The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-08-28
How 40 Build "A Wire Fence.

Seeing an inquiry for experience in
building wire fence, and how to make a
good one, L will contribute to brother
farmers that which / have.
In the Spring of 1869 | commenced
improving prairie farm, and was obliged
TO fence with wire. | built two miles by
driving posts eight feet apart. put on
four wires (No. 8 with staples, and
strained up with rollers against the post,
thought | had a good fence. The next
Spring built one mile, posts sixteen feet
apart, wire put on with staples, but the
staples pulled out. Last Spring | built
another mile, five wires, posts twenty
feet apart, wire put through three-fourth
inch holes bored in the posts, and stays
put on with staples. The stays were
eight feet apart; then No is soft wire
put on for another stay, making the stays
every four feet. | strained the wire with
two-inch oak pins, put in a heavy fiat
post, with the hole morticed in square
two inches, to hold the head of the pin,
which is made square and turned with a
monkey-wrench to tighten the wires.
This made a good fence and the best
had built. No cattle have been through
it. 1t is with difficulty that man can
get throuSh-one man went halfmile
around because he could not get through
This Spring | have fenced pasture to
keep sheep in, which never were
stopped by fence before, and it Is this
fence | call good one, and | will tell
how to make it. Set the corner post
three feet in the ground, with two-inch
"a
feet long, then put heavy stones This
is to keep it from pulling up, which it
viii do, if not we'll secured. This post
must be braced. Have good, straight,
strong posts; set them thirty-two feet
apart. After setting, (Which we do by
sharpening and driving with sixteen
pound sledge, putting them down two
feet at least bore the holes with a three
tourth-inch bit to run the wire through
Five wires should be put on, for cattle,
eight inches apart, and seven wires six
inches apart-except the top one, which
may be eight inches-for sheep. Use
No. S wire for at least half the upper
part Of the fence, and still better if all
No. 8. Commence at the first post from
the corner post to put the wire through
the holes. Unroll the wire, which is
best done by putting a coil on roll made
for the purpose; run the wire all off,
then tasten the end to the corner post
Put on all the wires in a similar manner
before moving on, then move on to the
end of the wires unrolled and unroll an
other, splicing each time as they run off,
The splicing should be done by tapping
the two end posts ten inches and twisting
1 I'D h4rr nd l,a Il, hoo
not to draw through. This makes a
splice that will pass through the holes
Put on about forty rods in length, then
take a strong hand-spike" and loop a
wire around it, and have two men strain
the wire tight enough to take all the
kinks out. This is done by sticking one
end Of the lever in the ground. When
all are strained put on the 'tstrainers" at
the end Of each wire. This " strainer
IS my own invention; not yet patented
1t Is made of No. s inch wire, in this
way: Take piece of good wire three
feet long, bend it around so the ends lap
two inches; twist them well together and
loop the ends back; fatten down the two
strands so as to be three inches apart
take each end in your hands and bend
the centre over Il twO-lnch round stick
until the two ends come together This
makes a sort of a eleyet. Then make
4 two-inch hard wood pin, ten inches
long, with one end shaped to put
on to turn it, Bore
small hole in the middle to put one end
of the wire through to fasten the wire to
the pin; then bore a three-fourth inch
hole, one and one-haIf inches from this
to put a stick III foot long. This is to
keep the pin from turning back when |
strained up. The stick must be dashed
to the wire. Now splice one strand of
fence wire on the wire strainer, put the |
two-inch pin through the two loops in the |
other end, and commence unrolling wire |
is before, and connect the end to the pin |
by running it through the little hole, |
bending the wire around the pin. This |
stainer will strain from both ways as
tight as is necessary-you can strain
eighty rods il the ground is level. When |
wires are all on, strain up by turning the |
pins which serve as rollers with a wrench. |
When well strained, which is one of the |
important things in wire-fenee, put on
the stays with staples s feet apart, drive |
the second staple from the top and bottom
wlre tight up on the wire leave the rest |
4 little loose SO the wire will slip through /
Next put on No. IS annealed wire for
additional stays, which will make them
i feet apart. If the work is well done
you will have a god wire fence
Two things are necessary. Have the
corner posts firm and well braced, and
the wires strained tight.
Now as to the advantage of putting
the posts so far apart. 1t takes so many
less posts, and the fence sways little
when horse or other animal comes
against it, and again springs back. The
stays should not touch the ground to pre-
vent its coming back Make the fence
4 feet high.-George w. Brown in in
dusrial Gazette.