Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-09-10

affected every line of industry. This
forced most of the roads to purchase
only the ties which were absolutely
essential for removals, and heavily
cut down the purchase for new track.
In 1908 only 7,43l 600 crOss-ties were
reported as purchased for new track.
as against p, 557 600 in 1907. Of the
total number of ties purchased for all
purposes the steam roads took APP
prOximately ~ per- cent, leaving about
4 per cent for the electric roads.
1t is very interesting to note the
wide range of woods used for cross
ties. The preliminary report by the
census bureau lists separately fifteen
classes or species. OF these the oaks
are now and have always been by far
the most important. The oak ties
amounted to more than $1,000, 900, or
AZ per cent of the total quantity pur-
chased. Next to these ranked the
southern yellow pines, with II ,5OO,-
600, or 10 per cent of the total. twill
be seen that the oaks and southern
pines combined furnished nearly
three-fourths of all the ties bought by
the railroad companies last year. &C.
dar and chestnut supplied more than
10000 ties each, and Douglas fir
nearly as much. About 4,OOO,OOO
tamarack ties were purchased, nearly
$500, 600 cypress ties, and, in round
numbers, 3,OOO,OOO each of western
pine and hemlOck. Redwood, white
pine, lodgepole pine, gum, beech,
spruce and several other woods were
used in smaller quantities.
Next Years Visitors.
Ha,ley'> comet is coming next year
and mundane residents will probably be
treated to such Il vision in the heavens
as comes once in il human lifetime, says
the Butte Evening News. Halleys comet
has been been no mere dot of light in
the firamcnt. In it's recent visits it has
from zenith to horizon. Nor is it any
into range of human vision until it
six months will eapsc.
The last spectacular comet to come
into full view of the earth was in 1882,
as many will remember. but since that
time Il generation has grown up which
cannot remember Il comet worthy Of the
name. 1t is now - years since Halley's
comet was seen. and only records and
aged men tell of his visit in that year,
1885.
Astronomers are awaiting the comets
coming with greatest interest and al
ready are vieing for the honor of be-
ing the first to discover it. One might
scot ut the boasts of astrOnOmic science
were it not for the fact that predicted
events verify the eXactness of the
science.
HALEY. the English astronomer dis
covered the comet in the year 1862 and
recognized in it the comet his preteces
sors had seen in 1891 and 1907. He pre-
dicted that it would return in 1853. This
was promptly verified. though HALEY
did not live long enough to see his comet
come returned in 1885. evidently max
ing a circle around the sun. requiring
the allotted span of human existence,
between 20 and so years.
The danger of the comet and the
earth coming into collision is not as
great as that of swallow flying from
pole to pole colliding with one follow
ing the equator. There was great fear
Of such an occurrence in the fifteenth
century, but in 1861 the earth actually
ploughed through the trail of comet
and never noticed it.
The greatest interest attaching to the
comets coming is that it will for many
months be highly spectacular. Once it
was wanderer. but drifting into the
solar system it was caught up, and it
is now il fixture of the suns family.