Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1910-07-29

developed an arboricultural industry to proceed
hand in hand with the preparation of quebracho
posts for fences and construction work. sleepeTs
for railways, and of tanning extract, the three
industries for which this unique tree Is at present
utilized.
'Rollizos" Is the Spanish word commonly en-
ployed in the trade for the rough and untrimmed
logs (which the word means), from which only
the bark has been removed They are still sup
piled by smaller camps from dwarfed under
growth not great enough for other purposes than
posts, beams, cabin pillars, or cart axles. When
the forest was first invaded these logs were the
only product brought out of it. and the stories told
of the primitive methods adopted by the natives
for transport carry one back before the days of
steam and machinery A popular way of loading
the logs to lay them the ground on ropes;
then the animals embarrassed and the cart
was Tilted bodily upside down over the logs:
these were then made fast to the body of the cart
after which maneuyer 1t was brought back to its
normal position. OF course only twowheeled carts
used. AS modern methods were In
trodueed, and better carts wagons became
known, these primitive and cumbersome habits
disappeared although in the far interior even to-
day rollizos still brought to market in this
manner. "Durmientes. according to the Spanish
or sleepers In the English idiom, probably the
most important product of the quebracho of the
Argentine Republic.
The industry of making sleepers has assumed
huge proportions. The difficulties of former days
have been largely overcome by the introduction
of modern machinery, especially saws and some
of the mills many miles distant, from any main
railway are equipped and organized in manner
which would reflect credit any similar plant In
the United States Special needed to
penetrate the wood but they furnished from
the factories of England, France, and America.
This mill business is carried on by many COM
panies, although the tendency is to concentrate
the management into fewer but larger organiza-
lions. One company owns tract of land of about
100000 acres, and Is prepared to cut timber,
fashion 1t into logs and sleepers prepare tanning
extract and utilize every other resource which the
land provides. Another company can turn out
10000 to 10000 sleepers week. This number how.
ever can by means meet the steady demand
for railway building which Is characteristic of this
portion of South America. Seepers are laid at
about an interval of two feet from center to GEN.
ter. Assuming, therefore. only 1000 sleepers for
every mile 1t will be seen that 10000 are enough
for only Is miles. years supply at fullest capac
ity will consequently build only $50 miles of rail-
way But the Argentine Republic, Uruguay, Chile
and Bolivia, all contiguous to the Chaco. con-
structing more than this mileage, SO that 1t Is
easy to see that every sleeper turned out from
modern mills can at find local market
These sieepers are finished at the mi and
the mill is situated the spot In the forest itself
most convenient for carrying on the process
Quebracho extract prepared for tanning skins