Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-05-11
A cat will not look at king, II there
is a mouse In sight.
FORESTRY AND RAILROADS.
Wooden Tie-Plates Successfully Used
Under Advice from Bureau
of Forestry.

Upon the advice of the bureau Of for
estry the Gulf, Colorado G. Santa Fe
railroad eight months ago began to ex-
pertinent with wooden tie-plates. These
plates are intended to protect the tie
from wear under the rail. They are cut
the width of the bottom Of the rail and
rs long as the tie Is wide-usually six
or seven inches-and are kept in place
by the weight of the rail, in fiat
groove in the tie. The results OF the
experiment are Of much interest both
to the railroads Of the country and to
those who have at heart the cause OF
forest protection.
The Santa Fee placed cypress ti-plates
one-quarter Of an. inch thick on several
thousand old and much-worn cypress
ties laid in its tracks north Of Galveston,
Tex. After eight months Of constant
use the plates are perfectly sound and
show practically not trace of wear.
The officials of the road are greatly
pleased with the result of this trial.
The bureau Of forestry will now make
similar experiments with red gum, red
oak, and beech tie-plates, which will be
placed In the tracks Of the St. Louis &c
San Francisco, the Burlington, and the
Northern Pacific systems. These are all
harder woods than cypress, and are
therefore less liable to wear under the
rails, but are much more subject to
decay. The tie-plates made from these
woods will therefore all be heavily creo-
soted. This will make them about as
resistant to decay as the untreated
cypress, while their much greater hard
ness will better qualify them to resist
the wear Of the rails.
For number of years cross-ties have
been treated with preservatives, and
templates Of iron have been used to in
crease their length Of service. Tests are
constantly being made by the bureau OF
forestry to improve the character of
the preservatives and the methods of
their application, and to enlarge the
number of woods used for railroad con-
struction purposes. Experimenting
with wooden tie-plates is work along
the same economical line, in the inter-
est of both the railroads and the forests.
The use Of a tie-plate prevents wear on
the tie and adds years to its service;
wooden tie-plates are being success
fully substituted for the more expen-
sive iron; and abundant and cheaper
woods, through preservative treatment,
are becoming available to take the
place of scarce and expensive woods.
When wooden tie-plate Is worn out
new one can be quickly and cheaply
inserted In Its place. In Europe these
plates cost but two dollars a thousand
or two dollars for every 800 ties since
two are used upon each tie. Preserva-
tive treatment keeps the tie from decay
ing, the wooden tie-plate keeps it from
wearing, and the use Of both will result
In a huge economy for the railroads,
which will react favorably upon our
forests. The whole subject of cross-ties
economy was fully discussed by DR.. Her.
mann Won Schrenk, of the bureau of for.
estry, In Bulletin No. 30, entitled Gross
Tie Forms and Rail Fastenings, with
Special Reference to Treated Timbers."
The present experiments ar in continu.
ance Of Inns OF work threin indicated.