Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-16
RAILROAD TIES
GETTING SCARCE
CORPORATIONS ARE SECURING THE
COUNTRY FOR AN ADEQUATE
SUPPLY.
WHITE OAK is BEST TIMBER.
Southern Pine, Douglas Fir, Cedar, Beech
and HcmlocK Are Also Used
Extensively.
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD FOUND.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., April 10
Especial. THAT the humble railroad tie
is most important factor in the mate
rial development of the country is 4
great truth that is little understood by
people outside of railroad circles. The
putting engine that speeds at the rate of
d mile or more minute over the coun-
try is slave to the two steel rails that
insure smooth and safe road, and
these rails in turn depend on the old
fashioned wooden cross-tic which holds
them in place.
No Substitute Found
Yankee invention has not yet found Il
substitute which has induced the rail-
roads to give up wood, although experts
say that the day will surely 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 rcSiIiency OF wood ana
which at the same time causes less wear
and tear on the rails, fastenings and
roadbed.
The countryS railroads during the last
TWO or three years use 1lOUOOuOO 10
1oO,OO0,OOO of sawed and hewn ties a
year The ideal tie timber is white oak.
which combines the qualities of durabili-
", hardness, strength and close grain.
1t Is not only excellent for ties. but is
widely used i'll ship building. for general
construction, i'll cooperage i'll the manu-
tacture of carriages, for agricultural i'm.
PIGMENTS, interior finish of houses, .,..,.
tor furniture. On account of this wide
use. the supply has been greatly reduced
and some OF the railroads have been
forced to pay almost prohilitory prices
Tor ties. or TO substitute other and cheap
er woods to replace the white oak ties
rapidly disappearing from their lines.
Use Oak the Most.
Over 40 per cent. of the ties recently
purchased by the railroads of the coun-
try are oak, according to latest statistics
of United States forest service. Cross
ties OF southern pine formed somewhat
less than % per cent. Douglas fir ties
ranked third, with approximately 10 per
cent. OF the total. Naturally the proper
ton Of these two timberS will increase
the supply Of oak dwindles. This is also
true of cedar, chestnut. cypress, western
pine. tamarack, hemlOck and other trees
which are coming into the market as tie
timberS.
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 readily cut by the rails This
necessitates the use of tie plates and
other protective devices when cedar ties
are used As the supply of cedar is
the railroads to seek further for new
tie timber. One of the woods which
has all the requisites of Il good tie, with
the exception Of durability. is the beech.
A beech tie generally consists largely
of sapwood, which partly accounts for
its lack of durability, but, ON the other
hand, allows a thorough and easy pre-
sentative treatment. In Germany and
France. beech ties have been success
fully preserved from decay. and are
used very 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 rail
roads whose lines are located in the re-
gions where beech is abundant can make
use of this wood, treated with some
suitable preservative. another source Of
supply of tie timber will be opened up.
Stumpage Values Increase.
Stumpage values have been increasing
SO rapidly during the last few years that
many railroads have found it necessary
TO modify their timber policy, and they
yearly apply preServatives to a greater
number of ties and to more kinds of
wood. Substitute woods naturally vary
with different sections of the country,
but in most cases they lack the two es-
sential qualities found in white oak
namely. resistance to mechanical wear
and to decay. Experience proves that
wear can be successfully retarded by
the use of tie plates and other mechanic
al devices. and decay can be postponed
by the application of proper preserva-
tives. The new conditions have made
it necessary for many railroad compa-
MES to meet the problem of preservation
by establishing treating plants at central
points of distribution along their lines.