274 



ARBORICULTURE. 



had been bound togedier gave an inkling 

 as to why so much havoc was wrought. 

 Instead of five-inch spikes, which are 

 used with a wooden tie on either side 

 of the rail, the rails were attached to the 

 steel tie by small square plates bolted 

 through the tie, the edge of the plate 

 catching the under flange of the rail. 



When the train left the track, one of 

 the Pullmans dragged along the tracks 

 for some distance before toppling into the 

 river. This Pullman smashed the steel 

 ties like so much kindling wood. 



It is now certain that the Aolia and 

 Whitford, the Pullman sleepers, when 

 the spread came, left the rails so quickly 

 that they turned over in the air before 

 they hit the embankment, and fell on 

 some scrubby pine trees below. That is 

 the only explanation as to how two trees 

 were driven directly throug-h the Pull- 

 mans from roof to floor. These cars 

 then rolled over and carried the trees 

 out by the roots. There they yet re- 

 main. 



BRAKE HANGER OFFICIALLY BLAMED. 



Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 24. — The 

 Pennsylvania Railroad Company to-day 

 issued a statement in explanation of the 

 accident on Friday night near Johnstown, 

 Pa., in which many passengers on the 

 Chicago special were injured. It is de- 

 clared "that the only tangible evidence 

 of the cause of the accident found was 

 the broken brake hanger, as stated by 

 the manager yesterday. 



"The investigating committee," the 

 statement continues, "was informed by 

 the superintendent of motive power at 

 Altoona that the engine on the Chicago 

 special was carefully inspected before it 

 left the round-house, and was in perfect 

 condition. The gauge of the wheels of 

 the engine was measured by the com- 



mittee after the accident and found to 

 be exact. 



"With reference to the steel ties which 

 form part of the track where the acci- 

 dent occurred, the committee informed 

 General Manager Atterbury that the 

 three-quarters of a mile of steel tie track 

 west of the derailment and a small 

 stretch east of it were found to be in 

 perfect conditio^n. This led the commit- 

 tee to believe that the entire length of 

 track equipped with steel ties was in ex- 

 cellent condition before the accident oc- 

 curred." 



AMERICAN FORESTS DISAP- 

 PEARING. 



MANY TREES REQUIRE FROM TWO HUN- 

 DRED AND FIFTY T!) THREE THOUSAND 

 YEARS FOR THEIR REPRODUCTION. 



They are being ruthlessly slaughtered 

 bv lumber corporations whose sole object 

 is to get money. 



What will take their place? 



Aprq:)Os of the warfare which the ex- 

 clusive "400" set of forestry professionals 

 is attempting to make upon the planting 

 of trees which mature within one gener- 

 ation, we ofi^er the following list of prom- 

 inent American forest trees which are 

 in common use, but nearly exhausted of 

 their supply, and the time required for 

 their reproduction : 



Cypress of commerce (Taxodiiim distichuiii ), 

 six hundred years. 



Cedar of Washington (Tliiija gigaiitiis) . one 

 thousand years. 



Redwood (Sequoia sciupcn'irciis) . one thou- 

 sand years. 



Sequoia i^igaiifea. three thousand years. 



Live oak, several centuries. 



Among the "infants" in commercial 



use: 



American white oak (Qiterciis alba), one hun- 

 dred and fifty years. 



