Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1900 — The Big Barn Completed. [ARTICLE]

The Big Barn Completed.

What is probably the largest and most up-to-date farm barn in Indiana was completed at the college farm, just south of town, last week. G. W. Andrus of Surrey, was the contractor and builder of the woodwork of the big structure, and the work was done to the complete satisfaction of the farm managers. On Saturday the college people royally entertained contractor and workmen to a fine dinner and escorted them through the college and explained many* matters of interest in the different departments. Mr. Andrus and his men were also much pleased with the treatment accorded them while at work upon the building, and says that he has never done work for finer people.

A brief difeription of this mammoth barn will be of interest to nanny readers of The Democrat who have not had an opjaortanity to see it The structure is 75x150 feet on the ground and has a 10 foot basement underneath the whole of it. It is 20 feet from the basement ceiling to the eaves, or 30 foot from the ground to the eaves. . The roof has a raise of 30 feet to the comb, and contains 156 squares. It took six carloads of slate to cover the roof. There are three ventilators, two 5x5 and one 6x6 feet. There are two 14-foot driveways to the main floor and one 16-foot (the center one) driveway. The basement is built with four rows of stalls the whole length of the 150 feet, and will stable 300 head of cattle. It has three feed alleys and two driveways the whole length for taking up the droppings of the cattle. There are two silos each 8 feet in diameter and 28 feet deep. A double reversible haycarrier takes up the hay from the center driveway and carries it to either end of the huge structure. About 100 feet of line shafting runs through the west side and an engine house will be built near the barn and an engine stationed therein for furnishing Sower for threshing, cutting foder, grinding, etc. This mammoth barn contains about 150,000 feet of lumber, and eight carpenters have been employed about all summer in working upon it. It is sided with Kin i do'il h’-beaded barn siding, t’be n>'.ll t-ontnins 556 bracesaud I { OO .i< <■ ’re ir’“d in pinning the , fi i.ne U> t I'b r. Jt<eost whs be-' ’’v«en mx id seven thoa .and dot- 1 'i: It « Il Ik>usc all the stock , 1 dpr k'u r’iiwt’d up u the col- !.( j i'arni