The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-07
RAILROAD NEWS.
Roads Are Asked to Aid in Con-
. serVatiOn Movement.
Plans Already Devised by Rail
Lines to Prevent Waste.
TO BE MORE ECONOMIC
Timber and Coal Form Chief
Objects of Saving.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.
TO BE MORE ECONOMIC

Washington, July IA plan by
which the railroads of the country
are to take part in the conservation
movement is on foot. This announce
ment comes from the headquarters
of the conservation movement in the
United States, the joint committee on
conservation in this city The plan IS
the outgrowth of conferences and cor
respondence between representatives
of leading railroads and the joint
committee, which has been going on
since early spring, but which only
recently has been brought into deh-
mite shape. Some idea of the lnpoF-
tance of the plan may be gained from
the fact that the preliminary negolla-
lions of the railroads have been car
ried on by representatives OF the
American Railway Engineering ana
Maintenance of Way association. AT
tention was also given the subject OF
conservation at the recent meeting OF
the American Railway Master Me-
chanics association at Atlantic CITY
The enormous amount OF TIMBER
and iron used by the railroads, as
we'll as the great amount OF coal
consumed by them, make the proposed
plan one of the greatest magnitude:
For instance, President Vaughn OF
the American Railway Master Me-
chanics' association says that every
year the railroads burn 2OO,OVo'VoU
tons of coal. The plan as now agreed
on between the conservation commit
tee and the railroads provides SyS-
tematic arrangement by which the
joint committee is to give the rail-
roads suggestions as to how the Va
TiOuS railway systems can put cohSer-
walton policies into effect. The asso-
citation on it's part undertakes to nave
the railroads take active steps toward
carrying out these suggestions
The conservation authorities nave
already submitted conservation
plan. This is now in the hands OIL MT
A S. Baldwin, chief engineer, Illinois
Central railroad, chairman OF the
conservation committee of the Amer
lean Railway Engineering ana nam
tenance of Way association, who IN
a letter to the committee says: on
account of the wide areas traNersed
by the railroads and the great con
sumption by them of timber ana 1uel
with their enormous use of iron ano
steel products, it is believed that the
most effectual assistance of the Amerl'
can Railway Engineering and nam
tenance of Way association can be 1T
directing the attention Of railroad OF
ficials to the excessive wastefulness IT
the present methods of production OF
timber and fuel and the great impor-
tance of introducing economies II
their use and consumption, also &c
the Importance of ecOnOmizing in the
use of iron and steel products and the
possibilities of preservation by pro-
tective coatings and otherwise.
With this end in view, the Railroad
Conservation committee has asked
for specific suggestions as to the bes
methods that should be used by the
railroads in the prevention and con
troll of forest fires. The Conservation
committee has presented an outline
for this work and with it a statemen
showing the enormous losses of 1um
Der through forest fires every year
The Conservation Committee of the
Railroad association has also asked
for advice as to how a reduction il
railroad expenses may be brough
about by the use of treated ties anC
for suggestions as to the importance
of encouraging in the coal territOr!
served by them the use of by-prOduc
ovens. The railroad representative