Robin,


Thickness would be the primary factor to distinguish telegraph from baling wire. As you noted, telegraph wire is thick; you state 3/16".  This seems a little too thick to me, I would think maybe more like 1/8", but maybe the environmental conditions in Alaska required thicker wire.  Baling wire on the other hand would be more in the 1/16 to 3/32" range (admittedly I would need to do a field check to get better figures).  One other physical attribute I have noticed for telegraph wire is that it often has an outer coating of copper to enhance its conductivity and to reduce the cost of pure copper wire.  This is manifested by the greenish copper coloring on the exterior but the wire is magnetically attractive.  


I will try to get out and get a sample wire gauge range in the near future, granted they may be more modern examples (ie. mid 20th century).  Along that line I carry in my field notebook both a plastic drill bit diameter gauge and another plastic one called: GAGE-IT, Hardware Gauge.  Its available at Home Depot for about $2.  Very handy for measuring wire, bolts, nails, pipe diameters, etc. 


Harding Polk II
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-----Original Message-----
From: Mills, Robin <[log in to unmask]>
To: HISTARCH <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Mon, Dec 21, 2015 1:26 pm
Subject: Telegraph wire vs. Bailing wire

HISTARCH,

I am passing on this question for a colleague, but it's a good one so I'm
just as interested in any comments people might have.

Is there any technological difference between late-19th / early 20th
century telegraph wire, and bailing wire of the same time period?

Up here in Alaska we have plenty of thick gauge telegraph wire across the
landscape that was strung up in the first decade of the 20th century,
relating to the Federal military telegraph system used up in these parts.
It is thick (~ 3/16"), and is all galvanized. It was re-used all over the
place for myriad uses after the system became defunct with the introduction
of wireless technology just prior to WW I.

BUT, how can I tell the difference between such telegraph wire and other
types of wire, short of context / provenance? Is there some physical trait
I could be keying in on?

Best,

Robin