'Outpost wire' was acquired as Army surplus after World War I which ended in 1918 by the Forest Service. It was insulated wire and so did not require insulators and could be hung on trees and other natural supports. It came in rolls of a quarter or half mile. One man would carry the wire on a frame like a back board and another would follow with a forked stick and place the wire over three branches to get it up off the ground and above wandering game. However, where there were not tree branches to hang it on, game did frequently get tangled in it. This wire was a big help in providing communication to trail and fire camps, according to Ralph Space in The Clearwater Story.

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