CHAPTER XVII 



TELEPHONE "DON'TS" 



Section 94 Construction 



Don't build telephone lines without a systematic plan based on a careful study 

 of all the existing conditions and probable developments. 



Don't fail to get a right of way over private lands before starting construction; 

 also a permit to cross all railways and power-transmission lines. 



Don't start to build a telephone line until you have all your supplies on the 

 ground. 



Don't use unseasoned poles. Prepare your poles a year in advance of construc- 

 tion, if possible. 



Don't use short-lived poles of such species as poplar, spruce, or lodgepole pine, 

 unless treated with a preservative, except where such use is specifically authorized 

 by the Director. 



Don't put creosote or other preservative on green poles nor on wet or frozen 

 poles. 



Don't use unpeeled poles or poles without a roof ridge. 



Don't use iron wire smaller than No. 9 B.W.G. for tree lines in any case or for 

 pole lines without special authority. 



Don't try new methods of constructing tree lines until you have had experience 

 both in building and maintaining lines in the way specified in this manual. These 

 methods are the result of years of experience by hundreds of men, and the chances 

 are your new scheme was tried and abandoned years ago. 



Don't cross roads or trails with lines if you can possibly avoid it. 



Don't put telephone wires on the same poles with electric-light or power-trans- 

 mission lines. 



Doii't put grounded lines on poles with any other wires whatever. 



Don't run a tree line nor a grounded line near a high-tension transmission line. 



Don't use sleeve connectors to make splices on iron wire and don't make splices 

 any other way on copper wire. 



Don't string wire in a lightning storm. 



Don't try to pay out wire from a coil without a reel. 



Don't leave the cross-bar, used as a hand-hold in pulling wire, attached to the 

 wire after the coil is pulled out. \ 



Don't drag copper wire along the ground as you do iron wire nor throw the coils 

 from cars or wagons. 



Don't let any kind of wire lie out on the ground where horses or wagons may 

 run over it. 



Don't nick the line wire with your pliers nor burn it in making ties. 



Don't guy to bushes or saplings or driven stakes. Use standard methods. 



Don't attach any guy to the ground* at a point nearer than 8 ft. from the base 

 of the pole and preferably at a distance from the base of the pole equal to the distance 

 from the ground to the lower bracket. 



Don't put unguarded guy wires on a public road or street. 



Don't put brackets on poles or curves so that the line wire pulls away from the 

 pole. 



Don't put split insulators on trees on curves so that the line wire pulls toward 

 the tree. Always with split insulators have the pull away from the tree or other 

 support. 



Don't use brackets and glass insulators on trees. 



157 



