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DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
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BARN DESIGNED
FOR SILL FARM
Liberal Use of Concrete in Its
Foundation Assures Permanence.
HAS LARGE STORAGE SPACE
Self-Supporting Roof Helps to Pro
vide for That Important Matter
Central Feed Alley Saves Much
Work Ample Provision
for Ventilation.
By WILLIAM A. RADFORD.
Mr, William A. Radford will nnswor
questions and give ndvlco FIIEB OP
COST on till subjects pertaining to the
subject of building work on the farm, for
tho readers of this paper. On account of
his wldo experience) as Editor, Author and
Manufacturer, ho is, without doubt, tho
highest authority on all these subjects.
Address all Inquiries to William A. Rad
ford, No. 1827 Prairie uvenue. Chicago,
111., and only Inclose, two-cent stamp for
reply.
There. Is no renson why tho small
farm should not have buildings of as
high quality as those of the larger
farms. There Is little saving realized
in tho long run when cheap, poorly
constructed buildings are placed on a
farm of any size. Small buildings may
bo constructed with just as careful re
gard for the latest ideas In farm
hulldlng construction as tho larger
structures. In order that n barn shall
follow tho latest practice in farm-build-ing
design It must bo provided with a
largo number of windows which will
allow the sunlight to penetrate every
corner, nnd there must be n system of
scientific ventilntlon to insure the
health of live stoclc kept In tho barn
juid prevent the formation of condi
tions resulting In an Increased flro
risk.
Tho permanence of a barn Is depend
ent very largely upon its foundation.
When tho structure is given n good
coat of paint at regular Intervals and
no accident occurs which weakens It at
any point, the only rapid deterioration
which is likely to occur is tho rotting
of timbers kept moist by an improperly-constructed
foundation system. Con-
Is n substnntlnl-loolclns fnrm barn of
small size designed in accordance with
most approved practlco in farm-build-
Ing architecture. It Is 82 feet by 20
feet In size on tho ground, and tho
roof reaches up high enough to mako
n good-sized mow over tho slnble.
The concrcto foundation is built up
above tho level of tho barnyard about
IS inches to protect the sills of tho
building from moisture." The sill of
tho wooden building Is laid In soft con
crete mortar on top of the foundation
wall, nnd anchor bolts tie the sill firm
ly to tho concrete.
The floor over tho cow stable and
horse stable Is mndo In tho usual way,
except that the joists are tied together
at tho ends nnd spiked into tho stud
ding ut tho sides to tie tho building to
gether. The timbers nro all light and
nrc put together on tho plank framo
construction plan, so that tho trussed
crosstics help mnterlally in making n
solid building.
Tho shape of tho roof also strength
ens tho building, so that even though
tho timbers are light the structure is
very strong.
There is one central feed alley,
which serves the horbes on one side
and the cows on the other, n plan
which saves a great many steps at
feeding time.
Dutch dodrs are provided so that
the upper parts of tho doors may bo
left open for ventilntlon.
The horse stalls arc mado to use as
doublo stalls when necessary. Thero
is a door which makes the standing
doublo stall Into a box stall when this
Is an advantage. The box stall with
the outsitlo door is convenient for n
marc and foal, since they can run out
Into tho yard and come back to tho
stable at feeding time and at night
Box stnlls are convenient In all barns
where live stock is stabled.
An Interesting feature of the plan
Is tho liny door. It is made ten feet In
width nnd is hung with weights like
a window sash, so that It may be
moved up or down and left in nny po
sition wanted. In summer time while
the mow is being filled nnd for some
time after, this door Is pulled down to
tho (full opening. Afterwards It may
bo partially closed until the hay is
done sweating.
The weights move up and down In
boxes at the sides of the studding. A
raceway a little longer thnu the height
of tho door is necessary to allow for
tho stretch of the cord.
Gambrel roofs are becoming quite
common In different parts of the coun-
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(f OD be meraral unto us, and Hess us; and
xJ us: Selah. That thv wav mniav be knowirri urooira Eairfl-lk fl-W vi
health
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cause his face to shine upon
us; &
among all nations
le praise
even our own God, s.
the Earth shall' fear
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ess us.
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praase jutiee,
yield her increase; and God,
bless us; and all the ends
From the 67th Psalm.
