The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-11-02
MISCEEIiAM


Fungus Attacks on Telegraph Pelss.
TIE length of service Of a telegraph
nr telephone pole q determined In a
section OF the pole not more than q
foot or a foot and a half long. In a
standing pole this aectiOu extends
abont six or eight inches above and
below the top Of the ground. This
10 the universal point Of attack upon
The life OF the pole. and Is called is
breaking point Decay IL the arch.
enemy Of these poles. II sets In at the
ground line and reaches both up and
dovn the pole. but only 20 far as the
conditions exist which promote the
growth OF wood-destroylng fungi. A
few inches below the ground there IL
lack Of the necessary oxygen and heat
while at about the same distance
above ground the requisite moisture
faila- The IA time a. which decay
begins It's work depends upon the eli.
mate. The character OF the soil and
similar conditions. In a hot, moist
climate Il ordinarily sets in with
great rapidly. But At best. ia a very
few years after the pole is set the
struggle has commenced. The decay
soon girdles the pole and gradually
eats into II deeper and deeper until Il
IS 20 weakened that Il breaks under
the weight Of It's equipment
The strain upon the pole from wind
pressure and the weight OF its cross.
arms and wises Is calculated for the
ground line. When the diameter OF
this ground line is constantly de-
creased. the strength OF the pole Is
proportionately reduced. and Il be
comes only q question OF time when
the pole must fail Chestnut and white
cedar have been found. arnong avail
able woods. most successfully I o resist
decay: but the life OF the former Is
oniy from twelve to nfteen years. and
OF the latter ten 10 twelve years. The
cooperative study Of the bureau is for
the purpose Of extending. Il possible.
this time.
The experiments already made by
the United States Forestry Bureau
show c~onclusively that poles can be
subjected TO a preservative treatment
which insures materially heightened
service. This treatment consists IN i'm
ORIGINATING the wood with auuseptics
which prevent the growth Of the fungi
THAI cause decay. The treatment OF
telegraph and telephone poles. when
attempted AZ ali Ia this country. gen
orally has been applied TO the whole
pole. requiring the use OF air.tight cyl
inders 100 feet long or more. In these
the poles are subjected 20 1--we steam
for some time. when a vacuum is Gre
atec. CreoEote Is then run in and
pressure applied TO force II into the
wood. hanifestly this Is a laborious
process, Yet for telegraph and teie-
phone poles only about one foot Of the
entire length needs TO be made i'm.
mune from fungus II this foot al the
fatal ground line can De preserved
from decay, the rest Of the pole will
take ar OF itself. Experiments will
now b. made Ia treating the butts
81 the POLES Tor a distance OF about
eight feet. thus carrying the antisep-
dca Just beyond the Aone of decay
attack The crcoaoto method viii be
used and dead OF OF coal tar forced
through the butt Of the pole.
The telegraph companies have made
little use Of preventative treatment
they employ millions o. poles on their
various lines, and e would be a tire
mendous economy 10 add even a few
Years OF service to the life Of each
pole But there will be another large
saving both to them and TO the forest
Through preBeryatiYe treatment, To
provide a good margin against decay.
poles n nov much larger than de-
nRnded By the strain upon them. Il
- expected that decay sill quickly eat
away a mrrow around The pole a. the
ground line. and the diameter OF the
pole Al that point ia gagged 20 allow
for this weakening process. when Il
ia known that decay. In a certain nun.
her 81 years. cuts the diameter FROM
perhaps ~ GO 3 inches. and that below
= inches the weakened pole falls. the
course Ia be pursued IL obvious Anti.
sepuca prevent. for the time Of their
effectiveness. the starting OF decay.
and thus permit NJ the outaot the Sc
u an Sinoh diameter rather
a i7-lnch The I INCHES SAVED
represent a tremendous difference ia
the siHo and 3 Of trees used for
poles Both the companies and the
u forests viii be great galncra
By this economy. with its shortening
OF the length OF time necessary 10
groN a pole,
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Corn SEED Net FVcrythtoo