The copper era., 1910-10-21
Many Cross Ties Are Consumed By
 Railroads.

sumption by the steam and electric railroads in the United States in the calendar year 1909, a compared with the number purchased in I908 This information appears in preliminary comparative report covering 1909. 1903, and 1907, which was transmitted today to Census Director Duraud by Chief Statistician William M. Stewart, under whose supervision it was prepared by J. E. Whelchel, special agent of the Division of Man. ufactures. The Census Bureau, in conjunction with the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, annually collects and publishes a special report relative to tbe con- sumption of cross ties.
 The comparative table, embodied in the report, shows the principal kinds of wood used in the manufact- ure of cross-ties. These, in the rank ing order into which they fell in 1909, are: Oaks, Southern pines, Douglas fir, Western pine, cedar, chestnut, cypress, tamarack, hemlock, redwood, white pine, lodgepole pine, gum, spruce, and beach, and the remaining varieties are grouped together in an ',all other" class.
 Ia 1909 the total number of cross ties of all kinds of wood, reported as having been purchased, was 123, ,754,- coo, costing s6O. .321 .OOO at the point of purchase, as compared with 112, ,463,- 900, costing S56, 6,2lS, ,0OO, in 1908, and I53, 100000, costing SIS, ,959 ,000, in 1907. The latter year does not, however, represent the true standard of con- parison as it was one of unusual rail- road depvelopment. The decrease in 1908 was about 26.S per cent. but in 1909 the balance swung back to SO.5 per cent. of the 1907 record, and was, as stated, an increase of about 10 per cent. over 1908.
 While there was considerable varia- tion in the number of cross-ties pur- chased during the three years. the average cost per tie remained close to 50 cents.
 A significant feature is the fact that in 1909 there swere 16,437 ,OOO cross-ties reported as purchased for new track, against 7,431,OO in 1908, and B, ,00O in 1907.
 The purchase by steam railroads formed about -93 per cent. of the total in 1909 as compared with approxi- mately 94 per cent. in both 1908 and 1907.
 The oaks continued in 1909 to lead by wide margin all the other kinds of cross-tie material. Moreover, in the general return of the industry toward the 1907 record, owing to re- newed activity iu railroad extension, the oaks have come back faster than any other species. In 1907 the total number of oak cross-ties reported was 61, 757 ,OOO; in 1908 it was AS, III ,OOO: and in 1909 it was 57, ,132 ,OOO. During those years the proportion of oak cross-ties in the total number pur- chased ranged from 40 to 46 per cent. Southern pines, which numbered more than half as many as the oaks in 1907, dropped to considerably less than half in 1908 and decreased a little further in 1909 The figures are 34,2l5,OO0 in 1907; 2l,529, ,OOO in 1908; and 2l, ,3S4, 900 in 1909. In each year the oaks and southern pines together formed about two,thirds ot the total mum Der purchased. Douglas l fir, while showing material gain over 1908, was in 1909 still short of the number purchased in 1907, which was II, ,524 1000. In 1908 the total was 7,9S7, ,OO0, and in 1909 it was 9,068, ,00O. From third place in the ranking or der h 1907, Douglas fir dropped to fifth in 1908 but came back to third in 1909. h 1907 cedar, with S,953, 1000, fourth in rank; in 1908 it rose, with SIP, ,O00, to third place, displacing Douglas fir; but iu 1909, with CTS, 1000, it gave way to western pine, and took fifth rank. In 1907 chestnut was fifth, with 1851 ,000; in 1908 fourth, with 8,O74, ,0O0; and in 1909 sixth, with 6,629,- 900. Cypress held the sixth position, with 6.779,OO in 1907; seventh, with 8, ,457 900, in 1908; and seventh again, with 4,589, ,OOO, in 1909 Western pine was seventh f, om the top, with 5,Ol9,- 900, in 1907; ninth, with 3,099, ,000, in 1908; and fourth, with 6, ,797, 900, in 1909. Tamarack was eighth in rank in 1907 and 1909, but sixth in 1908. Hemlock was ninth in 1907 and 1909, but eighth in 1908. Redwood has held with place each year.
 A marked increase is noticeable in the use of gum and beech woods. Of the former, there were 15,0OO cross ties purchased in 1907, 262, 900 in 1908, and 37S, 900 in 1909. The total num- ber of beech cross-ties purchased was 5I ,OOO in 1907, 193,OO in 1908, and 195,000 in 1909
 The Pacific MOnthIy's Special InIrO-
 duCtOry Offer.
 The Pacific Monthly, of Portland, OreUOn is beautifully illuSt ra ted