Cement and Concrete Fence Posts. 17 
perhaps a little better for the posts than the second method. 
The second method consists in removing the posts from the 
molds while in an upright position. The post is then allowed to 
lean against a wall or some other support. Thus only one handling 
is necessary. Care should be taken to have the bottom of the post 
close to the wall, as it is very likely to break if not kept very nearly 
in an upright position. 
After the posts are cured and ready to set they should be 
moved from the curing shed and hauled to the fence line in a 
wagon having a strong, rigid bed. The bottom of the bed should 
be covered with a layer of straw to prevent breakage. Not more 
than three to four layers of posts should be placed in the wagon, 
depending upon road conditions. It must be remembered that a 
five-inch post weighs 100 pounds or more. When this is considered, 
we see how easy it is to load a wagon and also how sufficient weight 
may be placed on the posts in the lower layer to cause them to 
break. 
In handling and setting care must be taken not to drop the 
posts. The weight of the post places unnecessary stress upon the 
different parts, and in case it is dropped there is great danger of 
it being cracked or destroyed. 
A careless workman can easily do more damage to the posts 
than his services are worth. 
WIRE EASTENERS. 
In case of the wood post the method of fastening the wire con¬ 
sists of simply stapling the wire to it. In order to fasten a wire to 
a cement or concrete post a different system must be used. 
With the ordinary wood staple in mind, one inventor has de¬ 
signed a small cast iron socket or staple holder which is placed 
where it is desired in the face of the post before the cement has 
hardened. When the post is set in the ground, the wire is fastened 
to it by simply driving an ordinary staple into the socket. The 
staples pull out much easier than they do from the wood post. The 
jar of driving in the staples tends to split and crush the post at the 
point where the cast staple holder is placed. Moreover, the cost of 
the staples and holders adds greatly to the expense of the post. 
Another system consists of two staples which have the prongs 
bent to the side. The staples are placed about one-quarter inch 
apart, with the prongs projecting to the side. The line wire is placed 
between the two staples and a nail or piece of wire is driven down 
through the staples, outside of the line wire. As the tips of the 
staple touch the reinforcement wires, direct electric connections are 
established between the line wire and the ground at the bottom of 
