The Tucumcari news. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-11-11
MISCEIIiAN

me lenSln OF service Oh Il leleSTdpH
or telephone pole is determined in a
section Of the pole not more thar a
foot or a foot and a half long. In n
standing pole this section extends
about six or eight inches above and
below the top of the ground. This
is the universal point of attack upon
the life of the pole, and is called its
breaking point. Decay is the arch
enemy of these poles. 1t sets in at the
ground line and reaches both up and
down the pole, but only so far as the
conditions exist which promote the
growth of Notwithstanding fungi. A
few inches below the ground there is
lack OF the necessary oxygen 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 eli.
mate, the character of the soil and
similar conditions. In a hot. moist
climate it ordinarily 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 girdles the pole and gradually
eats into it deeper and deeper until it
is so weakened that it breaks under
the weight Of its equipment.
The strain upon the pole from wind
pressure and the weight of its cross.
arms and wires is calculated for the
ground line. When the diameter of
this ground line Is constantly de.
creased, the strength of the pole is
2roportionately reduced, and it be.
comes only a question of time when
the pole must fall. Chestnut and white
cedar have been found, among avail.
able woods, most successfully to resist
decay, but the life of the former is
only from twelve TO fifteen years. and
Of the latter ten to twelve years. The
cooperative study of the bureau is for
the purpose of extending, If possible,
this time.
The experiments already made by
the United States Forestry Bureau
show co%nclusively that poles can be
subjected TO a preservative treatment
which insures materially heightened
service. This treatment consists in i'm,
~pregnating the wood with a%ntiseptics
which prevent the growth of the fungi
that cause decay. The treatment oil
telegraph and telephone poles. when
attempted at all in 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
he poles are subjected TO live steam
FOR some time, when a vacuum is ere
ated. Creosote IS then run in anC
pressure applied TO force il into The
wood. ManifestIy this is a laborious
process. Yet for telegraph II tele
phone poles only about one foot OF the
entire length needs to be made i'm
mune from fungus. If this foot at the
fatal ground line can be preserved
from decay, the rest of the pole vii
take care OF itself. Experiments viii
now be made in treating the butts
Of the poles for a distance Of abou,
eight feet, thus carrying the antisep
ties just beyond the zone of decay
attack. The ~CreOsote method will he
used and dead oil OF coal tar forced
through the butt Of the pole.
The telegraph companies have made
little use of preservative treatment
They employ millions of poles on thei
various lines, and it would be a ire
mendous economy to add even a few
years of service to the life Of eacl
pole. But there will be another larg,
saving both TO them and to the fores
through preservative treatment. II
provide a good margin against decay
poles are now much larger than de
manded by the strain upon them.
is expected that decay will quickly ca
away a furrow around the pole at III,
ground line, and the diameter of tn,
pole at that point is gagged to ALLOW
,or this weakening process. When /
5 known that decay, in a certain nun
Der Of years, cuts the diameter from