The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-02-16
VAST WEALTH IN TIES.
Railroads Spend SIS, ,ooc
Yearly on Their Roadbeds.
TIMBER IS RAPIDLY DIMINISHING
william y. Curtis says American
Lines Use sIoo.o0o.O0O worth Of
wood AnasaIIy and Demand For
~ L. IaereasinE-NetaI Ties Unsat-
tsfactory 80 Substitutes.

senator G. n. Henderson Of Ne
braska. who Is general counsel for the
Burlington Railroad company, made
remarkable statement before the re
cent forestry congress In Washington
which ought 10 set people thinking
and. as be- suggested. set them TO
planting trees also says William f.
Curtis. the Chicago Record Herald's
Washington correspondent lie assert
ed that Il cost the railroad companies
OF the United States more than $3.50
OO0OOO every ten years 10 renew their
ties. without taking into calculation
the cost OF transportation or the labor
Of placing them In position. Nor does
he take into account the inevitable in
crease in price as the supply Is dimin-
ished 10y cutting away the timber and
the growing demand for ties incident
20 the building Of new lines.
He does not include the trolley sys-
tens which are extending so rapidly
over the country as well as through the
city streets. nor the elevated railways,
nor subways nor private railway tracks
in mining and other districts. all OF
which combined will require at least
30 per cent rs many ties annually as
tie steam railroads and with other tim
Der mud lumber raise the total value OF
that sort OF material used In cOnstruc
ton TO not less than SiOOOOO,000 a
year.
Senator Henderson gave an interest
ing calculation lie showed that there
are 2S6. 262 miles of-Ordlnary steam
railroad tracks In the United States
using an average OF 5000 ties 10 the
mile, 40 that S5S. $4,000 ties have gone
into their construction. The average
life OF an oak tie Il ten years. Natural
pine ties last from four 10 six years
and when treated with chemicals are
preserved for about ten years. Ten
per cent OF the ties now In use must
be renewed annually, making a yearly
demand for replacement OF 90.00OOO0
ties. without considering new construc-
tion. which amounts 10 about COCO
miles OF track year and requires at
least 1S.OOO,OOO additional ties and in
creases the total consumption TO about
100000 ties per annum.
Oak ties cost about - cents each; nat
ural pine ties cost IS cents each, aud
when treated with presentations As
cents. Hence the average cost OF the
li0.OOO,O0O ties which are now consmn-
ed annually IN railway construction
and repair Is about so cents each and
the total cost not less than S5J,0OO,0 600
Senator Henderson might have added
the enormous amount Of timber used
for telegraph poles, which are set at an
average OF forty TO the mile along the
railways OF the United States and cost
from 50 10 SO each. or an average OF
$3.50 taking the country together. This
is about $500 per mile. An easy calcu-
latlon shows that not less than $685.
100000 IL invested I'm telegraph poles
by railroads alone, which. like the ties.
have 20 be renewed at stated periods
Nor is this all of the timber required
for railway construction; bridges, sta
ton houses platforms. road crossings.
rolling stock. snowsheds, doors and
trestles and other parts OF the physical
plant require an enormous amount Of
timber, which Is always deteriorating
and has 10 be replaced frequently. II is
therefore fair and reasonable TO esti-
mate the expenditures OF the steam
railway companies Of the United States