Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-06-10
RAILROADS
AND WOOD
PRESERVATION

oSeiOh ny the DObrd Oh
directors of the American Railwey
engineering and Maintenance of
Way association in appointing a
committee of seventeen to investi-
gate and report upon the subject Of
wood preservation has shown that
the practical railroad men OF the
country recognize the Importance OF
taking steps TO conserve the rapidly
diminishing timber supply of the
United States.
Timber II one OF the principal ma
terials purchased by the railroads 9
and Its economical use Is a subject
OF far, reaching Importance. More
than 100,00O,O00 cross ties are used
annually by the different railroad
companies. and their average life in
this country is not more than six or
seven years. From a study OF Eu-
ropean methods, and the knowledge
OF wood preservation under condi-
tions in this country, timber testing
engineers say II is reasonably certain
that an average life of from is to
20 years may be secured by treating
the tie with good preservative and
the use OF improved devices for the
prevention OF mechanical abrasion,
thus to large degree diminishing
the drain upon the timber supply.
While the quantity of timber
used for ties Is very great and the
problem of future supply is SER
lous one, yet this class OF timber
is not the only one which should re-
ceive consideration. A greater
length Of service from timber now
used by railroads for bridges. tres
ties, piles, fences, and transmission
poles Is greatly TO be desired.
A, l.. Kuehn, engineer OF trace
and roadway, Cleveland, Cincinnati,
Chicago & st. Louis railway, Is
chairman OF this special wood pres
ervation committee and G. G.. Craw-
ford, specialist In wood preservation,
United States Forest Service, is It's
vlce-chairman. The first meeting
was held in Chicago in the early part
OF last month for the purpose OF
organizing and deciding upon a plan
OF work. The committee was divid-
ed into four subcommittee to take
up the following lines OF work:
Statistics and economies. o
Chaunte. consulting engineer, Chlca
go. Illinois. chairman.
Preservatives and specifications
II. Won Schrenk, consulting timber
engineer, st. Louis, Missouri, chair
man.
Adaptability OF Woods and their
preparation. W. X. HIATT. civil engi-
neer, Forest Service. Lafayette, In
diana, chairman.
Treating processes, c. G. Craw-
ford, speclalIts In wood preserva-
tion, Forest Service, Washington, D.
c.. chairman.
This American Railway Engineer
ing and Maintenance OF Way associa-
tion now consists OF about 800 mem
bers representing 100000 miles of
railroad track and including among
It's membership the leading rail-
road engineers OF the country. The
object OF the association is the ad-
vancement OF knowledge pertaining
TO the scientific and economical con-
struction, operation and mainten-
ance OF railroads. The method en-
ployed TO obtain this information Is
through standing committees ap-
pointed by a board OF directors.
Each committee is appointed to In
vestlgate a special subject and to re-
port at each annual meeting. pre-
senting the results OF its inyestlga-
tion, followed by recommendations
which are published In "The Man
nal of Recommended Practice" af-
ter they have been adopted by the