A DWELLING OF MODERATE COST.
This cottage is built in Plymouth Park, Buzzard’s Bay, near Wareham, Mass., one of the most charming locations on the New England coast. From the veranda a beautiful view is obtained of the bay and coast. The cottage is erected on one of the knolls (which is one of the features of the park), and has for a background a grove of pine and oak trees. The shingles are treated with “Cabot’s creosote stains” of the following colors: On roofs, a steel gray, and on sides, sienna. The clapboards are painted a light olive green and trimmed with bronze green and Indian red. The studs of hall, dining room, and parlor are exposed, and together with underboarding and beams overhead are planed and sand‐papered, and all woodwork is given two coats of shellac of light finish. The second floor is plastered (sand finish). The contract price for cottage was $2,800 complete. The architect is Chas. E. Miller, 149 Broadway, N. Y.
Specification.
general conditions.
The contractor is to give his personal superintendence to the work, and to furnish all transportation, labor, materials, apparatus, scaffolding, and utensils needful for performing the work in the best workmanlike manner, according to the true intent and meaning of the drawings and these specifications, which are intended to be co‐operative, and when anything is shown on plans and not mentioned in specification, or vice versa, the same is to be furnished as though it were both shown and specified. This specification and the drawings annexed are intended to include everything requisite to the proper and entire finishing of carpenter’s, mason’s, and plumber’s work, and the same shall be furnished, notwithstanding every item necessarily involved in the above words is not particularly mentioned.
All work when finished is to be delivered up in an undamaged state, without exception, except where otherwise specified, all materials to be of their respective kinds, and all labor to be done in the best workmanlike manner, to the full satisfaction of owner. Should the contractor introduce, at any time, materials different from the sort and quality herein specified, the same shall be removed and made good at the contractor’s expense.
The contractor will be held responsible for all portions of the work let to him.
The contractor shall make no alterations of the drawings or specification, but should any error or inconsistency appear in these, it shall be the duty of the contractor to duly notify architect, who will make proper adjustment. The contractor is to give to the proper authorities all requisite notices of the work in his charge, obtain official permits and licenses for temporary obstructions and pay all proper fees for the same, and to be solely answerable for all damage to neighboring premises or to the person or property of the public by himself or his men or through any operatives under his charge, whether in contract or extra work. Contractor is to protect his work from frost until building is finished, and is to cart away all rubbish and leave the whole broom clean. All drawings, etc., are to be returned to the architect, and are not to be used for any other building.
CARPENTER.
Scantling.—Sills over piers 6″ × 8″, sills that rest on stone wall 4″ × 6″, all to be halved and pinned at angles. Plates 4″ × 4″, posts 4″ × 6″, girts 4″ × 4″, braces 2″ × 4″, studding 2″ × 4″. The studding of hall, parlor, and dining room to be planed and chamfered.
Partition caps 2″ × 4″ to be planed in the above rooms. Soles 2″ × 4″ as well. First floor beams 2″ × 8″, 16″ on centers. Second floor 2″ × 8″, 16″ on centers, and to be dressed when exposed in above rooms. Attic beams 2″ × 8″, 16″ on centers. All beams under partitions to be doubled and spiked. Trimmers ditto.
Main Roof.—Rafters 2″ × 8″, 2′ on centers. Valley rafters 3″ × 10″.
Veranda.—Girders 4″ × 8″, floor beams 2″ × 6″, 2′ on centers. Rafters 2″ × 6″ (dressed). Posts constructed of studs. Hemlock boards and shingles. Veranda roof timber will be exposed and dressed, floor to be merchantable yellow pine, free from large loose knots, shakes, or sap. Balcony floors to be covered with heavy canvas and slushed over with metallic paint, to be graded away from wall of house.
Framing.—The house to be framed and braced in a perfect and substantial manner, and to be perfectly plumb and true. All beams to be spiked together where practicable, so as to form tie across building. All framing of beams to be with tenon and tusk. Roofs strongly framed and cross bridges, first and third tier of beams. Gutters on roof to be hung of galvanized iron. Veranda to be built in and lined with Merchant & Company’s roofing tin (or plates). There will be three 4″ galvanized iron leaders for main roof, and one in front for veranda. (See plans.)
