The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-27

~ W u 4
yation Of the trees used by h telegraph
and telephone companies. These COM
require thousands OF these trees
each year. They are denuding our for-
ests e by year. II any process can
be inaugurated by which the life OF the
trees in use can be prolonged it viii De
a great thing for the state in refer
cree to his matter the department OF
agriculture end u h following
statement:
For the Last two years the bureau Of
forestry has been cooperating with the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company and recently with the Postal
INTERCHANGEABLE Company also, in an
experimental study to increase the DIR
ability of telegraph and telephone poles.
The interest in this matter taken by
these corporations promises an import
ant forestry economy through the posi-
biIity of using much smaller trees tina
are now cut for poles. This means a
new market for these smaller trees and
Iiberating the larger ones Tor DINER
uses
The length Of service Of a telegraph or
telephone pole Is determined In a sec
ton of the pole not more thar a foot
or a foot and a. half long. In a stand
Ing pole ILlS ScCCOIl SASCluC dDOlI Ella
or eight inches above and below the top
of the ground. This is the universal
point OF attack upon the life of a pole,
and is called it's breaking point. Decay
is the arch enemy of these poles. 1t
sets in at the ground line and reaches
UP and down the pole, but only 50 far
as the conditions exist which promot
the growth of Notwithstanding fungi. A
few inches below the ground there is
lack of the necessary oxyge and heat,
while at about the same distance ABOVE
ground the requisite moisture fails. The
exact time at which decay begins its
work depends upon the climate, he
character of the soil and similar condi-
tons. IN a hot, moist climate IT ordl-
narily sets in with great rapidity. But
at best, in a very few years after the
pole is set the struggle has commenced
The decay soon g:rdles the pole anu
gradually eats into it deeper and deep
er until it is so weakened that it breaks
under the weight of it's equipment
The strain upon the pole from WIND
pressure nd the weight of its cross
| arms and wires is calculated for the
ground line. When the diameter CT
this ground line is decreased, the
strength of the pole is proportionately
reduced, and it becomes only a question
of time when the pole must fall. Chest
nut and white CEDAR have been found,
] among available woods, most success
fully to resist decay; but the life of the
former is only fPom twelve to fifteen
years. and of the latter ten to twelve
years. The cooperative study of the bu-
reau is for the purpose of il
possible, this time.
The experiments already made By the
bureau show conclusively that poles can
be subjected to a preventative trea.-
ment which insures materially length
ened service. This treatment consists
in impregnating the wood with anti
septics which prevent the growth OF the
fungi that aus decay. The treat
ment of telegraph and telephone poles
when attempted at all in this count!
generally has been applied to the who!e
poles requiring the use Of air-tight cyl
i inders 100 feet long or more. In thesf
The poles are subjected to live heat TO-
some time, e a vacuum IS created
Creosote is then run in and pressure
applied to force it into the wood. Man
: ifeStly this is a laboriouS process. 1S
for telegraph and telephone only abou
one foot of the entire length needs Il
this foot at the fatal ground line cal
) be preserved from decay the rest Of tbs
: pole will take care OF itself. FIXperl
! ments will now be made in treating tn
butts of the poles for a distance o.
! about eight feet, thus carrying the an
~tiseptics just beyond h zone of deca.
attack. The creosote method will D.
used and dead oil of coal tar force.
through the butt OF the pole.
The telegraph companies have mao
little use of preventative treatmen,
They employ millions of poles on thel
various lines, and it would De a uc
mendous economy to d even a rev
S wears Of service to the life Of each pole
But there will be another large SaVln!
both to them and the forests throug
preservative treatment. To provide
d good margin against decay, poles az
now much larger than demanded o
the strain Upon them. 1t Is eNpecte
that decay will quickly eat away a fuf
p row around the pole at the ground lin'
and the diameter Of the pole at tina
" point Is guaged to allow for this weak
1t ening process. When 1t is known tina
10 decay, in a certain number OF year.
cuts the diameter from perhaps tWeiV
e to eight inches and that below elgt
r. inches the weakened pole falls, tf
course to be pursued is obvious. Ant
septics prevent, for the time OF the
m effectiveness, the starting OF decay, an
q thus permit at the outset the SelectlO
of an eignt-inch diameter rather tina
a twelve-inch. The four inches save
,el represent a tremendous difference
the size n age of trees used for pole
cyl Both the companies and the owners I
no. forests will be great gamers by tn
-, economy. with its shortening of tf
length of time necessary to grow a po-
is Another feature of the cooperatlN
:, work will be treatment of crosS-arm
The companies have been treating the
y, but report too much absorption in, son
cel cases and not enough in others. IT
bureau will more carefully grade Il
10 different kinds of wood, and treat eac
re class separately. In this way 1t is e.
ed pected to ecure a more equal aosorl
ton and more satisfactory result
en- These are the main points covered {
CO the contracts, though in addition Il
-. bureau will furnish information on Il
supply of pole timber and such gener
on advice as may be suggested by the c
or operative work
tn
The british courts have decided tn
a school teacher is not a gentlema