4 = 8 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
A House Costing $2,500 to $3,200. 
BY S. B. REED, ARCHITECT, CORONA, LONG ISLAND, N. T. 
These plans were designed for a suburban cot¬ 
tage, having a cheerful outside appearance, and 
Fig. 1.— ELEVATION OP HOUSE. 
containing ample interior apartments conveniently 
arranged, with such modern improvements as are 
desirable for the use of an ordinary sized family. 
.... I2x£es*ior, (fig. 1).—The general outlines are 
made up of simple parts, embracing features of 
pleasing variety and elegance. The foundation 
walls, showing four feet above ground, insure 
against moisture from the earth, and add to the 
superficial dimensions of the structure. Such high 
foundations for houses of this character afford a 
proper background for the grasses and shrubbery, 
usually surrounding them. The irregularities of 
the principal building ; the steep, dark-slated roofs, 
with their heavy projecting cornices, truncated or 
hooded gables, and enriched barge boards, together 
with the stoops and bay windows, are proportioned 
and arranged to assimilate with each other, and con¬ 
tribute to gracefulness and harmony_Cellar, 
(fig. 2).—Hight 7 feet. Seven good sized windows 
admit an abundance of light, and afford thorough 
ventilation_ First Stfary, (fig. 3).—Hight of 
ceiling 10i feet. The rooms are unusually large, 
and arranged to be pleasant, comfortable, and con¬ 
venient. The front entrance has large double doors. 
This hall contains the principal stairs, which are 
of “ platform ” construction. We prefer this form 
whenever the general plan allows it, as such stairs 
are much easier, less dangerous, and appear better 
Fig. 2.— PLAN OF THE CELLAR. 
than the usual long, straight flights. The hall con¬ 
nects with each principal room, obviating the too 
frequent necessity of passing through one room to 
reach another. The Parlor has a fire-place, adapted 
to either a grate or fire-place heater, (we should 
prefer the latter in this case, supplied with heating- 
pipes for warming the chamber above), and is 
provided with a marble mantle. A large bay 
window admits sufficient light, and affords a 
pleasant out-look. The remaining sides of this 
room are unbroken, leaving ample space for 
furniture, pictures, etc. The Dining or Living- 
room is intended as the most agreeable and pleas¬ 
ant room in the house ; it has a fire-place with 
hearth openings, adapted to a “low down ” grate, 
which is a good substitute for the old home-like 
fire-place, and affords an opportunity for a generous 
and cheerful fire, and insures the most perfect 
ventilation. The ashes from these hearth fires fall 
into the ash-pit below them, thus obviating the 
necessity and dust of their daily removal. A mar¬ 
ble mantle with a large hearth, one bay and three 
plain windows, and a closet, are provided for this 
room. The windows afford plentiful light, and 
views from front, side, and rear, thus assuring a 
homelike, cheerful apartment. The Kitchen is 
pleasantly situated has 4 windows for light and 
ventilation, and is planned with especial regard for 
convenience. It is in proximity with the principal 
hall, rear entry, and cellar stairway, has a large 
pantry, and two closets, and contains a large fire¬ 
place, with a range, boiler, sink, and wash-tubs hav¬ 
ing pipe attachments for hot and cold water. The 
dimensions of the fire-place are 2 feet 10 inches 
wdde, 5 feet 6i inches high, and 1 foot 9 inches deep, 
Fig. 5.— CORNICE, GUTTER, AND BARGE-BOARDS. 
with a hearth stone 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. 
The Range is fitted into the fire-place, and has a 
water-back, elevated oven, and warm-closet, and is 
connected by pipes with the boiler. The Dumb¬ 
waiter, shown on the plan at the right of the fire¬ 
place, is intended as a “ coal lift,” which will save 
many steps and much hard labor running for coal. 
This is simply a box, holding 3 bushels (12 
scuttles), constructed of 11-inch floor planks, with 
ivood runners 3 feet long, on two opposite sides, 
conforming to grooves made in stationary planking 
in the cellar, and is suspended by weights, with 
strong ropes, passing over pulleys fastened to the 
underside of the floor beams. The upper portions 
of this closet may be fitted with shelving and hooks, 
as desired. The large kitchen Pantry, thoroughly 
shelved, is in the “addition” that adjoins the 
kitchen, and is built in combination with the rear 
stoop. The Entry, conveniently situated, commu¬ 
nicates between the kitchen and dining-room, and 
with the back stoop through the rear door- 
SecoBati Story, (fig. 4).—Hight of ceiling 9 
feet. This story is divided in the simplest manner; 
has a hall, three large chambers, with closets for 
each, and a bath-room, all with sufficient windows 
for light and ventilation. Each principal chamber 
has an open fire-place, adapted to grates. Chim¬ 
neys, centrally situated, radiate most of their heat 
into the rooms, thus saving fuel. The Bath-room 
has a French bath-tub, with cold and hot water, and 
a seat-closet. The Stairway to the attic story is 
ceiled in over the principal stairs, with a door at 
the foot. The Attic has three apartments, two in- 
Fig. 3.—PLAN OP FIRST FLOOR. 
tended to be plastered and finished as chambers ; 
the third or larger one, is unfinished for an open 
garret. desaea-at Coias trac 8 ion. —The 
Excavations are 2i feet deep, and the loose earth 
is graded around the building at completion, leav¬ 
ing 4 feet of the foundation exposed to sight. The 
Foundation-walls are built as described on page 212, 
July American Agriculturist , 1875. The sub-sills of 
the windows, and the steps and coping of the area, 
are of blue stone. The chimneys being near the 
eeuter are not connected with the foundation walls : 
The rear one is constructed in box form, below the 
first floor, as a receptacle for ashes, and has a small 
iron door near the bottom for removing the ashes. 
The principal frame work Is of sound pine or spruce 
timber,of the sizes mentioned in the estimate below. 
When practicable, we would use pine timber for all 
sills and posts, as the least liable to decay, and spruce 
for the girts and beams, or account of its quality 
for stiffness. The siding is of two thicknesses of 
boarding,as described on page 253, American Agricul¬ 
turist , July, 1875. The principal Roof is constructed 
at the angles of 45 degrees, securing valuable space 
for attic rooms, and is covered with dark slate laid 
on hemlock boards, with tarred paper between. 
The roofs of the stoops and bay windows, and all 
gutters and valleys, are of I. C. Charcoal tin, laid 
on hemlock boards. The method of constructing 
the cornice, gutters, and barge boards of the prin¬ 
cipal roof, is shown in detail in fig. 5. A, Rafter of 
CHAMBER 
m m 1 
Fig. 4.— PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR. 
3x4; i?, Plate of 4 x 6, placed 14 inches above the 
attic floor; C, Post of 4 x 7 timber; D , Gutter, 
having no abrupt angles to bother the tinsmith, or 
