POLES PURCHASED^ 1915. 3 



As indicated in the above table, the principal purchasers of poles 

 were the telephone and telegraph companies. They reported 44 per 

 cent of the total number purchased. The electric railways and power 

 companies purchased about 35 per cent of the total, while the steam 

 railroads purchased 21 per cent. 



A decrease of 721,844 poles, or 30 per cent, was reported by the 

 telegraph and telephone companies as compared with the number 

 purchased by these companies in 1911, while the electric railways, 

 light, and power companies reported an increase of 642,473 poles, or 

 44 per cent. The steam railroads reported an increase of 739,315, 

 or 76 per cent, as compared with their purchases in 1911. 



Table III shows the number of poles purchased, classified by 

 length and by kind of wood. Poles are usually purchased in the 

 round form, although occasionally a purchaser reported several 

 species being sawed. However, these are of minor importance and 

 were either redwood or western pine. 



Table III. — Poles purchased, classified by length and by kind of wood, 1915. 



Kind of wood. 



Total. 



Under 

 20 leet. 



20 to 29 

 feet. 



30 to 39 

 feet. 



40 to 49 

 feet. 



50 feet 

 and over. 



All kinds . . 



4,077,964 



1,236,694 



1,531,441 980,091 



256, 236 



73, 502 









1,747,210 



651, 643 



567, 770 



546,233 



177,799 



117, 545 



89,244 



67, 644 



21,643 



91,233 



540,565 



23,992 



17,874 



373, 688 



120,393 



94,997 



4,414 



13, 048 



3,737 



43,986 



755,311 

 255,951 

 314,010 

 69, 931 

 33, 550 

 14.870 

 13; 282 

 22,211 

 16,341 

 35,984 



373, 874 



295, 717 



139,041 



65,004 



16, 120 



5,624 



49,264 



26,316 



1,280 



7,851 



67,358 

 63,676 

 71,608 

 23,914 



5,998 



1,541 

 15,734 



4,542 

 139 



1,726 



10,102 



Chestnut 



12, 307 

 25, 237 





Pine 



13, 696 



White oak 



1,738 



Red cedar 



513 





6,550 



Cypress 



1,527 





146 



All other 



1,686 







Poles are generally classified commercially in 5-foot lengths and 

 by diameters at specified points, principally at the tops and 6 feet 

 from the butts. To condense the figures the poles shown in the above 

 table are divided into classes differing in length by 10 feet. 



Of the total number purchased 2,768,135, or 67 per cent, were 

 under 30 feet. Poles of these lengths are most commonly used by 

 the telephone and telegraph companies. The poles under 20 feet in 

 length were reported chiefly by the rural telephone companies. 

 Among the prominent woods reported under this classification were 

 northern white cedar, pine, and white oak. The number of poles 

 ranging from 30 to 50 feet in length aggregated about 30 per cent of 

 the total, while those exceeding 50 feet in length represent but a small 

 proportion. 



All of the leading woods covered by the table contributed poles of 

 all lengths, although red oak contributed but a small per cent of the 

 larger poles. More than half of the white-oak and pine poles were 

 under 20 feet in length. 



