09-27-2009, 07:26 PM
My "Fences, Gates & Bridges" book (originally published in 1892) mentions barbed wire (invented circa 1875) as the only type of wire fence. It notes that while it was invented ~2 decades ago, it was only really beginning to sell well in the last 5 or so. Note that it took over 10 years for 250,000 miles of barbed wire to be produced. That's only 50,000 miles of fence when you consider that there are 5 strands or so needed for every fence.
If you apply that model to chain link, I would not expect it to be very popular in circa 1900. All kinds of wooden fencing, hedgerows, and low walls would have been much more popular unless very newly constructed.
Andrew
If you apply that model to chain link, I would not expect it to be very popular in circa 1900. All kinds of wooden fencing, hedgerows, and low walls would have been much more popular unless very newly constructed.
Andrew