Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-29
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VI
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FARM TELEPHONES
A Correspondent Tells the Cost Of
Their Construction.

In answer TO your correspondent, we
have first-class circuit reaching eight
houses. 1t is a metallic circuit Of two
lines and 1t is 10 miles long. The line
has been up for three years and is per
fectly satisfactory. 1t reaches two
pOStofiices. one railroad station and
one large nursery office. The nursery /
has n long distance telephone reach
ing the city, and by the courtesy of
the nurSerymen, all kilograms, mes /
sages or injuries are repeated to the /
proper points in the city. This gives |
telegraph facilities to all, and the doc ]
tor the merchant. the grocer and even
the lawyer can be reached in few
moments.
The Instruments cost SO apiece. The
lines are No. u or IA galvanized wire,
costing about 215 cents pound. and 1t
takes about 80 pounds to the mile for
the double line. The insuIatOrs or
knobs are of porcelain and cost j cent
apiece. The poles were cut from the
woods. OF oak. swamp ash, slippery
elm. or similar wood, are twenty feet
| long. sunk three feet In the ground,
and have a cross bar of 2x4 stuff, 215
feet long, spiked near the top of the
pole. the knobs being fastened on the
| TOD OF each end of the cross bar by
! wire spike nail Each instrument has
| a different signal; for instance. the call
| signal for the first instrument on the
| line is one ring OF moderate length;
the second instrument, two rings; the
| third. three rings: the fourth, four
| rings: the fifth. one long and one short
ring: the sixth, one long and two short
rings the seventh. one short and one
long ring; the eighth, two short rings.
In n few DAYS the signals are learned,
as readily as If it were the mans name.
OF course. every signal rings every
bell on the line. and all persons on
the line can hear all conversations II
they see fit; but it is our unwritten law
the FIRST person caught eaves-dropping
will be taken out of the circuit. No
trouble has ever occurred for that
cause Secrets are not generally talked
! over n telephone anyway, and young
folks have Sunday evenings for that
At the close Of n conversation the
user rings off with a short ring OF
click, to let any other prospective user
know that the line is free again. Any
. bright boy or man, with the instruc
| tons from the makers. can put up the
. | Instruments and attach them, and the
boys and men on the farms can put NJ
! | the poles aud string the wires. If only
one wire is used, there will be a good
deal of round noise" as the cart
serves for the other line to make thu
circuit II two lines or n metallic cir
!
! the conversation is much more easy L
I understand. The lines, when up, ar
) absolutely the property of the person
7 erecting them and are not subject Z
rental from any firm or corporation
I We began with only two instrument
4 and as others saw the value they add
\ ed on. We also have a ten-mile lin
: with seven instruments on it, in on
h great pea~n orchards in Georgia, thu
' / connecting the telegraph in the town
q Offices packing sheds and farm house
r all together Have been using that lin
! for four years past. There should be n
trouble in getting permission to ereC
/ the line along the public highway, c
r across farms or into the village, {
s smaller towns. Now as to the cost:
Il Telephone complete ........... SIG
t % poles TO the mile at zoe. $780,. &c
t 80 lbs. No. IL or IA galvanized
y wire mt 212c- --....--.....-..- ID
: Id. spikes. .....-.-.,.-......-
: Expressage on instrument from
" factory -.......-.......... IL
If
IT Or in other words, one instrumei
N and a mile of line erected would co
ID in round numbers, say $50. From tn
n estimate all others can be made. III
- instruments are not cheap toys or pla
a. things, but good, substantial, electr
ne telephones, as good as the best n
Id one of our members would think Of Ia
so ing out their instruments Any brig