Gables.—Construct gables as shown.
Roofing.—Cover all roofs with sawed pine shingles 6″ × 18″, three shingles to the lap. On main roofs these to be nailed on shingle laths; on veranda roofs, on spruce boards, underside dressed (as specified). Flashing of Merchant & Company’s old method roofing plates. Flash around chimney, valleys, and junction of roofs with walls of house.
Walls.—The walls of hall, dining room, and parlor to be covered with good ⅞″ pine boards dressed on exposed side; all other underboarding to be of hemlock of even thickness. Over this cover walls with felt paper, and then on first story cover paper with clear pine clapboards 5″ to weather. Above felt cover paper with 6″× 16″ sawed pine shingles not more than 6″ to weather. Between partitions of hall, dining room, and parlor fit ⅞″ pine boards, dressed on both sides, with ¼ round mould to keep panel in place; the sheathing on other sides of room dressed on one side; boards not more than 5″ wide.
Bases.—Form base as shown of 1½″ thick pine.
Casings.—1¼″ thick and 2″ wide.
Furring.—Fur out the walls of stairs to cellar (corner boards to be 4″ wide, 1¼″ thick; put on angle beads where necessary).
Outside Step.—⅞″ thick riser, 1¼″ thick tread.
Flooring.—First and second floors to be made of good T. and G. yellow pine in rooms over hall, parlor, and dining room; to be dressed on both sides; third floor spruce; all to be not more than 5″ wide.
Partitions.—Set the partitions between hall, parlor, dining room, pantry, kitchen, and cellar stairs with 2″ × 4″ spruce, studs dressed and chamfered. (Note.—This is to be done so as to make a uniform appearance in hall, dining room, and parlor.) Studs of all other partitions of hemlock. Construct woodwork between piers, as shown.
Interior Stock.—All the stock for inside finish to be best quality, well seasoned, smoothed, and sand‐papered, and, unless otherwise specified, of white pine. Hardwood saddles for all hearths and door openings.
Architraves.—All doors and windows to have ⅞″ × 5″ plain architrave with moulding and bead on ends. No splicing allowed.
Doors.—Front door to be 2″ thick, of design shown (cherry). All other doors to have 1⅝″ thick four paneled stock door (local manufacture), and, unless otherwise shown, to be 2′ 6″ × 7′ 6″. The openings from hall to parlor and dining room to be: hall and parlor, 7′ × 7′ 6″; hall and dining room, 6′ × 7′ 6″. Bases 6″ high, moulded (in bed rooms, closets, and pantries).
Door Frames.—All door frames to have 1⅛″ thick jamb, with stops nailed on.
Window Frames.—All windows, unless otherwise shown, to have box frames with pockets; sills to have sub‐sill, upper sill, plowed, etc., and given proper pitch.
Sashes.—All sashes to be 1⅝″ thick, with lights as shown, and to have moulded sash bars. All sliding sashes to be double hung, the best steel axle pulleys, hemp sash cords, and iron weights. Cellar windows to have plank frame hinged at top. Casements to be hinged and have spring catches.
Bath Room.—Sheathe up sides of bath tub, riser of water closet and basin, with clear white pine ⅝″ thick; wainscoating of bath room of same stuff 4′ 6″ high with neat mould on top. Make a batten door under basin with catch, etc. Door in riser of and in top of water closet and bath to be black walnut put on with brass screws.
Closets.—Fit up closets, except as otherwise specified, with one shelf, and cleat under for books. Bed room in attic to be furred as shown.
Dressers.—Fit up dresser in kitchen of clear white pine, glass doors at top and drawers and cupboards under; dressers in pantry to be the same.
Blinds.—Provide and hang to all windows of first and second floors 1¼″ outside blinds of two folds properly hinged, and having rolling slats.
Base Knobs.—To all doors, and to have rubber tips.
