Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-02
RAILROADS SEEK
NEW TIE SUPPLY
NO SUBSTITUTE FOUND FOR
WOODEN SUPPORTS
IDEAL TIMBER FOR BEARERS OF
RAILS is WHITE OAK
Other Tree Productions Which Are
Used Must Be Treated for pura-
ton and Reinforced for
Protection

That the humble railroad tie IS
most important factor in the materla
development of the country Is gu
truth that is little UNDERSTOOD ny peo-
nile outside of railroad circles. A.
The putting engine that speeds at tue
re of a mile or more minute over
the country is a slave to the two stesl
rails that insure a smooth ana sdle
road. and these rails in turn oepend vi
the old fashioned wooden crosstle "hicAi
holds them in place.
Yankee invention has not yet Iouilu
a substitute which has induced tne
railroads to give up wood, althousn eA,
perts say the day surely VIII come
when the country's forests will no
longer be called upon to supply the
demand for ties. Up to the present
time it seems that no other material
has been found which has the resist
enCv of wood and which at the same
time causes less wear and tear on the
rails, fastenings and roadbed.
The country's railroads during tn ne
last two or three years USED l1o'ooo,oo.
tn $50 900. 900 of sawed and heWn ties
a year. The ideal tie timber IS whlte
oak. which combines the qualities OF
durability, hardness strength ana close
grain. 1t is not only excellent Tor tles'
hit is widely used in ship building, for
general construction, in cooperage, IN
the manufacture of carriages Tor aBll-
cultural implements, interior t1nlsh OF
houses and for furniture. On account
of this wide use the supply has peen
greatly reduced and some of the rail-
roads have been forced to pay almost
prohibitive prices for ties, or to SUB
stitute other and cheaper woods 10
replace the white oak ties rapidly DIS
appearing from their lines.
More than 40 per cent of the ties re-
Gently purchased by the railroads OF
the country are oak, according to latest
statistics of United States forest SER
vice. Crossties of southern pine formed
somewhat less than % per cent. Doug
las fir ties ranked third. with approx
mately 10 per cent of the total Nat
urally the proportion of these two
timbers will increase as the supply OF
oak dwindles. This is, also true of ce-
dar, chestnut. cypress, western pine'
tamarack hemlock and other trees
which are coming into the market as
tie timbers.
Cedar Ties Are Used
Cedar which is very durable, has
been extensively used to take the place
of white oak for ties, but it is so soft
that it is cut readily by the rail~. This
necessitates the use of tie plates and
other protective devices When ceuar
ties are used. AS the supply of cedar
also is running short, 1t is necessary
for the railroads to seek further Tor
new tie timber One of the woods
which has all the requisites of a good
tie, with the exception of durability, is
the beech.
A beech tie generally consists large
ly of sapwood, which partly accounts
for its lack of durability, but on the
other hand allows a thorough and easy
preventative treatment In Germany
and France beech ties have been sue
cessfully preserved from decay, and
are used extensively. Beech is found
widely distributed throughout the east
ern part of the United States. and at
the present time is comparatively
cheap and abundant. If, therefore, the
railroads whose lines are located in the
regions where beech is abundant. can