The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
TIMBER PRESERVED
BY CREOSOTING
New Industry Created by
Treating Articles Made
of Wood With Petroleum

In these days when so much is said
about the threatened dearth of timber,
any new industry which has as it's
purpose the preservation of timber
naturally attracts to itself unusual at
tention. Conspicuous among the few
industries of this class is the creosot-
ing of timber which in use is subjected
to the depredations of the elements,
such as telegraph poles and cross
pieces, railway ties, etc. A Wisconsin
firm which manufactures creosoting
plants has within the last year or two
equipped and sold many large preserv-
ing plants, most of which are now in
use by railway companies. One of the
largest of these plants has recently
been installed at Shirley, Ind. and it
is typical of many smaller installa-
tions throughout the country.
The plant consists OF two retorts
seven feet IN diameter and 140 feet
long, each. closed on either end with
a heavy solid cast steel door, bolted
to cast steel f1ange. The retorts are
capable of withstarding a pressure OF
overhead charging tanks, one large
storage tank, one unloading tank for
tank cars, one cylindrical underground
tank for emptying retorts, one forty
killowat generator steam engine driv-
er, switchboard. etc. two 100-horse-
power boilers, electric locomotives, tie
cars, etc, q Complete equipment OF
pumps. piping, valves and fittings.
In the operation of this plant, one of
the features of great value resulting in
the saving of a great deal of time and
enable the operators to accurately keep
track of the oil used, etc, is the COM
bination of an overhead charging tank
and an underground receiving tank.
When a retort is filled with ties and
the door closed and bolted, IL is
charged with creosote from one of the
overhead charging tanks, through two
eight-inch pipes, the quantity of creo-
sote already in this tank having been
previously noted. The retort is filled
almost in the fraction of minute, the
oil flowing in by gravity.
The moment the aoil comes to rest in
the overhead tanK, the quantity re-
naming In 1t is noted, and the pres
sure pump is started, forcing in oil,
until the desired penetration into the
tie or timber is effected, The quantity
of oil being forced into the timber is
carefully noted as the level drops into
the overhead tank, there being no other
outlet for the oil in the tank excepting
into the retort. When proper pene-
tration has been accomplished the
pressure pump is stopped and the sur
plus Is permitted to flow from the re-
tort INTO the Underground tdnk turOuSn
two ten-inch pipes. The time required
to accomplish this operation Is as
short as the time required to I'LL the
retort.
From the underground tank the oil
is pumped back as desired into the
charging tank, during the subsequent
part of the operation. The retort is
now subjected to a vacuum, and the
excess of oil which has been forced into
the tfes is withdrawn down to the
proper quantity. The vacuum is then
destroyed and the retort emptied. If
1t Is desired to get an exceptionally
deep and quick penetration, this pro-
cess is reversed and the ties, imme-
diately they are put into the retort.
are subjected to a vacuum, followed
by the immersion in oil.
Only seasoned ties are treated In this
plant, and the retorts are not arranged
for steaming lumber. this being con-
sidered injurious to 1t. Each retort is
supplied with heated coils In the bot
tom between the rails, which keep the
oil heated to the proper temperature
when in the retort. The charging tanks
and storage tanks are all likewise pro-
vided with heating coils to prevent con-
gealing of the creosote oil.--New York
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