The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-12-25
A RAILROAD TIE OF PAPER.
It's Claims Set Forth by the Inventor
Durability and Elasticity.

It's Claims Set Forth by the Inventor
Durability and Elasticity.
"That is a railroad tie" i Eas OF the
regular size and polished rs smoothly as a
piece of Italian marble. The grain was SO
fine and the whole appearance so artistic
that it might easily have been taken for a
chip from pillar of Grecian temple in
stead Of such practical thing as rail-
road tie. The speaker was a short, stout
sad-faced man with large head and over
hanging brows and was the inventor OF
this aesthetic sleeper, and in his little
Office there were many models or cars and
railroad tracks scattered about. "This, said
he, as he patted the railroad tie lovingly,
ais the result of years of labor, and be-
lieve now that it is perfect. 1t is made OF
paper. which | believe is to enter to a
large extent In all building operations at
no distant day. The great enemy to the use
Of paper is moisture, and in my invention,
Of course, means had to be discovered to
prevent dampness from having the slight
est effect, as a railroad tie being in the
ground is subjected constantly to it, and a
rotten tie might cause the loss of many
lives and much property.
"The process of manufacture is secret
to certain extent, butthe tie is absolutely
fire and water proof. There; viii throw q
piece Of the prepared paper into the fire
You see it will not burn l have sub
merged it for weeks and months in both
hot and cold water and the moisture has
never been found inside the suface Con
sequently it can not rot. Though appar-
entity as hard as iron, an ordinary spike
can be driven into without difficulty, and
when the spike is in position the material
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 a Ger
tain amount Of spring in the tie, and when
there Is load on 1t it operates as sort of
cushion and takes away a certain amount
Of jar from running cars. Under certain
conditions, by slightly altering the combi-
nation OF materials, the paper can be made
so hard that it will turn the edge of the
hardest tool without being more than
scratched. The ordinary wooden tie will
last about five years under the most favor
able conditions, while the paper tie will
last any kind of weather for at least thirty
years.
"The paper used is generally made Of
straw, although almost any kind of fibre
viii do as well. Straw is preferred be-
cause it can be easily obtained and the
supply is unlimited There are mills in
the west where the straw is made up into
boards. 1t is a large industry and was
first started to utilize the waste straw in
.he waste west for fuel, instead OF wood
This is paying business, and fortunes are
being made out of whet only few years
ago was thrown away or burned up as
useless These boards are put together in
myers and after being treated to a liberal
dose of cement are put under a tremend-
Gus pressOre in a hydraulic machine.
This forces the atoms together in solid
mass. Under pressure a dozen boards
will take the place of one Heat is also
an agent in the manufacture of paper ties,
and they are thoroughly baked in oven
ut a high temperature. Under the pres
ent imperfect conditions and appliances it
takes considerable time to make tie, but
with everything built in accordance with
my plans they can be turned out quicker
than they can be cut from trees, and at
much less cost. New York Tribune.