The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-02
THE RAILWAY TIE INDUSTRY.
A Quarter of a Million Ties to Ee
Shipped North This Year.

A Quarter of a Million Ties to Ee
Shipped North This Year.
Few people are aware Of the extensive
business done IN railway crossties in Savan-
nah. Frem a small beginning the business
has developed into large proportions. This
does not Include the supply for local lines
or lines within the state, but reference is
had to the business of expectation to north
ern states.
Northern railroads are very partial to
Georgia ties and some OF them will take no
other If they can help it, 1t has been found
by them that the tie cut and seasoned in
Georgia Is the hardest and most enduring (
all, especially in cases where the traffic over
the roads is very heavy, much more so th0n
eny roads in this section ever have.
IL has only been recently in the past four
or five years that the Georgia tie has got
upa reputation, but since that time the
business has increased right along. Mr.
Elan Hurd probably does the the largest
export business in this section. He sup
plies the Pennsylvania, Central of New
York, Laekswsnns, Heading, Long Island
and other roads. In talking on the sub ject
yesterday he said the business of exporting
railroad ties TO northern railroads has been
very large for the past year, but like
all other business it has it's
periods of depression. Comparatively speak
last two or three months, but he expects it
70 brighten up soon. Railroads are not in
cllned to give heavy orders just at present
on account of the excitement of the presi-
Dental election. At the same time the
work of hewing them out goes steadily on
in anticipation of ivelier business. Em-
ployment is thus given to between 800 and
400 hands. Their weekly wages amounts to
between 81 200 aud g. 500, winch is a good
sum to put out in circulation in the pins
districts.
The trees are eat by contract. No one
man employs a larger force than 800 men
but CONTRACT is made for so many trees at
certain time. Pine is used exclusively for
ties for northern roads, Some southern
roads, especially those near the coast, use
cypress. but 1t is entirely too soft for roads
with heavy traffic like the Pennsylvania
or other large roads. The large number of
ties cut and shipped does not diminish the
supply of trees as much as one might sup
pose. Formerly il was the custom to take
only the large part of the tree for
ties tn while the remainder went
lied. Out Of fair-sized tree
nowadays, their grades Of ties are
obtained. A large tie from the butt for
heavy traffic, then a medium sized tie from
the middle OF the tree and finally a very
small size from the end. The latter are
useu Tor elevated ROADS and other roads
upon which the strain is not 80 heavy.
Mr.. Hurd has been in the shipping bust
ness in South Carolina up to within little
over year ago, but the roads which he
supplied by some means discovered, or
thought they did, that the Georgia tie was
the best. 1t is not known exactly what
constitutes the difference. but the railroads
evidently have found some difference. AS
a consequence they get the Georgia instead
of that of South Carolina.
The extent to which some railroads sup
ply themselves with ties is shown from the
fact that the Central railroad of New York
and its branch lines use over 500 900 yearly.
This enormous sum becomes vastly greater
when the total of other roads is added.
Georgia cannot or does not supply anything
like all of these, but there is no telling when
it will supply the greater part since it has
gotten reputation.
Mr.. Hurd estimates that since he has been
operating in Georgia he has exported ESQ.,
600 ties TO northern railroads, aud although
the business, just at present, is dull, he has
several contracts out for an additional sup
ply, and Is now loading one vessel, the
schooner Esterbrook, which will take out
about $4,000. These will go to New York,
but other shipments will be made, as the
demand requires, to Baltimore, Philadel.
phia and points on the Hudson river.
The cost of getting the ties to their desti-
nation is no small matter. In addition to
the payment of contractors, the railroad
freights to Savannah are not uncomfortable,
and 1t costs anywhere between 81, 500 to
s., 500 for a cargo to New York. Notwith-
standing this the industry is a paying one,
and one the proportions of which are likely
TO increase largely in the near future.