The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-24
0HIA IS GOOD.
Hawaiian Wood Adapted for
Use as Ties.
Mr.. Faulkner Contracts for
Large Forests There.
ORDERS SOMEIN JAPAN
Also 5000 Eucalyptus From
Australia.
Those In Orient Too Far Away
to Be Available.
ORDERS SOMEIN JAPAN

The tie problem which has been
puzzling the American railways for
some time has been settled by the
Santa Fe, for a good many years to
come at least. E. o. Faulkner, man.
ager Of the tie and timber department,
whose recent trip around the world in
the interests of this department at
tracted great deal Of attention, has
returned to Topeka after having made
successful trip and attained the re-
suit for which the journey was
planned.
During his absence. Mr.. Faulkner
found a wood in the island Of Hawaii
which is very serviceable and adapted
| for use as tie wood. This wood is
known as the ohia and is very hard.
| In fact it is about the hardest wood
known and is a great deal firmer than
| oak. The ties from this tree are ready
| for use as soon as ey are hewn from
the tree trunk and do not have to be
| treated. Treatment for these ties is
practically impossible owing to the
| hardness of the wood and it's close
grain.
The forests of this island are very
prolific in the growth of ohia trees and
there are enough trees it is estimated,
to last ten years if they could be placed
| on trains and hauled out of the island
| every day. As it is with no other
| means Of transportation than steam
| ships the supply will last great many
years longer. The Santa Fe has con-
| tracted for a large number of acres of
these forests and will import ties from
| this island as they are needed.
Mr.. Faulkner's trip around the
world was made with an unusual end
in view and as a result was full OF in
terest: In recounting few Of his
| experiences for the benefit of a State
Journal reporter, Mr.. Faulkner told in
a general way of his trip.
Il left America last September"
said Mr.. Faulkner. land set sail for
| the Hawaiian islands on the steamship
| Sierra. I went direct to Honolulu and
spent about three weeks in these
| islands, most of the time in the island
| of Hawaii, where I looked over the
| forests. There is not much timber on
| the other islands of this group. There
found two important trees. the koa
and ohia. The koa wood is a useful
wood and makes a beautiful cabinet
| and inside finish wood. The ohia l.
good tie wood. These islands are vol
| canic and where these trees grow there
| is a deposit of about foot or foot and
| a half and in some cases two feet OF
soil on top of the lava rock. AS re-
| suit the roots spread instead of going
| down. When the natives fell the trees
| they do not cut them down but pull
| them over and then saw off the roots.
IT spent a good deal Of time in going
| through the large sugar and coffee
plantations and went over to the
|
quite an industry. Another place of
| interest was the big crater at Kiluaia.
| This crater was not in action at the
| time, although clouds of steam could
be seen coming out of the hole and
/ also through cracks some distance
from the crater. The big volcano
| Mauna Loa had been smoking while I
| was there but that was all. I crossed
| on the big lava flow of February, 1907,
and in some parts this lava was still
warm.
| From Honolulu I went to japan
and up to the northermost island of
| this group, Oakfda. I visited most of
the important resorts and places of
| interest in Japan and then went to
Shanghai, Hong Kong. and Canton in
| China. After a short stay there. I
went to Manila. I have been told
however that Fred Dumont Smith has
| written a book on his travels in this
| portion Of the world so that further
description would be superf1uous.
| From Manila / went to Australia
| where six weeks were spent in the
different states looking over timber
conditions. The timber in this island
| is suitable for ties, at least there are
| several kinds of wood which would be
| very serviceable, but on account of
| the distance, it would be practically
| impossible to transport it to this coun-
try.
| From Australia I set sail for Eng
| land. En- route I stopped at Colombo
Bombay, Alden, Suez and Port Said
They would not let us land at Alden
and Suez. because we had stopped at
Bombay where the plague has quite a
hold at the present time. We spent a
night in the Suez Canal. After leaving
Port said, I stopped at Marseilles and
| Gibraltar and without further stops
reached London
IT remained in England four days and
|