Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-26
PAPER RAILWAY TIES.
A Great Improvement Which Is Pro-
nounced Perfect by Its Inventor.


"That is a railroad tie" 1t was OF
the regular size and polished as smooth
ly as a piece of Italian marble. The
grain was so fine and the whole appear
ance was so artistic that it might easily |
have been taken for chip from pill
lar of Grecian temple instead of such |
practical thing as railroad tie. The
| speaker was short, stout, sad-faced
man, with large head and overhang-
ing brows, and was the inventor of this
aesthetic sleeper, and in his little Office
in Fulton street there were many mod
els of cars and railroad tracks scatter
ed about. This" said he, as he
patted the railroad tie lovingly, 'is the
result of years of labor, and l believe
now that it is perfect 1t is made of
paper, which l believe is to enter to
large extent in all building operations
at no distant day. The great enemy to
the use of paper for many things is
moisture, and in my invention, of
course, means had to be discovered to
prevent dampness from having the
slightest effect, as a railroad tie, being
in the ground, is subjected constant
| ly to it, and rotten tie might
cause the loss of many lives and much
property. The process of manufacture
is secret to certain extent, but the
tie is absolutely fire and water proof.
There; will throw piece of the pre-.
pared paper into the fire. You see it
will not burn. | have submerged it for
weeks and months in both hot am cold
water and the moisture has neve, been
found inside the surface. Consequently
it can not rot. Though apparently as
hard as iron, an ordinary spike can be
driven into it without difficulty, and
when the spike is in position the mate
rial is of such a nature that it closes
around the iron and holds it SO firmly
that it can never be shaken loose.
There is also certain amount of spring
in the tie, and when there is a load on
it it operates as a sort of cushion and
takes away certain amount OF jar from
running cars. Under certain condi-
tons, by slightly altering the combina-
ton of materials, the paper can be made
hardest tool without being more than
scratched. The ordinary wooden tie
will last about five years under the most
favorable conditions, while this paper
tie will stand any kind of weather for
at least thirty years.
"The paper used is generally made OF
straw, though almost any kind of fibre
| will do as well. Straw is preferred be-
: cause it can be easily obtained and the
supply is unlimited. There are mills
5 in the west where the straw is made up
9 into boards. 1t is large industry and
i was first started to utilize the waste
s straw in the vast West for fuel, instead
of wood. This is paying business.
r and fortunes are being made out OF
e what only few years ago was thrown
j. away or burned up as useless. These
' boards are put together in layers, and
: after being treated to liberal dose of
. cement are put under a tremendous
d pressure in hydraulic machine. This
e forces the atoms together in solid
y mass. Under pressure dozen boards
o will take the place of one. Heat is also
y an agent in the manufacture of paper
r ties, and they are thoroughly baked in
}. an oven at high temperature. Under
d the present imperfect conditions and
h appliances it takes considerable time to
It make tie, but with every thing built
n in accordance with my plans they can
e be turned out quicker than they can be
It cut from trees and at much less cost.
n The number of wooden ties used every
is year TO construct new and repair old
" roads is enormous and is large ele-
,e ment in the disappearance of forests in
l. this country. 1t is my belief from what
n | know of paper tn at it is destined to
-e take the place of wood in many things,
70 and this will give protection to our for
ests. Legislation can never protect the
forests as long as there is such large
demand for wood.
THE strength and durability of paper
8 is we'll shown in Car wheels made OF
this material 1t makes an iron wheel
a sick to contemplate light paper wheel
as running for years after it has beer
j. thrown away as useless. Paper viii
w not only take the place Of wood, but
y also of a good many metals and o.
stoneware. A portable paper bath-tut
iy is one of the latest ideas, and pots,
er plates, knives forks, stoves and engines
ce made of paper have large and in
v. creasipg market. A large part of the
:. beautiful bronze ornaments and statues
~ ~ seen in public places and offered fol
-, 10 sale in stores devoted to the sale o
- ancient and modern bronzes are made
aj rI of composition the principal elemen
n "l of which is paper or fibre. A mar
g to-day can wear paper shoes and clothes
az az eat from paper dishes with paper knives
W W and forks, served upon paper table, 81
~ ~ on paper chair, sleep in a paper bed
81 81 in room carpeted with paper, wash il
le a paper tub or bowl, live in pape
US US house, ride in paper car or carriage
~ sail in paper boat, build up FORUM
~ on paper; and yet the industry is onl,
y, 10 in its infancy. Are any railroads usin,
M M's' nv tieP No. They all admit its useful
20 20 ness and are willing to try it with bi;
'lli if This means that have got t
50 satisfy the clique which is part O
n- every railroad in this country in tn
~ purchasing department, and the onl
ol way this can be done is to present ther
ter with your invention or controllin
ne interest. am fighting against this an
ny will try to beat them, so that can ge
ne ma some benefit out of my labors. IN. ]
,. Tribune.