52 POLE CH. Ill 



long ground. In turning, the bend of a flexible 

 pole will indicate the danger before a break occurs. 



Some drag poles are not plated at all on the 

 underside, and some public-coach poles are plated 

 throughout their whole length, which makes them 

 stiff and inelastic. The best way is to plate them 

 for two-thirds of the length, since a fracture will 

 naturally occur near the hinder end, and to use a 

 tough, soft iron, not too heavy, which will bend and 

 keep the pole together, even if the wood is broken. 



The places at which a pole is most likely to break, 

 are where it leaves the futchells, or throuoh the hole 

 for the pin, which is just behind that point ; and a 

 light plate on each side, extending from the hinder 

 end of the pole to a point ten or twelve inches in 

 front of the ends of the futchells, is of service and 

 prevents the wear of the pole in the jaws of the 

 futchells. 



The proper size of a pole at a point two feet from 

 the splinter-bar, is 3^ inches wide and \ Y / 2 inches 

 deep for a public-coach, and somewhat less for a drag. 



The pole goes between the plates which connect 

 the futchells on their under and upper surfaces, and 

 is thus stiffly attached to the fore-carriage. A pin 

 passes horizontally through the futchells and the 

 pole and makes it fast, and, since by it the leaders 

 do their part of drawing the coach, it must be 

 strong. Sometimes a second pin is put in near the 

 hinder end of the pole ; a proper precaution against 

 accident. 



