2O The Fence Question in the South. 



true in the history of wire manufacture. It is estimated that three hundred and 

 fifty thousand miles of plain galvanized iron wire was used for fencing purposes 

 in the twenty years preceding 1870. It was cheap, easily transported, easily 

 erected, and gave relief and a handy resort for the farmer, especially in the 

 new fast growing regions of the West and Southwest, where timber was 

 scarce. But the farmers and herders were never thoroughly happy in its use. 

 The fence of plain and single wire was susceptible to all changes of tempera- 

 ture. It snapped in cold, and sagged in heat. It had no terrors for cattle. 

 They pressed up to the boundaries of the pasture, and easily lunched through 

 the fence on the adjacent crop. Growing more resolute they broke bounds 

 altogether, or contentedly sawed their itching necks and polls on the smooth 

 wire, in the acme of creature satisfaction, until the fence gave way. It shows 

 the stress of fence necessities most strongly, that with all these attendant 

 evils, the plain wire fence held its place, and grew in use and favor. 



BARB FENCING DISCOVERED. 



In the year 1873 a practical man in Illinois patented the first defensive 

 armor for wire fence. This consisted of strips of wood carrying at short 

 intervals sharpened points of wire. This strip he attached to the old-fashioned, 

 plain wire fence. The device was taken up with avidity, and widely used in 

 the Northwest. This barbed strip suspended upon the upper wire of an old- 

 fashioned plain wire fence, transformed it instantly into a barrier to be re- 

 spected by the most venturesome animal. 



A little later an Illinois citizen realized the Glidden Barb 

 Fence, far better than the first rude barb contrivance, by 

 attaching the barbs directly to the fence wires. It was 

 the achievement of a practical farmer who knew what he 

 himself needed. His first constructed line of Barb Fence 

 is still in use in DeKalb County, Illinois, and from this 

 small beginning dates the era of Barb Fencing. Here is 

 THE GLIDDEN BARB, the short business history of Barb Fencing since that time. 



Estimated Production of Barb Fencing since 1874. 



During the year 1874 there were 10,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1875 there were 600,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1876 there were 2,840,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1877 there were 12,863,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1878 there were 26,655,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1879 there were 50,337,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1880 there were 80,500,000 Ibs. made and sold. 

 During the year 1881 the estimate is for 120,000,000 Ibs. 



A ton of Barb Wire will make two miles of staunch and perfect three 

 strand fence. As used by many farmers in lighter construction it will give 

 proportionately greater length. Barb Wire has become a staple article of 

 trade. It was at first opposed somewhat bitterly on the score of its professed 

 and open purpose to appeal to the sense of pain in the infringing animal. It 

 was denounced as cruel, and, more than once, formal resorts have been made 

 to the State Legislatures for laws to prohibit or restrict its use. In every 

 such instance the testimony of farmers who have Barb Fence in use, has brought 

 out and established, even more strongly than before such public inquiry, the 

 fact that accidents from Barb Fencing are far less numerous, and less serious 

 than the casualties resulting from the old style of fences. The animal is 

 instantly repelled by the sharp prick of the Barb, and the most breachy and 



