WCP56

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

July 14th. 1902

My dear Will¹

I must write a very short letter this week as I am very busy having been to Broadstone every day last week at 8.30 or 9.0 — while on Saturday I went at 8.30 — Ma² came at 12.30. We had dinner by the pond, tea on the boards in front of the workshop, and home at 6.230 so that I had over 9 hours at the Orchard, & felt better for it. Roof still not finished, as the cutting & fitting the hips & valley & dormers take a deal of time. The "pugging" of clay & chaff under the top floors to deaden sound [2] is being got in, & the floor-boards are ordered. These are (I suppose) a bargain; though they make other things seem very dear. The roof is all covered with 1/2 inch rough boards, 7 inches wide, just as they leave the sawmill, their only purpose being to keep out cold & heat, & being covered with felt to carry off any water that may blow up under the tiles in strong gales. Any wood, — the very cheapest, would of course do for this; & I thought we were having it but to my great surprise, I found, when the bill came in that the floor-boards, 1 inch thick, planed, and edges tongued grooved and rabetted so as to admit of being "secret nailed" thus: —— [a sketch of the nailing scheme appears here]. These are only [3] 4 1/2 inches wide, of good red deal, and are ten years old, the remnants of a very large stock, and are sold now at almost exactly the same price as the 1/2 inch roughh boards — 10^s/- a square the 1/2 inch being 9^s/6^d — & some 3/4 inch 10^s./6^d.! I thought it must be a mistake & asked for an explanation, & was told the 1/2 inch was of very good quality, while the floor were offered very low to good customers to sell it off. The fact is, I believe, that contractors being the chief purchasers will not buy the very narrow floor-boards, because they take more time & more nails to lay down. They make however a far better floor. The costs are now mounting up awfully, — last timber [4] bill nearly £.50 — tiles nearly £.50. water supply, baths, lavatories & boiler with kitchen range, about £.50 — window-frames & windows — about £.50 (without glass), — fireplaces for whole house, at least £.50 — The last four items are not yet paid for, and I have only £.400 on hand, — & then there is £.15 to £.20 a week for wages, for the next ^{three or} four weeks, after which it may be much reduced. Do not refer to this in your letter — except in a private enclosure — or it would frighten Ma. I think I can get an advance from Macmillan³ for acct up to Midsummer, — and Swan —. Sonnenschein’s Acc^t. for last year will be due at Michaelmas³, & the two will I hope enable us to make the house habitable even if several rooms have to³ be left unfurnished. To end of June Land, Lawyer, Fencing, &c. & Greenhouse. £650 House to do. £.750 — so it will cost £1300 or £1400 in all.

Your aff. Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]