252 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
A Stone House Costing S3,000. 
BY P. B. REED, ARCHITECT, CORONA, LONG ISLAND, N. T. 
These plans were designed for the substantial 
dwelling of a farmer in easy circumstances. The 
Fig. 1.— FRONT ELEVATION. 
outside appearance truthfully expresses its rural 
and its domestic purpose. The interior accommo¬ 
dation are carefully arranged for comfort and con¬ 
venience. The materials and method of construc¬ 
tion insure permanency; with little care this build¬ 
ing would last for many generations_ Exteri¬ 
or, (fig. 1.)—The elevation shows that this house 
was intended for the country—it looks like a farm 
house—in fact it would be out of place any where 
else. Its peculiar solid, independent, and home¬ 
like character, is due to the massive stone walls, 
large door and window openings, broad and steep 
slated roof, truncated gables, substantial chimneys, 
and heavy sheltering eaves, all arranged in simple, 
expressive, and harmonious combination. All su¬ 
perfluous ornamentation is avoided, as inconsistent 
with rural simplicity and truthfulness. Vines, and 
creepers, will be suggested by the rough stone walls 
and piazza posts—and to their delicate tracery may 
be left the work of “ filling in ” their more appro¬ 
priate and agreeable decorations... .The Cellar, 
(fig. 2,) is 61 feet high, extending under the whole 
building, giving ample space for the storing of ar¬ 
ticles requiring a cool moist air for their preserva¬ 
tion. Seven windows are arranged to provide light 
and ventilation to every part. The outside entrance 
is from the rear under the back stoop, stairs lead 
directly up to the kitchen. The “safe” isa “lock¬ 
er,” a private cellar for keeping choicer stores.... 
First Story, (fig. 3).—Hight of ceilings 10 feet. 
The arrangements are somewhat peculiar, and are 
very convenient and pleasant. Each of the four 
rear), have stairs in each—and are otherwise ar¬ 
ranged for easy communication with all parts of the 
house. The Parlor is pleasantly situated, adjoins 
the front hall and dining-room , has a large open 
fire-place ; and is shaded on the front by the piazza. 
The Dining or living-room is the largest apartment, 
and communicates directly 
with every other room and 
hall on this floor—bringing 
this entire story under the 
immediate supervision of 
the mistress of the house¬ 
hold. It has an open fire¬ 
place, and two closets. The 
Bedroom is placed in a quiet 
corner, where the little ones 
may take their “ day naps ” 
without being run over or 
disturbed, by sudden callers, 
or those engaged in house¬ 
work. The Kitchen is a 
good sized apartment, ad¬ 
joins the dining-room, rear 
hall, milk room, large pan¬ 
try, two closets, and cellar 
stairway, and is provided 
with a large range, sink, 
wash-tubs, and the necessary 
pipes for supplies of cold 
and hot water... .Second 
Story, (fig. 4.)—Hight of 
ceiling 8 feet. This contains 
five good sized chambers, a 
large hall, and nine closets. The three larger cham¬ 
bers have full-sized side walls and ceilings; the 
spaces beyond the side walls orpartitionsare devoted 
principal rooms have windows giving views in two 
different directions. The two Halls, (front and 
to closets, of which there cannot be too many in any 
house.... Construction. —Unless situated on 
very high ground, having a thorough natural drain¬ 
age, the earth taken from the cellar excavations 
should be left on the grounds and graded around 
the foundation, to insure the turning away of all 
surface water. In such cases, care must be taken 
to allow in the depth of the excavation for the hight 
it is intended to raise the earth grades. The ap¬ 
pended estimate of cost is for excavating 3 ft. deep. 
This will furnish 202 cubic yards of earth, to raise 
the grades 11 foot immediately around the house, 
(leaving 2 feet of the foundation exposed to sight,) 
and give a gentle slope outwards in every direction 
to the distance of 40 feet. All the outside walls are 
solid masonry. The Foundations are of the rough¬ 
est stone, laid in good mortar, 2 feet thick. A “top 
floating” of hydraulic cement mortar is used in 
levelling the upper surfaces, to prevent the ground 
moisture from rising above that line to be absorbed 
by the main walls. The Main Walls are of rough 
stone and hard burned bricks laid in strong mortar, 
16 inches thick. The outside corners, and the 
jambs and heads of the doors, and windows, are of 
brick, as shown by the sketch in figure 5. Their 
use greatly facilitates the work of construction, and 
obviates the necessity of expensive stone dressing. 
