The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-10

an this Is also true of props which are
constantly wet from standing in dripping
water. But where there is an alterna-
ton of wet and dry conditions, or where
the situation is dry and the ventilation
is poor. the atmospheric moisture itself
is sufficient to permit rapid deterora-
ton Moreover 1t is hard to say that
prop under certain conditions will re-
main sound, because a wet place may
become dry, and vice versa.
The fungi usual ! attack the timbers
at the junction of the legs and collars.
where they enter the end-gran. and soon
work out to the surface. The fruting
dies may easily be seen. especially in
the vicinity of old knots or wounds. In
some places the timbers are greatly
weakened within two months after the
props are set. In other localities they
ma last a couple of years.
Insects have no little part in the de-
struction of timoers. They are taken into
the mine in the green, unpeeled props.
Ants. bark beetles and timber borers
are frequent: and even the gases. the
moisture. and the lack of light seem to
have no deterrent effect upon their de-
structve activities.
After a prop is decayed or weakened
sufficiently to warrant it's removal-and
this may be in two months or two years
tie three logs that make the set are
sawed in two and gent to the waste bank
outside
1t is interesting to note that third
and comparatively slight source of loss
in props Is due to the voracious mine
mules. Wherever mules are left standing.
the uprights may be almost gnawed in
two Just horses will girdle shade
tree to which they may be tied. This
eating of the props by the mules mag
be due to lack of green food. felt by
the animals which do not leave the mines
afte. they are once taken below; or it
may simply be result of the innate and
justly celebrated omnivorous character
istic of the beast.
Preserving the Props.
Creosote has long been recognized as
an excellent wood preservative. 1t is eff
fectual against fungi. insects and the
foraging mule. All of them disdain the
creosoted prop. The chief problem arose
in the methods of applying the creosote
Various processes have been tried. in
Guiding complicated devices for forcing
tn creosote into the wood by steam
pressure. Later it was found that several
coats of hot creosote painted on with
brush secured a good penetrat ton.
Finally, the open-tank treatment was
tried This has proved successful beyond
the highest hopes of those who proposed
it. At first a vertical tank used.
witt a steam coil at The base. protected
by :; false bottom above it. Practically
complete penetration of the props can be
secured in this way by immersion in hot
| creosote. with no cost other than in
| the ma terial used, save a slight cost of
| handling The apparatus is exceedingly
| simple and can be made of any old boiler
| or tank that is water-tight and long
| enough vertically. to immense 1o-foot
| log. Going even further 1t is practically
| assured that sufficient penetration of
| creosote can be obtained in an ordinary
| horizontal rectangular tank or trough
| made of wood. To obtain best results the
| timber to be treated must be stript of
| its bark and seasoned. Since both these
| operations are in themselves conducive
| to the preservation of the prop. the work
anl time expended upon them are not by
| an. means lost. Although the open-tanll
| treatment Is assured success. much
| remains to be learned as to details. such
| a the minimum time required under diff
ferent methods to insure the necessary
penetrs ton without the use of an uE-