14 BRIGGS- SYSTEAI OF 



CHAPTER A' 



Front view of house. 



I will now tell you \'ery plainly how to construct 

 these houses, so anyone that can use a saw and ham- 

 mer ought to be able to build one. 



First, square up your planks twenty feet long,, 

 then take your third plank and make "two planks ten 

 feet long each. Now spike your twenty-foot plank oil 

 }'Our ten-foot plank, using twenty-penny mils, and 

 }-ou have a box twenty feet long and ten feet four 

 inches wide, outside measure. 



Now take a 2x4 and saw six pieces four feet long. 

 Then saw out of each one of these 2x8; these make 

 your corner posts and also your center posts. Spike 

 these firmly on your plank box, one in each corner, 

 and one in center of house, letting the 2x8 piece you 

 saw out come on your plank. Nail from inside and 

 let flat side come toward ends. This will make your 

 outside even. Then saw four pieces, 3 ft. 4 in. long, 

 to double your corners \\ith. These nail from plank 

 up on each end. This will make them all even on 

 ends and sides. Now take a 2x4, just 20 ft. long, nail- 

 ing one on each side Hatways on top of josr uprights, 

 even with ends and outside. Now take a 2x4, ten feet 

 four inches long, saw two inches out of each end, drop 

 this in center of house on your plank, which drops 

 bottom two inches below level of plank ; spike firmly 

 both ways. This keeps }(nir house from spreading 

 and is also 3'our division. Take a 2x4 nine feet eight 

 inches long, spike this at end of house, away from 

 door, betw.'een your 2x4 e\en with top of plate. This 

 piece stays in and keeps }'our end from spreading and 

 is also used to nail }our end boards to. Now take 

 tw(\) more 2x4, saw ten feet three inches long, nail one 

 in center of house to upright under plate, nail the 

 other at end where your door goes in same wav, using 

 a twenty-penny nail — just one in each end — as both of 