The intervening walls are of broken stone “ran¬ 
dom dressed,” laid in courses to conform to the 
quoin lines of the brick work—and may be done by 
common masons. The window and door sills are 
of ordinary hammered blue stone. All outside in¬ 
terstices, and joints, are filled and pointed with ce¬ 
ment mortar. Thin strips of wood, (mason’s lath 
will do,) are laid in between the courses on the in¬ 
side, to which the inside furring is fastened. The 
Chimneys are built of hard brick, and are finished 
above the roof with large tops, having cross open¬ 
ings at the sides for each flue, and close covers.—The 
Frame-work is very simple; the central girders 
are supported by large posts on solid stone footing. 
The Beams are notched over the girders, with their 
ends resting and anchored in the walls, and are 
thoroughly bridged. The Plates are anchored by 
bolts that are inlaid while building the walls. The 
Rafters are notched over the plates with their lower 
ends extending 24 feet beyond the walls ; their cen¬ 
ters are supported by purlins and collars. The 
Roof is covered with dark slate. The Flooring is 
of mill-worked 14-inch plank. The interior of the 
stone walls is furred off, with unobstructed spaces 
between the furring to the roof, for the passing off 
of all dampness. The interior finish is complete 
throughout. The principal rooms have neatly 
molded architraves—other rooms plain. The Kitch¬ 
en, and rear hall, are wainscoted. All doors are 
paneled and molded, and all windows have inside 
blinds.—The Plastering is tliree-coat work, with the 
principal rooms hard-finished—balance white slip¬ 
ped. The Painting, outside, is two coats with the 
best materials—inside is oil-stained and flat varnish¬ 
ed. .. .Estimate : 
202 yards Excavation, 3 ft. deep, 48 20c. per yard.$ -40.10 
224 perches Stone Work, complete, @ $2.75 $ perch_610.00 
150 running feet Blue Stone Sills, @ 30. per foot. 45.1)0 
6,500 Bricks in quoins and chimneys, com'e,@ $12 V 1,000 78.00 
1,000 yards Plastering, complete, @ 33c. per yard. .350.00 
5,208 feet Timber, @ 2c. per ft.101.16 
viz. 1 Girder, 4x8 in. x 62 ft. long. 8S Beams, 3xS in.xl5 ft. l’g. 
1 Girder, 4x6 in. x 38 ft. l'g. 35 Beams, 3x8 in.xzl ft. l’g. 
2 Purlins, 4x8 in. x 38 ft. long. 32 Beams, 3x8 in.xlOft. l’g. 
2 Purlins, 4x8 m. x 18ft. long. 40 Collars, I}fx5 in. 13 It. 
45 Rafters, 3x4 in.x 21 ft. long. 1 Valley, 3x8 in.xsO ft.l'g. 
8 Rafters, 3x4 in. x 17 ft. long. 1 Plate, 3x8 in.x200 ft. l’g. 
250 Wall Strips, @ 13c. each.1. .32.50 
300 Furring Strips, @ 4c. eacli. 12.00 
Anchors to beams and plates. 5.00 
cornice materials. 30.00 
420 Shingling Lath, @ 6c. each. . 25.20 
26J4squares of Slating, complete, @ $9 $ square.23S.50 
25 Hemlock Boards, Piazza Roof, @ 16c. each. 4.00 
Fig. 5. —MANNER OF BUILDING CORNERS. 
214 square Tin, roofing and leaders, ® $S 7R square. 20.00 
296 Flooring, 8 inch. Cm 25c. each. 74.00 
Stairs, complete, $90.00; Piazza and Stoop, $80.170.00 
7 Cellar Windows, complete, @ $5 each.35.00 
22 plain Windows, complete, @ $10 eacli.220.00 
4 Dormer Windows, complete, ® $18 each. 72.0a 
34 Doors, complete, ® $9 eacli.306.00 
2 Mantels. 3 Shelves, complete. 68.00 
Closet finish, complete . 38.24 
Range and Plumbing, complete.175.00 
Nails, $16; Painting, $60 : Cartage, $15. 91.00 
f8 r. ., nr... 111 ^*1 lldo/i oltOVO ^ 150,00 
IX.VIIh, ^)1U j X illlltlllHI fuv « OIU 
Carpenter s labor not included above.. 
Total Cost, complete.$y,uuo.uJ 