Hardware.—Butts.—All doors to be properly hung with japanned butts of requisite sizes. Locks.—The front door to be supplied with brass faced mortise, patent reversible front door knob lock with night work, with two keys to each combination, and brass striking plate. All other doors (except closets) to have 4″ mortised locks, brass face and brass striking plate. Closets to have rim locks. All locks to have brass keys. Knobs.—The front door to have a plain 2½″ round bronze knob, with bronze rose and drop escutcheon to match. All other knobs to be (black) terra cotta with bronze iron mounting, etc. Bell pulls.—The bell pull to front door to be bronze, to match front door hardware. Bolts.—The rear door to kitchen to have two barrel bolts; door to cellar one, doors to bulkhead to have brass padlock with staples, etc. Drawer pulls.—Drawers to have bronzed iron drawer pulls. Sash fasts.—All double hung windows on first floor to have Morris patent self‐locking sash fasts, to be of bronzed iron. Put on patent fasts to all casements, windows. Hooks.—Put heavy, triple hooks of japanned cast iron to all closets, 8″ apart. Screws.—All hinges, etc., to be securely put in place with steel screws of proper size. Bell hanging.—Put in a large gong for front door, properly connect with wire, etc.
Stairs.—Main stairs to have an open string moulded and nosing to return on ends and carried around well. Risers ⅞″ thick, tread 1½″ thick: tread and risers housed into wall string and treads plowed into risers; risers plowed into the underside of the tread. The outer string to be 1″ thick, and beaded on lower edge. All to be of clear pine. The stairs to have cherry newel, 5″ × 5″, turned. Cherry rail, 2″ × 3″. Balusters, 3 on each tread, 1⅛ × 1⅛; all to be solidly put together and wedged. Cellar stairs to have 1½″ thick strings, sawed to receive 1¼ treads; all of spruce. Attic stairs to have 1¼″ strings, plowed to receive risers and treads; all of spruce.
PAINTING.
All shingles of walls and roof to be stained with Cabot’s best creosote stains, of colors selected by architect. The clapboards to receive two coats of best white lead and linseed oil finish, in colors as directed.
Hardwood.—The newel, rail, and balusters to be filled with three coats of hard oil, rubbed to a dead finish. The studs and beams overhead in dining room, parlor, and hall to have two coats of shellac (or Wheeler’s hard finish). All other woodwork the same.
Glazing.—All glass to be double thick American, of number of lights shown; all to be well puttied and tacked, thoroughly cleaned, and left whole and perfect. All small lights to have cathedral glass, selected.
MASON.
Excavation.—Excavate for all cellar wall piers, etc., as shown. Dump the earth where directed, and leave the premises clear after building is finished. Piers 3′ below surface.
Cement, Lime, and Sand.—All lime used in the mason’s work to be extra No. 1 Rockland lime. Cement, best quality Rosendale of approved brand. Sand to be clean and sharp, and all to be used in proper proportions.
Foundations.—Furnish all materials and build walls, unless otherwise shown, 1′ 6″ thick of stone laid in lime and cement mortar in equal portions, and clean, sharp sand in proper proportion; the whole to be well bonded and trowel jointed inside and out.
Hearths.—Hearths to be of Portland cement, with lampblack to give color.
Bluestone.—Chimney cap to be of bluestone in one piece, holes for flues cut in. Cellar stairs as shown.
Brickwork.—Brickwork of chimney to be selected, on exposed places jointed in red mortar, all to be hard, well burned brick. Build in register flue in kitchen breast where directed and 6″ C. I. thimble where shown. Build in breast of chimney on second floor 5″ C. I. thimble, 2′ 6″ from floor.
Trimmer Arches.—Turn trimmer arches over all fireplace openings.
PLASTERER.
Laths.—Laths to be best seasoned pine, free from all imperfections, laid ⅜″ apart and breaking joint.
Plaster.—Plaster will be two coat work, the second to be white sand finish, well floated. The first coat to be best Rockland lime and clean sharp sand, well mixed with long cattle or goat hair, to be thoroughly worked and stacked, all to be well troweled and made perfectly true. Patch up and repair all plastering at completion of building.
