FLUMES AND FLUMING. 25 



be understood, however, that the necessity for stronger bracing at 

 different points of the flume depends largely, if not entirely, on the 

 class of material being handled, and the prospective operator should 

 be guided by this factor. 



TELEPHONES A VALUABLE ADJUNCT TO FLUME OPERATION. 



The use of the telephone in connection with fluming operations has 

 been found a very necessary and valuable adjunct by its assistance 

 to the operator in a great many ways. By its use it is possible to 

 know just what is going on at the different points along the flume 

 where " stations" are maintained, and notification of a serious jam or 

 break in the flume can be quickly transmitted to the head of the 

 flume and the shipping of material stopped. Otherwise it might be 

 continued for a considerable length of time or until it was possible 

 to get word to the upper end of the flume, and before this could be 

 accomplished and the shipping stopped the break or block might 

 become of such magnitude that to get the material back and repair 

 the flume would cost almost as much as installing a telephone system. 

 Telephone wires have sometimes been strung along and attached to 

 the sides of flume construction, but this method is not considered 

 generally satisfactory, as there is always the danger that w*hen the 

 flume becomes jammed or is broken down the line may also be put 

 out of commission at the very time when its assistance is most 

 needed. It is generally more advisable to have the telephone wire 

 strung on independent poles or convenient trees where the line runs 

 through a forest than to have it attached to the framework or sides 

 of the flume. 



By the use of the telephone it is possible to notify the shipper at 

 the upper end of the flume what class of material to ship, when to 

 ship it, and to keep in touch with what is going on along the flume 

 line at all times. If there be a mill operating at the upper end of 

 the flume, it is often very important that the employees at both 

 ends of the line know exactly what class of material is going to be 

 handled, since for a certain length of time one class might be going 

 to a railroad landing to be loaded onto cars for shipment, after which 

 for the remainder of the day a class of material might be shipped that 

 should be turned by a switch into the storage pile, or vice versa. The 

 valuable aid in fluming operations obtained through the use of the 

 telephone usually makes its installation as an integral part of the 

 plant most advisable. 



SAWED MATERIAL FOR STRINGERS, SILLS, BRACES, ETC., NOT A NECES- 

 SITY BUT USUALLY MORE ECONOMICAL. 



It is not actually necessary that the material used in flume construc- 

 tion, with the exception of the lumber for the "box" or body of the 

 flume, should all be sawed. A number of flumes have been con- 



