WCP175

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

June 8^th. 1902

My dear Will

The house goes on slowly, there being so many parts to keep up with each other, — the inside walls, the roof timbers, the upper floor joists & the Chimneys. Three of the chimneys are now up, & they look very well, as we have added a bit of ornamental toothing at the top which gives a finish. The roof too, as a whole, is so broken up by gables, hips, and dormer windows, that the general effect will be very good, & Percy is quite proud of it, and says the people about are quite surprised at it. The putting it together without any mistake or accident does [2] him credit. The boarding & felting will be got on with now and in a week more the tiling, & then we shall be ready for the internal finishings. But the dreadful delays of manufacturers are a nuisance. After waiting 3 months for the drawings of window frames from Mr. Donkin, & getting estimates for wholesale joiners, we have now been waiting ready six weeks & cannot get them!

I have just been making a lay calculation of all the galv[anise]^d pipes wanted for hot & cold water in the house, for baths lavatories, sinks, W.C’s, &c. Four sized pipes are required 1 ¼ inch, 1 inch [3] ¾ inch & half inch, altogether nearly 400 feet— of which 180 feet is ¾ inch. I have got a first-rate little book on Hot Water Supply, by Mr. Dye, which is only 85 pages gives all necessary details as to size of pipes, of cylinders, cisterns, boilers &c. and the exact principles on which the motion of the water depends, founded on experiments with glass models so that the whole process can be watched, leading to some very curious & interesting results. I think I shall now be able to get our water-works in good order.

Out of scores of patterns I have also to fix upon the most suitable, kitchen-range, boiler, w.c.’s, lavatory basins, baths, [4] and sinks, — all of which I am ordering from (Young & Marten,) an immense Builder’s supply stores ^{at Stratford} who publish a catalogue in 2 large & thick quarto volumes, containing everything used in house build[in]^g. We get discounts varying from 10 up to 60 per. cent. from published prices, — 20 & 25 p[er]. cent on most things, & it saves much trouble.

After all the hot & cold water pipes are finished we will get the Electric bells work done, as they can follow mostly the course of the pipes.

I send you a pound of Catalogues, but you may not find any Surveying book in a cat[alogue]. Your best chance is to enquire at old booksellers in Newcastle.¹

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]