[Illustration: Fig. 11.—Interior Bent of “Ground” Barn with Decks Above Driveway.]
Another example is found in a barn which was put up with a minimum quantity of spikes, because the owner did not wish to take time to go to town for more. The barn has been standing 14 years, within which time a number of destructive wind storms have passed over it without damage, though much damage to fences, forests and buildings resulted in the vicinity.
As evidence of the rapidity with which the framing may be done, I will refer to a basement barn, 40 × 80, 24 feet to the square, recently erected in Union County, Ohio. I began with three carpenters on Wednesday morning, and on Saturday of the same week the barn was raised complete. We were compelled to work under the disadvantages of considerable mud on the newly graded foundation site, necessity of carrying the timber some distance, and the short days in mid November. None of the hands had any previous experience in this work, so had to learn as they proceeded.
A large dairy barn was built the last week of October, 1896, just out of New York City. It is 100 × 36, with 8-foot basement and 16-foot superstructure. We had four house carpenters and two laborers. Began work Monday morning, but were delayed by the non-arrival of the spikes till nearly noon. The basement bents were each 100 feet in length, and there were nine bents in the superstructure. Both basement and superstructure were raised on Friday of same week in six hours with the help of 30 men.
Still another example may be given to show the difference between the plank frame and the mortise and tenon frame. With three helpers I framed a barn, 40 × 72, with 20-foot posts, while two carpenters, one of them a foreman, framed the sills for a corn crib, 5 × 40.
The system has been introduced into 32 States and some fair sized barns have been built in this way. One in Kentucky, 56 × 100; one in Colorado, 60 × 70; one in Wisconsin, 40 × 120, with wing 40 × 60; one in Ontario, 56 × 96, and one in Virginia, 60 × 100. I have yet to learn of any who, having built strictly to specifications, are dissatisfied with the frame. On the contrary, we are frequently in receipt of letters from those who have thus built stating that they are delighted not only because they have saved both money and timber, but at the same time have obtained a thoroughly strong frame without the usual interior timbers, which are so much in the way in handling hay or grain.