials In such structures
do not have the salvage value in
place" which Is realized in the build
ing Of careful workmanship. But
that reconstruction and alteration
are vastly improving the residence
districts Of the smaller cities il evil
dent to every automobile tourist.
incidentally. there is little doubt
about the influence Of the automobile