AMERICAN' AGRICULTURIST, 
[March 
( 
>6 
Fig. 1.—PERSPECTIVE VIEW. 
Pioneer’s House—Costing $250 to $500. 
(Cost as Her© Shownand Described, f§»473.). 
CLASS I.—FIRST PRIZE—BY u WEST ”—(D. S. HOPKINS, 
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.) 
[On the supposition that people already settled 
have some kiud of a house to shelter them, and in¬ 
tending to continue our series up to a cost of $3,000 
to $4,000, or more, we begin by selecting from the 
183 plans received, one that will probably meet the 
immediate wants of the greatest number of the 
Fig. 2.— FIRST FLOOR. 
millions from the older States, and from Europe, 
who are now rapidly locating in the vast regions of 
unoccupied territory at the West. The plan here 
given, if carried out as described, will make a con¬ 
venient small house of very fair appearance. But 
by the use of rough covering, simple building- 
paper walls inside instead of plastering, to be after¬ 
wards better covered and plastered, and by other 
economies, the first cost may be reduced to from 
$250 to $300. This first, rough method we have 
seen adopted by multitudes of prairie “home¬ 
steaders ” in limited or straightened circumstances. 
It will be noticed that the construction provides 
for prairie or other locations where stone or brick 
are not to be obtained, except from a distance, at 
large expense. Some omit the chimney, at first, 
and depend for a year or two upon a simple stove¬ 
pipe, carried through an earthen thimble in the 
roof. Where stone or brick are accessible, these 
may be used for the foundation pillars instead of 
the wooden posts. But almost any kind of wood 
will last several years, and some kinds for many 
years. If the least durable wood be used, stone 
or brick supports can be put in when decay takes 
place. So, also, the cellar can be fully excavated, 
and, if need be, walled up when the circumstances 
of the builder permit.— Ed.] 
DESCRIPTION. 
Elevation (Fig. 1.)—The general plan accords 
with the usual custom on the broad prairies and 
other localities exposed to strong winds and hurri¬ 
canes, viz., to build only a story-and-a-half, and 
to have the “ family bedroom ” on the first floor. A 
very little more expense would give higher rooms 
in the second story, and another room over the 
kitchen. The house has a rather pleasant look. 
Any mechanic of fair ability can vary the gables, 
and other features, at little or no expense, so as 
to produce pleasant changes in the appearance. 
First Story (Fig. 2). —The size and arrange¬ 
ment of the rooms are sufficiently shown in the en¬ 
graving. The rooms are planned to save steps and 
facilitate work. The “ living room ” serves also as 
a dining-room and parlor, and is entered from the 
porch. The chimney, starting 2 feet below the 
second floor, can be directly reached by a stove pipe 
from every room. A small closet is placed under it. 
Second Story. (Fig. 3.)—This has but two 
rooms. If there are several small children, the 
larger room will bear partial dividing with boards, 
or curtains, or the two rooms be cut into three ; 
raising the side walls two feet higher, would allow 
this to be done very readily. The small storage 
room under the lower roof can be reached from the 
stairs, or by a small door from the larger bedroom. 
Cellar and Fou inflation. (Fig. 4.)— In the ab¬ 
sence of stone or brick, or for economy, the sills 
are to be supported by wooden posts 6 to Gi feet 
long, aud 8 inches square ; or rough log 3 hewn flat 
on two sides may be used. They are set as shown 
in the plan, 4 to 4i feet iu the earth, and about 2 
feet above grade. For a small Cellar, begin 2 feet 
from the inner side of the posts and take out the 
earth, leaving the sides sloping inwards at an angle 
of about 45°, according to the kind and compact¬ 
ness of the soil, and deep enough to give 6 to 7 feet 
i below the floor. The posts are to be boarded up 
on the outside tightly, and lined on the inside with 
tarred building paper. The paper at all corners is 
to be turned out upon the posts and secured firmly 
to them with lath strips nailed vertically over the 
paper. Then board tip on the inside over the paper 
and fill the space between the walls with dry straw 
well packed in. With the excavated earth, bank 
against the exterior and grade off to throw water 
well away from the building. Provide a small win¬ 
dow on each side for light and ventilation. For 
sills, we use 2x8-inch joists double, aud set on 
edge, 2 inches smaller than foundation, on all sides. 
Nail lx2-inch ribs on bottom edge of sills, for joist 
bearings, and notch joists accordingly_All floor 
joists arc 2 by 8 inches, set 10 inches apart at cen¬ 
ters, well spiked in position. 
IVaiite, etc. (Fig. 5.)—For frame sidiug, 
boarding, etc., use 2x8-inch plank, 15 feet long of 
even length on main sides, set perpendicularly flat- 
ways, the edges close together to make a close w'all; 
spike them to the outside of the sills, the lower 
ends even with the bottom edges of the sills. Just 
under the second floor joist-bearing, set a rib 1x6 
inches; just above this cut a notch into one edge 
of every other wall plank for the end of a joist, 
and spike the joist firmly in. As the upright planks 
are 8 inches wide, this will bring the joist centers 
16 inches apart. At the top of the wall planks, 
nail on the inside a 1 by 10-inch strip forming a 
frieze, extending 2 inches above the wall plank. 
Notch the rafters into this piece so that their top 
edges will be even with its upper edge, and the 
roof boards can be nailed to it, thus closing all 
tightly here. This strip constitutes the plate—The 
rafters (and roof) should extend over the side 15 
to 18 inches, the ends being tapered and dressed. 
The Cornice is formed with roof boards dressed 
on the under side and outer edge, and nailed upon 
the bevelled ends of the rafters ; gable finished in 
same manner, with verge boards, as shown. The 
rafters of 2 by 4-inch stuff, 16 inches apart at cen¬ 
ters, with collar beam to each rafter of 2x4 inches. 
Plank up the gable ends the same as the side walls. 