PLUMBER.
Lead Pipes.—The lead pipes through to be AA lead pipe. The waste pipes to be heavy; all joints between lead pipes to be heavily wiped, and joints between lead and iron pipes to be made with brass ferrules wiped into lead pipe and calked into iron pipe with molten lead and oakum.
Iron Pipes.—Iron pipes to be heavy C. I. soil pipe, free from all imperfections, and of uniform thickness; thoroughly coated inside and out with coal tar. All joints to be calked tight with molten lead and oakum.
Drain Pipe.—From point marked on plans run a four inch C. I. pipe to roof, making all proper branches for water closets, baths, basins, tubs, sinks, and at roof to be capped with Smith’s patent ventilating cap. At foot of this place a 4″ running trap, with hole for cleaning out, and an inlet to run out under servants’ water closet. All branches to be Y branches, 4″ for water closet, and 2″ for basins, sink, etc. Plumber to make connections with street pipe.
Lead Supply Pipe.—Run from point marked on plans a ¾″ lead pipe. Place at the beginning of this a rough round way lever handle, stop and waste cock. Connect with main supply. From the ¾ lead pipe make all proper connections for water closets, tubs, baths, and sink with ⅝″ pipe, all to be graded so as to empty at stock cock. In kitchen, over sink, put two cocks (lever handle), so as to control supply of hot and cold water to second floor, the same to empty in the sink.
Boiler.—Furnish and set where shown in kitchen a heavy 30 gallon galvanized iron boiler with stand complete. The boiler to be supplied with water through a branch of ⅝″ lead pipe, and connect with water tank of range with a ⅝″ extra strong lead pipe, the other part of boiler to be fitted up with ⅝″ strong lead pipe with ⅝″ sediment cock, and the required length of light lead pipe to empty into sink trap (boiler to have a safety attachment). Furnish and put on to supply to boiler in the most convenient place a ⅝″ finished lever handled stop cock to control supply to boiler. From head of boiler run lines of ⅝″ lead pipe to supply sink and tubs in kitchen, basin, and bath tub on second floor.
Sink.—Furnish and set up (and of size shown) a plain C. I. sink with slate back. To be set on C. I. legs, to be supplied with hot and cold water through ⅝″ lead pipe, drawn through ⅝″ compression bibb cocks, one hose, the other plain, wasted through heavy lead S trap calked into iron pipe as specified.
Tubs.—Furnish and set up tubs of size shown, supplied and wasted the same as sink, but to have brass plugs and safety chains. Tubs of wood well dovetailed.
Wash Basin.—Furnish and fit up (of size shown) in bath room a 1¼″ thick Italian marble slab, counter‐sunk and moulded on edges, backs 10″ high, the slab to be fitted with a 12″ marble pattern basin (overflow) well fitted to slab, with brass clamps, etc. The basin to be supplied with hot and cold water through silver plated compression basin bibb cocks (⅝), wasted through 2″ lead pipe and S trap, silver plated basin plug and safety chain.
Bath.—Furnish and fit up bath of size shown, 14 ounce copper tinned and planished, tub to be supplied with hot and cold water through ⅝″ lead pipe, and drawn through ⅝″ bath silver plated compression cocks. Wasted through 2″ lead S trap. Silver plated plug and safety chain.
Note.—All lead S traps to have brass trap screws for cleaning.
Water Closet.—Water closet in bath to be a Demarest or Manhattan patent long oval flushing rim earthenware hopper, automatic seat, all complete, with waste preventing cistern, to be copper lined; supply through ⅝″ lead pipe connected to main supply; to have heavy last lead trap, properly connected with soil pipe. Connect from cistern to hopper with 1¼″ light lead pipe so as to get good flush. The water closet for servants to be enameled iron hopper with cistern, etc., as above.
It is said that the ova of tapeworms are frequently deposited in the wrinkles of a lettuce leaf and near the mid rib of a cabbage leaf, and so it behooves those wishing uncooked leaves of any kind to have them carefully washed.