The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-05-22
Inc side opposite The brace, small auger holes

the side opposite the brace, small augcr holes
through the brace and post; are made at such
distance as the workman may wish the strands
to be apart. ...a .:~g
The posts being thus placed at each end and
angle Of the line, the wire, which comes IN
coil Of single piece, is introduced by inserting
one end of it through the brace and post, and
coiling it around billet Of wood, say inches
in diameter by 6 inches long, several times in
each direction, by twining it around the strand
between the billet and post in such manner that
it cannot roll when the wires are strained
The workman now takes the coil OF wire and
proceeds along the line, uncoilng as he walks,
until he reaches the end of the coil. Another
coil is now attached, which is done by laying
the two ends ON the ground, passing them some
eight or ten inches by each other, and crossing
them twice at about equal distances from the
ends, like tying the first part of common hard
knot. A billet of wood like that at the post,
except few inches shorter, is laid on and the
ends, brought up over the wood, and tied again,
and twined around the main wires.
In this way the workman proceeds, until he
reaches the other post, at the end angle of the
line, through which the wire is passed and drawn
up as straight as can easily be done by the hands.
1t is there fastened to billet Of wood, at the
first post, each strand being thus extended with
the same degree of tension, or as near as may be.
The workman now proceeds to set large-sizcd
common fence stakes. Ifthe surface is undulat-
ing, on each eminence and in each hollow, these
stakes are to be set into holes made with hea
Wy crowbar, two feet deep, and driven down
with an axe or beetle, and about Is or 20 feet
apart, throughout the line. This being done, he
again proceeds with hammer nails, and saw in
hand, and inserts in the stakes saw cuts about
1-2 in, deep, corresponding exactly with the
holes and distances on the posts Into these cuts
driven down nearly to the head, across the cut,
combining the wire to the stake.
This being done at each stake, no further
straining of the strands is necessary, when the
surface is sufficiently undulating, but in most
cases it will be necessary to attach strainer, by
means of a round stick, inches, in diameter,
the same length of post above ground, with cor
responding holes, and two inch auger- hole
near the centre. 1t is temporarily erected near
the foot of the brace, the wires passed through,
before passing through the brace and post, and
before the stakes are set, it is carried along on
the wires to the centre of the line between the
posts. After the wires are put into the saw cuts,
lever is inserted in the large hole, by which
the straincr is turned around until the wires are
sufficiently strained. The lever is left in, and
stick one inch in diameter and same length of
straner is put in an upright position between the
lever and wires, which holds it 10 its place In
no case should the wires be made to form an
giles, or even small circles. AS preventive,
billets of wood are used, and the holes in the
strainer rounded off
The wire for fence of the above description
will cost about II cents per rod and when desi-
gned for cattle and horses only, the whole cost
think, will not exceed IS cents per rod am
inclined to think that annealed wire requires no
protection to prevent corrosion. 1t is said that
anneuled telegraph wires do not corrode to the
injury of their strength, and it is falacy to sup
pose that electricity prevents it, when no heat is
conveyed to the wires. recent newspaper re-
lates an instance of 4 poultry yard having been
surrounded Is years with annealed wires, and
they are yet in good state of preservation
The annealng operation is easily performed, viz:
as blacksmith heats the tire for setting on
wagon-wheel, allowing it to cool slowly. My
cattle fence has strands-top strand feet, and
bottom strand % inches from the ground-the
space filled with the 3 remaining strands at equal
distances. P. B.