The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-11-03
BARBED WIRE FENCE

History of Its Introduction, ANA Hints
for its Use.
The first start toward a barbed wire fence
was made about nine years ago. A farmer
living a few miles west of Aurora, Kane
county, ILL.,, finding that his cattle pushed
their heads through the space between the
studied on the problem of how to prevent
them. He drove short pieces of stout wire
into fencing split with a saw into pieces only
an inch and a half wide and hung them to
one or more of the wires that composed the
fence. The plan worked we'll, and he had
barbs manufactured in a factory hat were
sharpened at both ends. He put these barbed
attachments on all the wire fence about his
place and they attracted considerable atten-
ton.
Soon after he obtained a patent on his in
Vention and commenced to sell farm, town
ship, and county rights. In the course of a
fCuL AlkiOc VI VIZ ICHCC III tuC
part of that State were equipped with these
barbed attachments, the only objections to
which were their cost and their liability to
sag and warp unless they were secured to
the fence-wire with several pieces OF cord or
small wire. His invention stimulated others
wherever it was introduced. AT least a
dozen patents were issued for barbed fence
wire or barbed metallic fencing of some sort
in the course of the next year. In a short
time several suits for infringement were
brought by the proprietors Of these patents,
that had become very valuable. In the mean
time a large number Of machines were in
vented and patented for making barbs or Sc
curing them to wire. In 1874, it is stated
that ten thousand pounds of barbed fence
wire were manufactured in this country.
This year the total manufacture will proba-
bly, reach Fifty million pounds. Almost all
railway companies have adopted it. 1t IS
finding. its way into regions where rails,
boards, and stones had been employed as
materials for fencing since the first settlement
ZEN s*% LsASc HSAaSSoOSA NJ
barbed wire fences are many. The cost of
the material is comparatively small, while it
IS easy TO transport. Little labor is required
to put it up, and repairs are ordinarily IN
necessary. 1t occupies but little space, is
not Injured by the wind, while it does not
block up the snow. It affords no shelter for
weeds or for small aniEnals. The grass that
grows under it can be cut.
The great objections to its use are the
wounds that are likely to be inflicted on, an
itnals that run OF are pushed against it.
When first put up about a pasture, cattle and
horses, and more especially colts, are very
liable to be \ injured by the barbs. After they
have become accustomed to II they generally
avoid it. There is always danger, however,
Of animals being injured that are pushed
against il, while many wounds are made on
animals that have effective sight. Various
means have been devised for rendering the
fence. visible. A patent has been granted on
a protector composed OF q small piece Of
wood, plain or painted, with an attachment
" SESA11lS " w #G AC - ~ Y xA11s1J
surgeon IN Wisconsin contributes the follow
ing to The Country Gentleman, which GER
tainly contains some valuable suggestions:
I'm travelling over a large portion of the
country, I have made inquiry about the use
Of this fence. I have also examined, quite
carefully, many different modes of construc-
ton. | found the majority of farmers OPP
posed to this fence most decidedly, all the
objections being in consequence OF damage
in some form which they had sustained.
Nearly all seem to agree on the point that
they would sooner put up with the neon
Y~eniences of the old style Of fencing than
suffer the damage from the wire fence. The
railroad people are putting up IN this neigh
borhood long sections Of this fence, the re-
suit Of which has already been 50 disastrous
that many persons are already protesting
against It's flther construction. or mainten-
allce Of the portions already up, although the