The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-07
Crossties and Telegraph Poles.

But few people comparatively nave
any idea of the amount Of timber used
in the construction of single railroad.
We hear that our forests are rapidly
disappearing, and we know that mater
ial for building and the fuel cause. the
sacrifice of many leafy monarchs OF the
forest; yet on ly the Initiated Know that
it yearly takes q O,G00 acres of forest to
supply crossties for the railroads of the
United States. We interviewed gen.
tleman who has been in the business
for thirty years, and concluding that his
observations and experience would be
of interest to the readers Of the Com
n1crcial, we give the substance of his
talk. 1t takes Is, ,000.0 900 ties to supply
the demand on our railroads, for which,
on an average, the contractors get
thirty-tiye cents riece, making in the
aggregate SIS, ESQ., 900. In building new
road the contractors figure on 270o ties
to the mile, while it takes 300 ties to
the mile to keep a constructed road in
repair, Contractors of course buy
pieces of timber land as near to the pro-
posed line of road as possible, paying
for the timber on an average or about
SEQ per acre, or giving the proprietor
of the land ten cents for every tie gotten
out. The average of q good piece of
timber land is two hundred ties to the
acre and twelve ties to the tree. The
size of a crosstic differs on different
roads, but the usual size demanded is
eight feet six inches long and eight
inches face. White or burr oak is con-
sidered the best timber for the purpose.
although cherry, maple, ash and even
locust have been used. The last named
were first used on the Little Miami rail-
road, and after time thrown aside as
unfit for the purpose.
Railroad men much prefer ties hewn
out with an axe to those sawed in a
mill, and many contend tn t the first
named will considerably out-last the
sawed ties. This theory is probably
mistaken fallacy, as sawed tics have
been placed alongside of hewn ties, and
remained sound twice as long. This
business gives employment to an army
of choppers, who are paid ten cents
apiece for each tie. A continued prac-
tice makes the choppers quite expert in
the use of the axe, and a slight msn
has been known to get out thirty-five
ties in a day; yet the average is only
ten, while an expert will probably get
out twenty. During the war, when Ties
sold at from fifty to sixty-five cents,
choppers were paid twelve and half
cents apiece. Although the contractor
gets thirty-fve cents apiece from the
railroads for each tie, still there is
loss Of from five to seven PER cent. on
dockage and stealage. An inspector is
sent by the company to inspect the ties.
This is generally clerk from some of
the offices. who frequently knows but
little as reg CARDS the strength or durabil-
i.y of timber, and, in consequence, some
of the best ties arc docked and only
bring twenty cents apiece. The steal
age is where the section men put in new
ties which have not been inspected and
received, aud fail to report the use OF
the same to the roadmaster. Most all
crosstie men also contract for bridge
timbe and trestling, as we'll as tele-
graph poles. For the latter chestnut
and cedar are mostly used. They bring
about Sl.75 apiece, and are cut mostly
in the Tamarark swamps OF Michigan
and the forests Of Southern Ken ucky
and Tennessee. Large sums OF money
have been made by lucky contractors in
the business above described, and each
only adds to increased demands. Ohio
has over 4, ,00O. 900 acres of woodland,
yet the ever increasing demand for rail-
road purposes alone, if supplied entirely
from our forests, would leave US with
out single stick to mark the existence
of our once dense forests.-Ctncin,aati
Commercial.