JfMISE HIM Jor
Thisllasi Precious
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cretc has furnished one of the most
useful of materials In building farm
structures which do not rot along tho
sills. By carrying the concrete founda
tion walls up 18 Inches or two feet
above grade and bolting the sills to the
fop of these walls the moisture Is kept
away from the wood and rotting Is pre
vented. In addition, tho walls nnd
floors mny bo made of concrete
throughout, furnishing strong construe
lion and making the barn very easy to
Veep clean.
Tho heavy timber construction of
barns In which numerous braces nnd
lies were placed across the haymow
to Interfere with tho storngo space
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" Alley 1
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1 1 1 1 MAHan 1 1 -n
' Feed Alley 1
B MANGER H I
B JTEEL QOW STMjfe I
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Litter Alley
Floor Plan of Barn.
nnd add cost to the construction is
i.ow a thing of tho past. Barns uro
built now with self-supporting roofs
shaped to provide the greatest possible
.storage spaco In tho mow without us
ing unnecessary lumber. Tho strength
of tho structure Is not lessened, It is a
great deal easier to build, and the mow
mny be filled moro quickly with a Inrg
iv quantity of material.
The barn shown In the Illustrations
try. People are becoming accustomed
to them and are, In fact, beginning to
lrke their appearance. Their main ad
vantage, however, Is in the strength
of the roof truss which may be used
in their construction, assuring a solid
building, while nt the same time there
Is furnished large mow room In pro
portion to the amount of material in
the roof, nnd tho free space is not In
terfered with by braces or cross tim
bers. Tho strength comes from the num
ber, shape and construction of tho
trusses. Each pair of rafters forms a
truss which reaches from one sill to
tho other. The roof boards are firm
ly nailed to tho trussed rafters, so
that the whole root Is us strong as If
It were In one piece. It is strongly
recommended thnt the roof bonrds
shall be placed close together so ull
shingle nails are usually zlnc-conted
and should be long enough to reuch
clear through. Good shingles put on
In this way will last n great many
years.
Warm and foul air Is expelled from
the building by a single largo ventila
tor placed In the center of tho roof.
A small barn built In the substan
tial manner cnllcd for by this design
Is not only far better-appearing than
a cheaper structure, but when it has
once been properly constructed it lb
ready for a long period of use, during
which time tho money spent for re
pairs will bo practically nothing,
Miss
Knowing Him Like a Book.
"IIo bus a tltlo?" remarked
Cayenne inquiringly.
"Yes," replied the young woman.
"Have you learned all about his per
sonal history?"
"I don't think I have."
"Well, I should advise you to do so.
In my reading I have found that a very
charming title mny go with n highly
unsatisfactory story."
N AN evening of this week it occurred
to a man, sitting nlonff In an upper
room, that Thanksgiving day was
right at hand. So he bestirred his
mind to consider those things, for
which an Americnn might sensibly
offer uo gratitude to God.
lie reflected that across tho Atlantic millions
of human beings were at thnt very moment en
gaged In the dreadful task of killing other human
beings with every Invention which Ingenuity nnd
skill could bring forth from the laboratories of
science and the workshops of Industry.
In other lands nt that very moment tens of
thousands upon tens of thousands of helpless
folk feeble, aged men nnd women, mothers with
babes clinging convulsively to their breasts, little
children sobbing In terror, a vast army of tho In
nocent nnd tho anguished were enduring tho ex
tremities of exposure, of hunger, and of despair
as they lied from their wasted furmstends and
burning villages, escaping from the pitiless cruelty
of savage men only to" lie down to suffer and die
under the pitiless skies of God In the winter and
the bitter storms.
At that very moment most dreadful war hid
half tho world In the blackness of Its darkness
nnd from that horrid cloud rained destruction
upon unhappy Europe upon her ancient capitals,
upon her pleasant cities, upon her villages, her
fields, her temples, her treasures of art, upon all
the accumulations of a thousand yenrs of genius,
of learning, of industry, of skill nnd of patient
ndvnncemeut of tho happiness and tho clvjllzatlon
of the race of man.
So ho thnt considered all this wickedness that
was being dono under tho sun, this drunken dance
of denth nnd hell abovo the fetid corpses nnd the
multitudinous graves, this awful nightmare of In
describable woe and wrath, said in tho bitterness
of his heart that no God ruled over such a maniac
world nnd there was no thanksgiving duo to tho
Giver of Gifts thnt were not good, but everyone
altogether evil.
