The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-11-18
THE FENCE posI PRoaLEM.

| enclose a ten-acre tract, forty rods
on each side. with the posts It one
rod apart?
This apparently simple problem
first engaged the attention of a num-
her of bankers in Missouri, but it long
since passed beyond its original
bounds and is now puzzling mathe-
NAUTICAL minds In Missouri, Illinois,
and even as far south as Alabama, and
bids fair to become national in in
terest. 1t seems to have first been
given publicity in the st. Louis Globe
Democrat and that paper Is in re-
lceipt OF numerous answers accom-
panied by beautiful designs of ten-acre
lets decorated with post-holes. The
number is figured to be from 1876 to
1000. Some of these answers are
published in the CD. Thus far LOO is
the most popular answer. But not all
are agreed that this is the right num-
Der.
Miss Isabel Swimmer of OFallon.
Mo-. brings the experience of her
school room to her aid and demon
strates 156 posts would be plentiful
j. Fl. Scheve, 4016 Cote Brilliante,
laments the present day system of
teaching mathematics and admits he
finds the present teaser quite simple
In lengthy document, interspersed
with squares drawn to represent ten
acre lots, he finds 1e0 is correct.
One who signs himself Young
Reader" thirsts for more information
on the subject, which, he says, is in
complete. He wishes to know just
Low thick the posts should be.
A. w. Paul of Coulterville, H.. is
amused. Mr.. Paul relates that he was
reared on farm. enlisted at thirteen
and shouldered a musket in Company
=, Third Illinois volunteer infantry.
He tells of his wound and hospital
experience, which resulted in him
eventually teaching school which he
believes fitted him to wrestle with
such problems as this. He writes
touchingly of his marriage and his
subsequent residence in Coulterville
land declares that with le1 fairly good
hosts he could fence any ten-acre lot
in existence.
G. w. Phillips Of Annapolis, Mo-. is
sure he could fence the lot with 157
rosts and set them one rod apart.
T. V. Cromwell, 1882 Hickory
street, having slept on his answer of
lS6 pests, submits another solution.
He believes he would need at least
four more posts to complete the job
as 1t should be.
Sam S. Jones of Berry, Ala, is NOV
ed to humor by the bankers falling on
the problem and wants to try them
on the ditch-digging teaser which he
eelleves would stump them again. He
adds that 160 posts is the correct an.
swer to the fence question.
lnez Grubb, who says she Is lit
tie country girl OF Fairfield. Ill. and
attends small district school sug-
gests that Miss Ethel Doedi brush nm
on her fence-post mathematics. Miss
Grubb says that 100 posts positively
VIII be necessary.
Gus Bailey, 1926 Pine street, sees a
SeHegamhian in the woodpile. He
ieraftily points out no number of posts
would inclose the tract, but that wire
or fence rails would help.
Phillips Harris, Pill Market street,
spent considerable time preparing a
miniature ten-acre tract and demon.
lstrates 1eo posts would be needed. Mr.
Harris is inclined to rail at those who
say 15G would do and declares that
estimate would leave four vaean,
holes, which, in his opinion. are de
trop around a finished job.
William Brennan. 531S North Marha,
street. also sends in diagram nrov.
ing leo posts would be necessary
An Illinois Farmers Wife submits
a unique diagram showing thai with
thrift and economy she could go,
along on lightweight posts and have
an attractive piece of fencing.
n. Panehas, 1929 Grattan street
says he Just cant help butting in,
on the discussion, and declares he
wishes to end the debate by submit
ting the correct answer. This. he 40
sures US, is 156 posts.
w. v. Gordon, 514s Garfield ayenue
says 15e is correct.
,, y. H. H. of lockwood. III on1,
desires four posts. He writes: "Whil,
1t would be neither hog-tight or hui,
proof, it incloses the ten acres and
Under the new tariff law, it is a saw
ing of 156 posts"
R. NJ. Smith of Summit avenue
East st. Louis, would require 1s
posts. ~
G. G. Poe. zeigler, H., pins his fait,
; to the 16o-post class.
j ". II. White of Dixie, ILL.,. saws *
is correct. =
t J. Hoover, 24Oo Goode avenue saw
, 1t would be nearer 100.
/ A correspondent signing himse1
Il y. d. writes that he has haa, 1T;