246 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



years. Since the advent of concrete, of frost and the continuous pounding of 



wooden and brick walks have, to a very heavy traffic. 



large extent, been replaced by struc- There does not appear to be any sub- 



tures made from it, which is far more stitute for wooden ties which can meet 



satisfactory than either. This sub- the requirements. The main drawback 



stitution of concrete for wood has been to the wood crosstie being its non-dur- 



a desirable thing since it has reduced able quality. The problem is now being 



the consumption of a high grade of solved by the use of inferior species of 



lumber which has since found a strong woods and treating them with some 



demand for other lines of construction, form of chemical preservative which if 



Another field in which wood is being properly done renders them immune to 



largely replaced is in the construction of decay. The preservative treatment of 



small bridges and culverts on public a large number of species which could 



highways. Formerly these were con- not be used untreated has opened up a 



structed almost exclusively of wood, large source of supply hitherto inaccess- 



Cheap transportation to market for ible and is going a large way towards 



agricultural products is one of the first solving the problem for the railway 



requisites for the farmer and this has transportation companies of the 



brought about the construction of a country. 



very large mileage of low-grade macad- The lumber industry has not been so 



amized roads of permanent character, fortunate in holding the railroad trade 



The small bridges and culverts are being in large timbers for bridge construction, 



given a greater permanency than for- since steel has largely replaced wood in 



merly by constructing them of concrete, large structures and concrete in the 



While more expensive than wooden smaller ones. This can not be regarded 



structures, if properly built, they are as a serious calamity, however, at least 



more permanent in character and reduce from the public point of view since a 



the cost of road maintenance. This is steel or concrete structure if properly 



in line with efficiency and is desirable constructed and cared for is more lasting 



from every point of view. than the ordinary structures of wood. 



One of the largest consimiers of lum- and therefore is to be preferred for 

 ber is the railroad industry which has this purpose since in the long run it will 

 need of immense quantities of wood for aid in prolonging the time when the 

 crossties, bridge timbers, buildings, car supply of large trees, from which rail- 

 construction, sign boards, and like uses, road bridge timbers must be cut, will 



The crosstie situation has been a be exhausted, 



pressing one with railroad companies Railroads still consume large quanti- 



for many years due to the rapidly in- ties of liunber for stations and other 



creasing price of durable woods and the buildings although the railroads are 



greatly diminished supply. For years coming more and more to construct 



repeated efforts have been made to such buildings of brick or concrete be- 



perfect a tie made from material other cause of the more durable character of 



than wood, which would fulfil the rail- the structure. 



roads' needs, but so far the results have The construction of cars for years 



not been satisfactory. Steel ties of has required a very large amount of 



various patterns have been patented lumber, but today the demands for 



and numerous forms of reinforced con- wood for this purpose are decreasing, 



Crete ones have been offered but all have due to the increased use of steel for the 



so far been pronounced undesirable. The construction both of passenger and 



difficulty appears to be that metal or freight cars. The average size box car 



concrete ties are too rigid and unyield- if constructed of wood requires about 



ing and therefore are hard on the loco- 6,500 board feet of lumber, and the 



motives; that steel ties become brittle average size gondola, coke or ore cars, 



and break under the continuous pound- 4,000 feet. In 1911 an estimate of the 



ing of heavy traffic and that concrete number of cars exclusive of passenger, 



ties disintegrate both through the action which were constructed, was about 