And when tho m.in had made an end of his
thinking, ho went nnd stood In a window and
looked out upon (ho evening, because It was fair
to see.
He saw In vision nt that Instant the vnslncss
of the republic nnd tho multitude of the good and
happy folk Mho live under tho shelter of Its
strength. He reflected how brief a tlnio had thus
magnified the works of our pioneer fathers nnd
our pioneer mothers, those brave and simple men
and women whose nnmes should never bo men
tioned with anything but profound gratitude.
And to this Americnn, glad with a great pride
In the deeds of his people nnd the story of his
country, nnd grateful to tho Goodness which hns
guided and sheltered his fathers and his folk,
lifted up his eyes to the night, to the quiet stars,
to the brooding immensity above, and said In his
henrt:
"Thank God thnt I am an American I"
And, citizens, thnt Is the ono outstanding,
splendid fact for which each ono of us should
soberly and most gratefully thank God on Thanks
giving dny this year.
Tho flnebt thing you possess or ever can pos
sess Is Just your American citizenship. It Is
neither necessary nor becoming, on this dny or
on any other dny, to chenpen this birthright of
ours by brag 'or spreadonglu declamntlon.
But It Is highly becoming on this Thanksgiving
day to feel a deep gratitude and a manly prldo
hi this heritage.
And so wo firmly believe you do feel.
Wo all hear it repeated that patriotism Is a
thing of tho pnst; that our people have become
commercialized; thnt tho masses have no deep
rooted loyalty to the country; that our rich men
put dollurs above the obligations of their citizen
ship; thnt our poor folk care little for tho Ideals
of free government; that wo Americans nro de
cadent In the virtues nnd valor which marked
our fathers.
That Is not true.
If there be nny power In the world which plots
war against us Americans nnd promises Itself vic
tory over us on tho assumption of our decadence
In loyalty, that power will find how terrible wns
its mistake when our country calls her sons to
battle In her defense.
Wo hnve, It Is true, lu our capacity as a col
lective people, left undone things that should
hnve been done nnd done things which Bhould
hnvo been left undone; and thero Is more truth
than thero should be In much thnt Is jeotlngly
said by thoso who hoto us.
Wo acknowledge that much of our politics of
fends common decency.
We see, hero nnd there, painful evidence, of cor
ruption among lawmakers and even among the
Judges, who should know only Justice nnd In
tegrity. We see rich men who do betray their country
and foul their hands and soil their souls witli
most Infamous dealings nnd most shameful
profits.
Wo see Americans who do put the dollar above
every consideration of right and duly, above tho
claims of our common humanity.
But while these things nro true, It Is truo also
that the heart and conscience of tho Americnn
people, take them as a nation, nre sound nnd
sane and wholesome.
The blood of our fathers still runs In tho veins
of their sons. Tho spirit of tho nation mny In-
x. a 1 a 1 'a'.VuSsssiA.iiiVSft.ivsyWii)1Ajjvj'LA.ft-t
U. S. TROOPS MAY USE CACTUS FOR WATER f
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In tho pursuit or Vlllu nnd his bandits through
tho arid regions of northern Mexico tho United
States troops traversed a region whose only vego
tntlon Is the barbed nnd forbidding cactus. To
any hut n con boy or a trained plnlnsmun of tho
Southwest, inhabitants themselves of tho "cactus
belt," this plant seemingly has no more vnluo than
tho veriest weed, but It mny well be thnt It may
prove of great value to tho troops In tho absence
of water, fodder, or even food for human beings.
In the punitive expedition there are many cow
punchers of tl o "cuctus belt" serving as scouts,
and In tho cowboy uud Vic Indian of the South
west tho lowly cactus hns Its grontest admirer, for"
l hey know what u game struggle for life this plant
hns to make against an unluved jjesert soil. Even
their ponies and cattle nnd the poor beasts of tho
desert know of these uses of the cactus for water
and fodder, says tho New York Herald.
There are some thousand varieties of this mon
strous vogetnble family, not counting tho iJOO va
rieties of the agave, or century plant Incorrectly
Included by many In northern Mexico. Tho va
rieties of tho yucen pnlm nnd nil other forms of
vegetation known to the arid region have tho same
faculty of sucking up from tho soil every drop of
tho nil too Ilttlo moisture lu It nnd storing It up In
their tough and leathery leaves and roots.
