Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1912 — THE AMERICAN HOME [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE AMERICAN HOME

WIR-ARADFORD EDITOR

tic.r.Tja _.'i i£ v •"? *> r '.' Mr. 'William A. Radford will answer Questions and give advice FREE OF COST on all subjects pertaining to the subject of building, for the renders of this . paper. On account of his wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, he is, without doubt, the highest authority on All these'subjects. Address all Inquiries to William A, Radford, No. 178 West Jackson boulevard, Chicago, 111., and only enclose two-cent stamp for reply. ; .f This house plan appeals to me as being one. of the neatest pud most interesting low-cost houses I ‘ever built. The plan lends Itself to a splendid arrangement of rooms, both upstairs and down. It is easy to arrange the necessary conveniences when the rear of the house is wider than the front, and this object is easily accomplished with a two-section roof-on the three-gable plan—one of the post satisfactory roofs ever built. This style of roof dates back to the earliest American architecture. It originated ttt the efforts of builders to add' a pleasing front to the old-fashioned long houses built with the eide to the road; but this plan has been Miproved upon, until the completed house shows very little resemblance to the original efforts in this direction. ‘ While the front part of the house is pleasing and the arrangement Is almost perfect, the rear section is given np entirely to the dining room, kitchen and the accessories to these rooms. While we all like to see a pretty parlor and an attractive hall, we should remember that a house Is built to live In next year and for a good many years to come. The work of getting meals Is about the same, day after day: and year after year. Meals are prepared in the kitchen and served In the dining room three times dally, and a little saving in work each time amounts to a great deal in the aggregate. A dining room 12 feet wide and 26 feet 6 inches long Is unusual, even in a large house. This is not a' large house, but there is room enough for a large dining room without encroaching on anything else. • The little'square hall in the rear is

really a vestibule. It Is the right place for an fee-box, away from the heat of the kitchen, but not far enough away to be Inconvenient. 1 like to see a refrigerator close to the outside entrance. Ice comes in dripping wet in warm weather, and the man who carries It usually has more or less mud and dirt on his boots, it is & great saving on a woman’s nerves to have dirt left outside, or as near outside as possible. Then there is a saving of ice by having the refrigerator in a comparatively cool place. If we have our own ice-house, the work of getting the ice put, washing it, and putting it into the ice-box is

considerable, so that the economy, even in this case, is advisable; bat when ice is bought and paid tor at sity for bsAg careful is much greater. Sometimes it is not convenient to When placed next to the outside wail, loci', install a piece of gas pipe with an elbcrw, and ran the pipe outside. One house that was built like this had ' "*-V - *>

drip carried to a bed of mint. We ail know how to appreciate roast lamb with mint sauce;*and when the mint is gathered fresh and clean at the side of the house, it is much more of a delicacy than when bought from the market and carted around through the dust for 24 hours before being delivered. Mint will grow fairly well in the garden if lightly shaded; but It is a water-loving plant, and does better when it gets a continual supply of moisture. If the pipe from the icebox is short, the water is likely to be rather cold. It Is better to run the water Along an open trough for a distance of eight to feet feet, to raise the temperature of the drip water. FOr this .purpose an open trough is better than a pipe, for two reasons:

the water is exposed to the atmosphere, and warms up much better to summer; and, if the ice-box is used in cold weather, a trough will not burst when the water freezes. Am other drain for an Ice-box that oamo under my observation, was carried to a porcelain dish for the benefit of the birds. It kept a constant supply of water in a shallow dish, and the birds

enjoyed their dally bath during the warm weather. It was amusing to see them splash the water about This was an occurrence that interested and delighted the children very much. This style of house just suits a twostory porch, and the porch seems to fit the house as though l.t grew there. It is not,, always easy to .arrange a ' porch' on three sides of a house with- ‘ out making some of the rooms dark, but that objection is eliminated in this plan. This style of porch is a finish to the building and is a great protection to both front and side doors opening into_thejiining room. I like an outside entrance to the dining room, especially where the room is large and not overcrowded with furniture. 1 think most house wives like this arrangement also. A dining room Is not furnished usually so expensively as a front parlor. When there is a side entrance the Immediate friends of the family usually step right Into the inner circle without the formality of ringing the front door bell. There is an element of sociability In this sort of thing that Induces comfort I do not believe in furnishing a parlor In such a way that it is too nice to use. 1 believe in comfort first and show afterward; hut at the same time it is considerable w?Trk to keep the frorit part of the house in first-class condition and have every member of the family running through It continually. A woman dislikes to order, the children out of the parlor, to stay out, unless they have some other place to go, and there should be a comfortable place for the children In every home. The dining room in this house offers a solution of the problem. With a good grate and a cheerful fire in cold weather, the youngsters will be round in the dining room every, time, unless the old folks are so .selfish that they are obliged to find recreation at one of The size of this house is 33 feet 6 of the porch, which is large enough to ***** *

Second Floor Plan.

?irst Floor Plan.