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 when 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 u box" or body of the 
flume, should all be sawed. A number of flumes have been con- 
