The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-05-21
NEWS OF ELEcTRlcITv.


NEWS OF ELECTRICITY. y.
Running Telephone Line In tho Rocky
Mountains. -.,E ..s 4
A description by j. w. Dickerson Of
the running of a telephone line from.
Leadvllle to Aspen shows that tele-
phone construction in the Rockies is
notall plain sailing. It took two months
to cover the entire length, 48 miles.
In ordinary construction, the poles
would he set AZ to the mile, but at GER
tain points where sharp turns were
necessary the number would some
times be increased to IS to the mile.
The members of the construction gang
had. to be as expert as axmen as they
were as linemen, for when timber was
encountered q path of 200 feet on each
side of the line had to be cleared in
order that wires might not be broken
when trees were blown over by the
terrific blasts which at times prevail
in that region. A great deal of the
comparative slowness of Standardization
was owing to the inability of the work.
men to labor in such a rarified atmos-
phere. At one point the wires wero
strung on an elevation of $4,000 feet
above sea level. In such an altitude
the lineman soon becomes completely
tired; after he has climbed two or three
poles he has to take long rest to re-
'cuperate his energies. The prepare
ton of the holes for the poles, which
would have been tedious, in similar
ground, even in an ordinary atmos.
phere, was an especially slow and IA
tiguing operation. 1t was often neces-
sary to blast hole for the pole by the
use of giant powder, and an examiner.
who had an extensive experience with
explosives, vas assigned to the job.
The digging of one pole hole would
sometimes occupy him for a whole day,
working honestly. Over 300 pounds OF
powder were used on the line for this
purpose. When the Continental d.
vide was reached, the poles had to be
abandoned and the wires were placed
in a submarine cable, which was bur-
led in two-foot trench for distance
of 1900 feet. The ACCESSIBILITY of aban-
doning aerial construction at this point
was demonstrated by the experience
of the company who maintain the Den
yer & Leadville line. At one point on
that line, Mosquito pass, the poles were
originally set 100 feet apart. AS soon
Us the wires were covered with sleet
they promptly snapped, and the line
was useless. Double the number o.
poles were then used, with the same
result. The space between the poles
was then reduced to, IS feet, but as
soon as the sleet came the line was
swept down flat. Eventually an UNDER
ground cable was laid for 2Hs miles,
and there has been no trouble since.
The rapidity and size of these ice &C.
cumulations are almost incredible to
those who have had no experience with
mountain telephone lines. The fore
man of a construction gang remarked,
when questioned about this difficulty:
"Why, man, the sleet comes down Mos
quito pass in such q way that q tele-
phone wire would be as big round a.
your body in no time" In winter, the
linemen detailed to make repairs trav-
cl on snowshoes. If they are overi
taken by a storm or find they must re-
main out over night, they push tor
the nearest refuge, which is ordinarily:
u deserted cabin formerly occupied by
some prospector or miner. All the
poles are numbered and the linemen
are furnished with maps, which indi'
cate where shelter is to be obtained.z
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.