Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-17
INCREASING THE LIFE OF
TELEPHONE POLES.
NJ App1ying Preservatives 70 the
Portion in the Ground Treat
ment Of Entire Pole In Tin.
necessary,

necessary.
During the past year the Forest Service
in cooperation with the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Compay and the
Postal Telegraph Cable Company, has
been making an investigation to find the
best methods Of seasoning telephone poles
and treating them with prescrvatives.
Fifty green poles were furnished every
month to each of five experimental stations.
Each pole was exposed to the open air.
and was weighed every month until 1t
ceased to lose weight. The rate at which
was lost showed the rate of seasoning in
different months.
After one year OF seasoning, preservn-
tive treatment was applied to the poles,
beginning last spring. Several different
DDS OF applying the preservatives we're ex-
perimented with. Most Of the poles at
two Of the Observation-Disclosures and
Plsgah, N. C.-wcre treated by applying
the preservative with brush. In few
cases n cap or plate was fitted TO the butt
OF the pole and crcosote forced in by a
|
Both chestnut and juniper poles were
treated by these methods.
To test the efficacy Of the treatment rs
a preventative against decay these poles,
carefully numbered and labeled for
Identification, have been set in an ex-
detrimental section Of the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company. between
Savannah and Meldrim. Ga. Each treated
/ ~etn L. nv,I q
seasoned pole. so that the absolute and re-
lative value of the different preservatives
will be fully tested.
The third method Of applying the pre-
sentative is that from which the best re-
lsult are expected. This method was
applied to chestnut poles only. At Dover
N. J. E, in addition to external applica'
ltions, number OF seasoned poles were
treated in an open tank. constructed tc
lpermit the treatment OF 30-foot poles in
lclined at an angle of 20 degrees. In THIS
tank the poles are boiled in creosote fol
several hours. They are then either SHIFT
ed to a tank of similar construction con
tanning cold creosote, in which they
stand several hours. or are left in th'
hot oil to cool down gradually. This
treatment covers the pole with oresote e
n distance or from 10 ~ leCl lIoii SH'
butt. Up to this time a penetration of on
! inch and an absorption per pole of 80 to q
pounds of creosote have been obtained
Changes in the method Of operation ar
almost daily increasing the depth of pen
Iteration and amount of absorption. Thi
is the first apparatus of this charactc
constructed in the United States Tor I'M
pregnating poles, and the success wh'ci
is being attained with it indicates th'
; practicability of its widespread adoption
lin commercial practice.
Since the life of such poles is deter
mined by the decay. at the ground line
only the section from the bottom OF IN
pole to about two feet above the groun'
line needs to be treated. Creosote is OK
pensivc, and If the whole pole must b.
treated the added years of service ma.
not compensate for the outlay-it ma,
: be cheaper to use two untreated rathe
than one treated pole. But if an efectiv
method Of treating not more than or ]
feet Of a pole can he found. there is ever
reason to expect that treatment Will prov
profitable to the users Of poles as wei
= as an economy Of forest material.