88 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST* 
[MATiCIT, 
Fig. 1.—FRONT OR SOUTH-EAST ELEVATION. 
A Convenient House of Medium Size. 
Half-a-dozen houses, alike in plan, and differing a little 
in size, are now being completed in Flushing, L. I. 
They are designed to furnish comfortable homes for 
such as desire a convenient house, at a cost of about 
$5,000, exclusive of land. They were planned by the 
senior Publisher of this Journal, who has a fondness for 
mechanical constructions, as a pastime, especially in the 
way of house-building. The Elevations are seen in 
figs. 1 and 2. The houses face southward to the street, 
and fig. 1 shows a view from the south-east. Fig 2 gives 
the opposite, or north-west view. It will be seen, by fig. 
2, that the rear is almost as tastefully finished as is the 
front. As previously remarked in these pages, people 
see their own houses from the rear oftener than from the 
front; and their own taste and self-respect should be con¬ 
sulted, by having the house look well on all sides—not a 
fine front for show to others, and a cheap look in the rear 
for their own habitual observation. Besides, few houses 
are so situated as not to be seen on every side from some 
point. A few dollars in window caps, etc., make all the 
difference_The siding (fig. 6) is of 10-inch boards, a full 
inch thick, and grooved in the middle, to give the appear¬ 
ance of narrow boarding. The lap is 1 inch, which 
prevents the entrance of cold air. This siding is to be 
greatly commended. The joints are very close, and but 
half as many as in ordinary clapboarding. These thick 
boards add greatly to the warmth and solidity of the 
walls. With such siding, the house is many times 
stronger than with ordinary clapboards, though the up¬ 
right timbers be only half as large. The cost is but little 
greater.Bricks, laid in mortar, with an open space 
on each side, fill all the walls, from the cellar to the roof. 
The Mansard-Roof is covered on the sides with blue 
slate, laid over a double thickness of felting, and on the 
top with heavy tin. The Mansard-roof is set more per¬ 
pendicularly than has been the usual custom. This makes 
the rooms in the third story very commodious, and it 
improves the general outside appearance.The 
Cellar is of brick, nearly five feet out of ground, with 
large windows. Except in very cold localities, houses 
are generally set too low. It is more healthful to have 
the living rooms well above the 
soil in all cases. The cellar is 
lighter, and more airy, and, if de¬ 
sired, may be plastered and used 
for laundry or cooking purposes. 
First Story, fig. 3.—flight to 
the ceiling, 1014 ft. The Piazza , P, 
supported on brick piers, extends 
around two sides, with banisters, 
and front and side steps. The 
Front Hall, A, is wide. This al¬ 
ways gives character to a house ; 
a narrow entrance Hall dwarfs an 
entire house. A side door, under 
the stairs, opens on to the side 
piazza. The Parlor, B, is ample 
for all ordinary purposes, and is 
much improved in convenience, 
pleasantness, and apparent size, 
by the Bay-Window. Double win¬ 
dows open down to the piazza 
floor in front. Bk is a bell-pull to 
the kitchen.—The Living and Din¬ 
ing-Boom, D, is of good size, and 
is also improved materially by the 
bay-window. These bay-windows 
also add much to the outside look 
of the house, as is seen in fig. 2. Closets are marked at E 
and c. This room communicates, by doors, directly with 
the Parlor and Kitchen, and also, through the hall, with 
the front and side doors, and the cellar under the stairs. 
B'Ah is a bell-pull to the third story hall (Q, fig. 5), to call 
servants or others from that floor. The Kitchen, C, is of 
ample dimensions, with Pantry, E, and small pantry, or 
hall, F, opening out upon the rear steps. The great 
feature of this room is the convenience of water and 
washing fixtures, which should be in every house, even 
though the expense be cut off somewhere else. A 
“ Victory” Cooking Range, r, with water-back, connects 
with the 30-gallon Copper Boiler, h. The Force-Pump- 
fp, in the corner, draws water from the reservoir through 
tin-lined pipe, for the sink, s, and, when required in 
a dry season, it fills the supply Tank in the third story 
(fig. 5). A stop-cock, over the sink, also supplies hot 
water to it. The two stationary wash-tubs, ww, are sup¬ 
plied with hot and cold water pipes and stop-cocks, and 
large waste pipes. This arrangement saves all lifting of 
tubs and carrying out water, and furnishes hot and cold 
water always at hand. The ordinary fire keeps 30 gal¬ 
lons always hot. Where there is much washing to 
be done, it is equivalent to saving half the labor of one 
woman. The entire cost (excluding the Range, which 
saves the cost of a cooking stove), 
but including all pipes, third story 
tank, etc., is less than $250—in¬ 
volving an annual interest of less 
than $20. It is worth $100, or 
more, to every housekeeper, and 
will save that sum in hired help, 
in strength, and doctor’s bills. 
Let all house-builders look to pro¬ 
curing boilers, and stationary 
wash-tubs. Those who have not 
looked into it can hardly appre¬ 
ciate the great advantage of them. 
The tubs, tank, and pipes, are 
placed on the south, or warmest 
sidffof the house, and kept away 
from the walls with double plaster¬ 
ing behind them, which prevent 
winter freezing. Ventilators are 
in every room in both stories. 
Second Story. Fig. 4. — 
Hight to coiling 9 feet. The 
wide hall gives a convenient bed¬ 
room, or store-room, at L. The 
front chamber, G, has two closets, 
c, c, which are not only convenient, 
but with the arch thrown over 
between them, they give the appearance of a bay-window, 
and brake up the box-like look of any room. This is 
intended for the family bedroom. On the right side, 
over the bed, is, Bk. a bell to the kitchen ; BZh, a bell to 
the 3rd story hall, to call servants in the morning; Sk, a 
speaking tube to the kitchen to talk with, or give orders 
to the servants or others there, and, S/d, a speaking tube 
to the front door, opening just over the bell, to speak 
with any caller at night, without having to dress and go 
down. These little contrivances cost no great sum, and 
are a material help iu saving woman’s stops. They are 
built into the walls when constructing the house. Sk in 
//is a bell-pull to the kitchen. There arc two closets c, c, 
in this room. The chamber /, has a closet, c; room for a 
full-sized bed at y, and a wash-sink at S-hciv, with stop¬ 
cocks over it in pipes carrying hot and cold water. The 
waste-pipe is large, so that, if preferred, it can be used 
as a chamber-slop sink. This arrangement saves all car¬ 
rying of water up and down stairs, and gives constant 
hot and cold water on the second floor. If desired, a bath¬ 
tub can be placed in I, by simply connecting it with the 
hot and cold water pipes, and its waste-pipe with the 
sink-waste. The house is designed for a large family (8 
sleeping rooms), but if this room (/) is not needed, it can 
be readily converted into a bath-room, store-room, etc. 
The stairs to the Third Story are omitted by the engraver. 
They are directly over the lower flight, the entrance be¬ 
ing at the left of the door to L, with a half turn in tho 
Fig. 4.—SECOND STORY—FLOOR PLAN. 
steps. It will be noted in fig. 3, that the Main Hall. A, 
is well lighted by a side window at the foot of the stairs. 
'E'ltird Story. Fig. 5.—Hight to ceiling S% feet. 
This has four finished bedrooms also, as shown on the 
plan. They are full size to 4 feet High, and the slightly 
Fig. 5.—THIRD STORY—FLOOR PLAN. 
inclining Mansard-roof and dormer windows, render them 
almost equal to the rooms in the second story. U, is near¬ 
ly large enough for the largest sized bed. The Water Tank 
holding 450 gallons, receives the water directly from the 
