Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02


any emergency. When the tide of immigra
ton commenced flowing into Texas the tim
bered lands were first occupied. The rich
prairies were the most productive, but it wal
thought they could never be utilized, a;
there was no timber for making rails and
| fencing. As the tide of immigration in
creased the pioneers commenced plunging
into the timberless plains by slow degrees
Lumber was hauled two and three hundred
miles to build cabins. The farms we're not
enclosed, because the rails could not be had,
and the result was the new settlers could not
raise any live stock, without which farmer
can neither live nor hope to prosper. The
item of fencing, therefore, became an import
ant one to the people inhabiting the timber
less lands west and northwest of the Missis-
sippi river to the Rio Grande. Indeed, this
question equally concerned the farmers of
the older States, as nothing is so destructive
to timber as time and increased population.
Various expedients were resorted to. Liv-
ing hedges did not prove success. Ditch
ing was not approved. But finally the
barbed fence was discovered, and it seems to
meet the public want. Indeed. no device dis
covered and utilized since the dis
covery OF the reaping- and
cotton gin has been of such value to the
American people as the production of wire
adapted to fences. The barbs, thorns or
prickers are an abomination to live stock.
The invention is hailed by the settlers of
the timberless plains and the people OF the
older States who, on account of the scarcity
Of timber, cannot fence in their farms az
formerly with new rails every ten or fifteen
years. The original cost of the cedar posts
and the lumber for fencing was great, and
this cost was a continuous one. 1t required
constant attention and labor to keep it in
any serviceable condition, and it was subject
to all manner of accidents. 1t required
three cedar posts TO the one post required
for the wire fence. 1t was easily broken,
easily pushed over. Its great weight rem
was easily thrown down by the cattle. 1t
seemed to catch the snow in such drifts
that the stock were able to walk upon
these drifts over the fence. Altogether
post and board fence, even after its
original heavy cost, was perpetual cost of
money and labor to keep it in any sort of
safe condition. The barbed-wire fence is much
preferable. 1t requires two-thirds less posts,
is comparatively lighter, is not thrown down
by wind or snow; does not catch the snow
and hold it in drifts; is in case of break
easily and cheaply repaired, but, above all,
protects itself against any pressure or vio-
lence from live stock. An OK or a horse
briefly. Alton of this barbed iron will make
two miles of three-strand fence. The amount
Of wire sold in 1880 was forty thousand tons,
equal to eighty thousand miles of three
strand fence built in the year 1880. But so
soon as the barbed-wire fence was discovered,
great curse to the industrial interests of the
country. There were many different patents
and manufacturers of barbed wire for fenc-
ng, and the competition promised to give the
country cheap fencing. But year ago COM |
oination was made under one patent, en-
1racing all others, and the result is the peo-
pie are heeced to enrich one of the greatest |
ever fastened upon the laboring |
classes. To show the magnitude of this |
few figures only are necessary.
The Massachusetts Company may fix its roy
'lty at what rate it pleases. Last year the |
was forty thousand tons, and
he yalty demanded was three cents per
'ound, or $50 per ton of two thousand
POUNDS. A ton will make two miles of fence.
The royalty, then, at three cents per pound,
) equal to $50 per mile Of fence; at two
ents, it is $40 per mile; and at one cent it
I'LL be SO per mile. This is in addition to
he cost of the wire and posts and the labor
mployed in making the fence. At three
ents per pound, the royalty on the eighty
lousand miles of wire fence sold in 1880
ill be $2,400,000; at two cents, 81 ,600,-
90, and at one cent, 100000. With
MS royalty set aside, and the manu-
acture made free, this barbed-wire fence
an be produced in every State of the coun-
y, and sold to consumers at one-half its
resent price. In such case the forty thou
and tons OF 1880 would be one hundred
iousand tons in 1882, and the manufacture
ould go on increasing until the miles OF
lch fence in the country would go far up
Ito the hundreds of millions. Is this de-
elopment to be arrested by mere pretense
originality, shadow of inventive genius,
emsnding its bloed-money for every rod Of
lese millions of miles of wire?