Anyway, here's Mother...

I left you at the back steps – that’s what we always called the entrance to the kitchen. On the left was the cover to the cistern. For you young folks --- a cistern was a big hole in the ground where rainwater that fell on the roof was collected. (I wonder what sort of junk was put in it when it was decided to stop using the cistern?) It was a big No-No for us little kids to mess around that cover. The windmill was here also. With a good wind we were able to keep the inside house tank filled with well water and also direct water to the barn for the livestock. When there was no wind and water was needed Daddy would start up the put-put engine and it would run the pump.

While we are this close to the house let me describe another object the was within a few yards of the back door. This was a red cylinder about 3 feet in diameter and maybe 7 feet tall. This was called The Carbide Plant. When one poured into the top a bag of some dry chemical and then added water a gas was formed and this provided our indoor lights. Remember, this must have been about 1926 –and the main form of lighting was kerosene lamps. We had those, but in the dining room hanging from the ceiling was this double bracket fixture where one could squeeze open a valve. Put a match to it and presto—a light! I only recall this one fixture in the whole house. I am sure kerosene provided most of our light at night.

Gene Waugh KGWaugh@earthlink.net
Elgin, Illinois USA

Gene Waugh's Mother's Recollections