The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-11-12
BARBED WIRE FoR FENCES.

The growing demand ZOE Da1U
as q substitute for the old rail-, boaro OF
hedge, indicates such revolution IN
the old-time ways, that it is worthy OF
n,,r careful consideration, and a short
article as to the best manner OF con-
structing the same, may not be inap-
propriaie. "Necessity is said to be the
mother of invention," and while all
inventions may not be attributed to
this parentage, barbed wire may be
Justly entitled to the claim. Eight
years ago the great West and South
west were practically open and I'M
fenced the vast forests of the North
were fast diminishing by the immense
consumption for Building improve
ments, SO that the cost OF common
fencing, when augmented by cost OF
transportation inland, was simply
barrier to itshse. Al this time 'sbaroed
wire'' was brought practically into USE
and the utility Of the invention COM
meuccd to be thoroughly tested, its
growth and demand having steadily
increased, reaching a consumption du-
ring the last year estimated at 45a0O0l
tons, or equivalent to
three wire fepe HOf the efficiency OF
this kind oi93ence much depends on
lis ananQodOf construction, and in its
sadapfa1l6n to the kind of stock that
yodsWant to fence against. There are
many styles of barbs placed on wires,
the respective merits of which we do
not propose to discuss.
The general principle of barbs on
wire being merely to educate stock,
not to larcerate, and that style of barb
8 that will produce the pain with the
least permanent harm is the safest to
use. The barb should be sharp, but
onnl1Dh fNOnfhnr
to warn stock, but never of "A saw-teeth
shape, which serve only to mutilate
and saw into the flesh, thus making a
serious wound when q puncturo would
answer as well.
For the best methods of construction
of wire fence, we learn the following
from the Western Fence Company OF
Chicago, who do not manufacture barb
wire themselves, but have large expe-
rience in building this kind of fence,
for railroads, they using generally
what is called the Kelly steel barb
wire:
Posts are usually set sixteen feet
apart, in the West they are even
placed two rods, but we prefer sixteen
feet. Having firmly SGT the posts,
brace the corner posts by putting a
good brace from tho top to II short post
set in the ground eight feet distant
This is to strain the wire from. Such
braced posts should DO put Mt eact
straining point. The wire is thei
reeled off, stretching up at each twcnt!
rods and stapling fast to the posts.
is important that each cable be wei
stretched, and for this purpose tn
Calkin Stretcher is recommended, a
sold by Thorn Wire Hedge Company
of Chicago. The distance apart for tn
wires depends on how good fence
YOU desire to build, but we would no
recommend less than three wires for
stock fence which should be spaced y
follows:
Three JHre Fence-1st wire 10 inches
2d wire 30 inches, 81 wire AS inchc
from the ground.
-Four Wis'e Eence-1st wire 1G inches
I'd wire 25 inches, Sd wire 30 Inches
18th wire 4S inches from the ground.
For hog fence at least five wire
should be used, or two 6.inch boards
the bottom and 3 wires above; II thl
latter way is preferred, short post
driven between the posts to which tn
boards are nailed. But wire fenc
may be- built to keep out hogs b
spacing wire as follows:
Fvve- UTre F1nce-1St wire inche
I'd wire IL inches, Sd wire 20 inche
18th wire 35 inches, 9th Wire 4S lnch'
from the ground.
"A fence so built, using goou stc
wire, not only makes n perfectienc
but is cheap, and will last an ordina'
lifetime.
MISCELLANEOUS.