CHAPTER V.BARB-WIRE FENCE.
The invention of barb wire was the most important event in the solution of the fence problem. The question of providing fencing material had become serious, even in the timbered portions of the country, while the great prairie region was almost wholly without resource, save the slow and expensive process of hedging. At this juncture came barb wire, which was at once seen to make a cheap, effective, and durable fence, rapidly built and easily moved. The original patent for barb wire was taken out in 1868, but it was not until six years later that an attempt was made to introduce it into general use, and more than ten years elapsed before the industry attained any considerable magnitude. The rapidity and extent of its subsequent growth will be seen by the following table, showing the estimated amount of barb wire manufactured and in use during the years named, the estimated length being in miles of single strand:
Year.Tons.Miles.Totals716,8051,433,6101874510187530060018761,5003,00018777,00014,000187813,00026,000187925,00050,000188040,00080,000188160,000120,000188280,000160,0001883100,000200,0001884125,000250,0001885130,000260,0001886135,000270,000
There are now fifty establishments engaged in the manufacture, and the output for 1887 is estimated at 140,000 tons.
disk style barbFig. 58.—The Kelly Barb Wire.
Fig. 58.—The Kelly Barb Wire.
Fig. 58.—The Kelly Barb Wire.
Barb wire is not without its drawbacks as a fencing material, the most common one being the liability of seriousinjury to valuable domestic animals coming in contact with the sharp barbs. Many means have been devised for overcoming this evil. Some of them are illustrated in the next chapter. The direct advantages of barb wire are: First—economy, not only in the comparative cheapness of its first cost, but also in the small amount of land covered by it. Second—effectiveness as a barrier against all kinds of stock, and a protection against dogs and wild beasts. Third—rapidity of construction and ease of moving. Fourth—freedom from harboring weeds, and creating snow drifts. Fifth—durability.
nail wrapped around wireFig. 59.—Horse-nail Barb.
Fig. 59.—Horse-nail Barb.
Fig. 59.—Horse-nail Barb.
Barb wire, like the harvester, the sowing machine, and most other valuable inventions, has attained its present form from very crude beginnings. The original barb wire consisted of double-pointed metallic discs, strungloosely upon plain wire. The next step was to twist this with another wire, as shown infigure 58.
a double barb wrapped around 2 strands of wireFig. 60.—Crandall Barb Wire.
Fig. 60.—Crandall Barb Wire.
Fig. 60.—Crandall Barb Wire.
one double barb knotted on two strands of wireFig. 61.—Sterling Barb Wire.
Fig. 61.—Sterling Barb Wire.
Fig. 61.—Sterling Barb Wire.
Another crude beginning was the “horse-nail barb,” which consisted of a common horseshoe nail bent around a plain wire, and the whole wrapped spirally with a smaller wire, as shown infigure 59. Various forms of two-pointed and four-pointed barb wire are manufactured, the principal difference being the shape of the barbs and the manner of coiling them around one or both of the strands. A few of the leading styles are illustrated herewith.Figures 60and61show two varieties of two-pointed barb wire.
four point bard wrapped around two strands of wireFig. 62.—Quadrated Barb Wire.
Fig. 62.—Quadrated Barb Wire.
Fig. 62.—Quadrated Barb Wire.
4 pointed barb wrapped between 2 strands of wireFig. 63.—Iowa Four-pointed Barb Wire.
Fig. 63.—Iowa Four-pointed Barb Wire.
Fig. 63.—Iowa Four-pointed Barb Wire.
Of the numerous styles of four-pointed wire, three typical forms are illustrated infigures 62,63, and64.
a 4 pointed barbFig. 64.—Lyman Barb Wire.
Fig. 64.—Lyman Barb Wire.
Fig. 64.—Lyman Barb Wire.
The Glidden patent steel barb wire is made in three styles, as shown infigures 65,66, and67.Figure 65shows the two-point wire, in which, like the others, the barb is twisted around only one of the wires.Figure 66shows the “thick-set” which has barbs like the other, but set closer together for such purposes as sheep folds, gardens, or other places, which require extra protection. The four-point barb wire,figure 67, has barbs of the same form as the two other styles, that is a sharply pricking barb attached to one of the wires of the fence strand, upon which the other wire is twisted, holding the barbfirmly in place. The barb is at right angles to the wire, and does not form a hook, but a straight short steel thorn. A sharp point which inflict an instantaneous prick repels an animal more safely than a longer and duller barb.
two point barbFig. 65.—Glidden Patent Steel Two-point.
Fig. 65.—Glidden Patent Steel Two-point.
Fig. 65.—Glidden Patent Steel Two-point.
two barbs close togetherFig. 66.—Glidden Patent Steel “Thick Set.”
Fig. 66.—Glidden Patent Steel “Thick Set.”
Fig. 66.—Glidden Patent Steel “Thick Set.”
4 point barbFig. 67.—Glidden Patent Four-point.
Fig. 67.—Glidden Patent Four-point.
Fig. 67.—Glidden Patent Four-point.
Barb wire of nearly, if not quite all the popular kinds, is shipped from the factory on strong spools, each holding one hundred pounds in weight, or eighty rods in length. These spools are bored through the center to admit a stick or bar, which can be used as an axle in unreeling the wire. The following table shows the weight of wire required for fencing the respective areas named:
AreaLength ofBoundary.Weight of Wire.1 Strand.Lbs.3 Strand.Lbs.1 Acre60 Rods.672025 Acres⅜ Mile.16740010 Acres½ Mile.18354820 Acres¾ Mile.27382040 Acres1 Mile.365109580 Acres1 ½ Mile.5471642160 Acres2 Miles.7302190
steel tape with barbsFig. 68.—Brinkerhoff Steel Strap and Barb.
Fig. 68.—Brinkerhoff Steel Strap and Barb.
Fig. 68.—Brinkerhoff Steel Strap and Barb.
It will be observed that the larger the area enclosed, the smaller is the amount of fence required per acre. The cost of fence complete can be estimated by adding to the amount of wire indicated in the last column, the cost ofsixty posts, and three and three-quarter pounds of staples, for every sixty rods. To ascertain the weight of wire required for any desired number of strands, multiply the figures of the first column of “weight of wire” by the number of strands proposed to be used.
twisted tape with barbsFig. 69.—Allis Patent Barb.
Fig. 69.—Allis Patent Barb.
Fig. 69.—Allis Patent Barb.
twisted metal tapeFig. 70.—Brinkerhoff Fencing Twisted.
Fig. 70.—Brinkerhoff Fencing Twisted.
Fig. 70.—Brinkerhoff Fencing Twisted.
There is a kind of barb fencing in which flat steel straps are employed instead of wire. In the form shown infigure 68, the barbs are bent around a plain strap and the whole is then galvanized, which firmly fixes the barb. Another form shown atfigure 69consists of a solid piece of steel, ribbed through the middle, and with barbs cut on both edges. These and similar forms are more expensive than wire, and are employed only in limited quantities for enclosing lawns, paddocks, etc. Still another form is like that shown infigure 70, without barbs, and twisted. This is much used to enclose lawns and ornamental grounds. It is light, neat and strong, doesnot harbor weeds or make snow drifts, but is comparatively expensive, as five or six strands are required to make an effective fence.
two wiresFig. 71.—Two Strand Twisted Wire Fencing.
Fig. 71.—Two Strand Twisted Wire Fencing.
Fig. 71.—Two Strand Twisted Wire Fencing.
Still another form of unarmed fencing is shown infigure 71. It is simply the ordinary wire without barbs, and is used in limited quantities for fencing ornamental grounds, barnyards, etc.