114 



Broom Closet Utilizing Waste Space 



IX a Chicago house book cases are built 

 in around one corner of a living 

 room. At the joining of the two cases 

 there is a small waste space, not to be 

 utilized for shelves and covered at the 

 top by a broad shelf which iinishes oft 



The corner inside 

 two bookcases can 

 be utilized as a 

 broom closet by- 

 cutting a door. Thus 

 a waste cubby-hole 

 is converted into a 

 useful space at a 

 very slight cost 



BROOM 

 CLOSET 



the cases five feet above the floor. As 

 the kitchen is immediately behind the 

 room this little waste "cubby hole" has 

 been "tapped" by a narrow door open- 

 ing into the rear room. It is just large 

 enough to hold the broom and dust 

 cloths. 



A Cheap Septic Tank 



A PERFECT septic tank can be 

 built at a small cost by following 

 the plan here illustrated. A tank six 

 feet long by three feet square (inside 

 measurement), will answer the re- 

 quirements of a family of six people. 

 After digging the hole, and before 

 placing the form, fill the bottom of the 

 hole with 8'' of concrete, mixed five to 

 one. Then place the form upon the 

 concrete making sure that there is a 

 space of no less than 8'^ between the 

 form and the sides of the hole. Set the 



Popular Science Monthly 



form so that the top is level ; then fill 

 all around with concrete. Tamp the 

 concrete in well, being sure not to use 

 any large stones, as the tank must be 

 water tight. 



Next comes the top. Cover the 

 form over with boards, leaving a hole 

 in the center sixteen inches square for 

 the manhole. Build a box around this 

 eight inches high. Then cover the top 

 of the tank with concrete, being sure 

 to have it smooth around the hole. 



The concrete work should all be done 

 at one time, so there will be no seams 

 in the work. 



For the cover of the manhole make 

 a frame twenty-four inches square and 

 four inches deep ; fill this with concrete 

 and let it stand until dry and hard. The 

 cover must be set in cement to insure 

 an air tight joint, for unless the tank 

 is air tight it will not work. After the 

 concrete has set, remove all the forms 

 from the inside. It is best to use a 

 good rich mixture of cement around 

 the inlet and outlet pipes to insure a 

 good tight joint. 



For A, the inlet, use common four- 

 inch tile, and from B, the outlet, use 

 three-inch tile. The tile may be run to a 

 cesspool or may be branched out in 

 two or three directions and used to 

 irrigate a small garden spot. The tank 

 can be set underground just far enough 

 to have sufficient dirt over it to make 



^^ — 1 ManMe 



14, 



This form of home-made septic 



tank can be used with success by 



a family of six people 



a lawn, as it will not freeze in cold 

 w^eather. If it is air tight it will not 

 have to be opened after putting in 

 operation. It is a good plan to fill the 

 tank full of water and let it stand a 

 day or two, to be sure that it does not 

 leak, before cementing the cover on. 



