Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-24
Agricultural.


Barbed wire Fence In the Legislature.
Two bills have been before the legislature,
looking to the protection of animals from in
jury on barbed-wire fence One, introduced
by Mr. Randall of Waterbury, provides that
legal wire fence shall be at least four feet six
inches high, and shall consist of not less than
Eve wires securely attached to substantial
posts not more than 1G feet apart, the barbs
to be not over one-fourth inch long, the whole
to be capped with board two inches thick ;
the other, introduced by Senator Barber of
Bennington county, simply makes the owner
or occupant of lands adjoining another, who
shall erect barbed- wire fence against such
other owner or occupant without his written
consent, liable to him for damages in case his
(the adjoining owner or occupants) cattle are
injured on such fence hearing was had
before the committees of both houses to whom
these bills were referred, at which most of the
speakers were decidedly in favor of barbed-
wire fence, and opposed to any legislation
tending to restrict its use.
MIR. HosSinson of Mt. Holly was the only
speaker who opposed the use of this fence on
the ground that it was cruel and barbarous.
He thought the law should at least prohibit
the use of fence with long fixed barbs; he
had had horse badly injured by jumping on
to barbed-wire fence.
Gen. Davis of Cavendish stated that he had
used barbed-wire fence extensively, and had
lately put up more than mile of it on his
lands. He found it so cheap and effective a
fence that he would hardly know how to get
along without it, He had built it with two,
three and four wires, and had no trouble with
cattle, either from their breaking through the
| fence or getting injured. Mr.. Davis keeps
| high-priced Jersey cows in pastures fenced
with barbed wire, and has no fear of their be-
ing seriously injured.
Senator Barber of Bennington county was
not opposed to barbed-wire fence, provided
the owner or builder of it next to an adoin-
ing owner was made responsible for injuries
on it, according to the provisions of his bill.
He thought railroads that put up barbcd fence
should do it at their own risk.
Mr. Cults of Orwell thought no one should
build line fence of barbed wire without the
consent of the adjoining owner.
Mr.. Smith of Pit,sford was of the opinion
that when animals were injured on wire fence
it was in consequence of its not being prop
erly built. He had never known anything
injured on q wel-built fence of barbed wire.
The posts should not be more than ten feet
apart. With posts not too far apart, four feet
high is sufficient.
Mr.. Allen of Ferrisburgh said that parties
in his neighborhood, using barbed-wire fence
largely, wished him to appear before the com
mittee and say that they had no trouble will
it, and their cattle were not injured
Mr.. Fletcher of Cavendish stated that barb
ed wire fence was extensively used by the
farmers of his town, and more and more Wal
built every year 1t had proved very salts
factory he had heard of no trouble with it.
Mr.. Kittell of Sheldon was opposed to an,
legislation about barbed-wire fence He con
sidered it the cheapest and safest of all fence
He had several miles of it, and none of hi
stock were ever injured by it,
Mr.. Horton of Mt Holly had built larg
amount of barbed-wire fence for himself ant
Others had in some places built it of onl
two wires next to the highway, and even as
line fence; it had stopped cattle and they ha,
not been injured. Much depended upon fas
tening the wires to something permanent
firm at the starting point and drawing then
taut. Cattle or horses would be liable to b
injured on a slack or unfastened wire. Tree
made good fastening for the wire, whic
could be safely stretched long distances fror
tree to tree.
Senator Martin of Washington county be
leved that the use of this fence should not b
restricted by legislation. He had used it, an
had no accident in consequence.
Mr.. Shurteff of Montpelier appeared a
counsel for opponents of the bill, and CAV
his opinion, as a lawyer, that the owner of
fence not legally sufficient according to tn
requirements of the statute would be liahl
for damages for the injury of cattle in cor
sequence of such insufliciency, provided tn
animals injured We're not wrongfully in tn
enclosure next the fence, and therefore tn
proposed legislation against barbed-wire fenc
appeared to him unnecessary.
Henry NJ. Smith of Worcester, Mass, q
the Washburn ~ Moen manufacturing CON
pany, gave some interesting statistics of tn
manufacture and use of barbed wire. 1t wa
not used to any extent previous to 1874 i
which year about 10000 pounds were mad
equal to about ten miles. The next yea
1S75) GO times as much, COO, 900 pounds O
GOO miles were manufactured.