Of tho many varieties perhaps tho most romnrk
able is that member of tho family known to thoso
schooled In desert craft ns tho "water barrel." This
plant Is shnped somewhat llko a beer keg and Is
about tho saino size. Through all the years of Its
growth It has been sopping up whnt moisture tho
famished earth contained and retaining it. It Is tho
solo rellnnco of desert dwellers In time of drought,
and tho troops, far from water holes and with wa
ter scarce, may yet bo obliged to drink from It
Tho "wntcr burrcl" Is tapped by slicing oft tho
top with u sword or machete nnd pounding tho
pulp until tho wnter contained In It wells, up luto
tho saucer thus formed. Tho pulp Itself la pure
and the water stored in It Is likewise pnro and re
freshing. Not all-the. water-hearing cacti nre as gracious to
famishing man, however, as the "water bnrrel," for
most of them have protected themselves against
tho maraudings of thoso who would drink and live
by Imparting a bitter taste to tho wnter they con
tain. Tho. "peyoto" especially, which abounds in
the plains uud deserts of Arizona, has a tilck of
discouraging depredations upon It, for Its plump
nnd Juicy pulp secretes n bitter nnd poisonous
Juice.
In the Inst dozen years scientists have Interested
themselves In the study of tho caclus for its possi
bilities as food, fodder and economic by-products.
Dr. Leon E. lindane, foremost In the study of this
desert plant, -several years ugo conducted extensive
experiments In Los Angeles to nsccrtnlu tho value
of the thornless cactus as nn article of food fur
human beings. .In an effort to prove his conten
tion that It contains food properties sufllclcnt to
enable n man to work 38 hours n day, ho and Ills
two secretaries for two weeks lived on a dally diet
of tho leaves and fruit of tho cactus, tho former
being Served green or fried nnd the latter either
raw or cooked. Whllo tho "cactus squad" sur
vived the experience nnd professor to hnve en
Joyed their novel diet, It Is a fact that thu cactus
never has attained tho popularity of n lllct mlgnon.
In tho whole vegetable kingdom probably there
Is not another plant family having so many dif
ferentiations of form as tho cacti. For It is pos
sible to find ninong them species that crawl and
creep like vines, other than stand orect lu n slnglo
unbending stalk, llko it green living monument of
tho desert; MM others that aro rooted to tho spot,
with their highest growth close to tho ground-nnd
hearing almost no resemblanco to. usual forms of
vegetation, nnd others, again, that branch out In
thick uiihlooinlug branches.
J
deed seem to slumber In tho soft bed of long
enjoyed pence and security. But let war come
ugainst the hind nnd no man need doubt thnt that
spirit will spring up Instantly nwnko.
We can rightfully be grateful that It has fallen
to our happy lot to live In this most wonderful )
of all ages and to be citizens of this most won
derful of nil tho nations. ,
Let your hearts swell with Just prldo ns you
contemplate your country, so nugust, so splendid,
so renowned In tho earth.
Look upon your ling ns It streams its bright
folds yonder above your bends with proud nnd
happy eyes. Hemember how honorable Is Itn
story, and forget not how mnny thousands of
bravo and good men died thnt It might wnvo yon
der, tho ensign of u freo people.
Tell to your children "the story of their fore
bears, of thoso men and women who, timid tho
wilderness and forests that stood where now
stand nighty cities and stretch cultivated farms,
erected, ivlth hardships and endurance and most
heroic faith-nnd valor, tho noblo edlflco of our
republican liberties.
Speak to tjiem of Bunker Hill and Valloy Forgo
and Saratoga and i'orktown, nnd of the great
Declaration thnt most fnmous Charter of Hu
man Freedom.
Tell them to thank God for their fathers' nnd
mothers' hardihood and courage, for tho wars
they fought, for tho victories they. won.
Tell them to snlute their flag with high and
proud hearts.
Tell them to thank God this Thanksgiving dny
that they uro Americans.
And then do you soberly, gratefully, proudly
thank God yourself that you nro nn Amerlcun.
Oh, dear and mighty motherland, what better
gift or moro to bo desired could God give than to
bo born nnd to die, strong Daughter of Liberty,
between thy shining feet I From tho Chicago
American. '
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