32b 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



May 10, lyiT 



ONE REASON WHY 1111. i,.VI l.UuAIiS HAVli; NOT BEEN 



PROFUSE WITH DIVIDENDS OF LATE YEARS. SEE THE 



SAME EVIDENCE YOURSELF ON ANY STEEL CAR. 



insignifleant. This applies especially to oalc boards, of wliich not more 

 than 31,000 teet was forwarded, against 1,356,000 feet in February, 1916. 

 There were no shipments of gum, but the exports of poplar increased from 

 • 52,000 to 237,000 feet, while spruce advanced from 261,000 to 935,000 

 feet. On the whole, however, the showing is very unsatisfactory and fur- 

 nishes further evidence of the determination of the foreign buyers to re- 

 strict their wants to the lowest possible proportions, so that the actual 

 shipments must be regarded as reflecting absolute and unavoidable require- 

 ments. The increase in the exports of spruce, naturally, are being called 

 for by the construction of aeroplanes, which is a business greatly stimu- 

 lated by the war. Everything else lags, and the outlook presents a decidedly 

 discouraging aspect. The statement of shipments for March, as compared 

 with the same month of 1916, shows a total value of lumber and lumber 

 products of $126,991 for March, 1917, and .$155,498 for March, 1916. 



The advance in the ocean freight rates to about $3 per 100 pounds from 

 Baltimore. Norfolk and Newport News to Liverpool, with other shipments 

 at about the same 'atio, it is feared, will still further tend to narrow ship- 

 ments, this rate being virtually prohibitive, since it amounts to approxi- 

 mately $180 on 1,000 feet of wagon oak plank, formerly one of the princi- 

 pal items of export. The apprehension is entertained that the foreign buy- 

 ers will use substitutes, yellow pine, in fact, having already been employed 

 for ties and wagon sills and similar purposes, and, in the opinion of the 

 British consumers, :iaving proved satisfactory. If this opinion should be 

 supported by the test of time it might mean that the handlers of oak would 

 never get back their business in wagon oak plank, even after the war, 

 which would deprive oak of a market that has proved very receptive in the 

 past and has taken care of large quantities of lumber. 



"Back to Wooden Cars" the Popular Slogan These Days 



The accompanying illustrations give visible evidence why the practical 

 railroad officials as well as many other people are realizing that the all- 

 steel freight car is not what it was claimed to be. In fact, in many of its 

 features it is a decided failure. Railroad officialdom was loath to take up 

 with the steel car, but was compelled to do so by pressure of public opinion 

 based on misinformation, and undoubtedly to a degree also by the fact 

 that the railroads are so closely linked with the big steel producing in- 

 terests. 



Any proofs of claims of superiority for the steel car over the wooden car 

 (concrete and specific proofs have never been evident) have always been 

 glitteringly general in their character and have consisted mainly of calling 

 attention here and there to wrecks where steel cars held together when 

 dumped down an embankment or after tbcy had come into more or less 

 forceful contact with one another. But the wear and tear of ordinary usage 

 is not spectacular enough and it remained for time to furnish the neces- 

 sary proof of baselessness of most of the claims advanced by steel car 

 advocates. 



The photographs need no startling argument. They illustrate the in- 

 evitable terrific wastage of material and the loss of time and etficiency 

 due to inefficient equipment that accompanies the natural deterioration of 

 metal in contact with many of the materials that are loaded into freight 

 cars. They show what steel does when presented to a combination of the 

 elements and of the faaturally rigorous wear accompanying freight travel. 

 They show that when a steel car is gone it cannot be taken to the shops 

 and repaired quickly by the sulistitution here and there of a good piece of 

 sound wood fcir a piece that has been broken. They show that the rail- 

 roads are transporting immense quantities of unproductive weight because 

 the double bottom steel car accumulates refuse and holds, when even 

 slightly damaged; considerable quantities of the bulk materials transported. 

 This in the aggregate constitutes a tremendous freight lull which is never 

 paid, .'ind all this definite proof on top of the unalterable statistics show- 

 ing tremendous increase in cOst of manufacturing steel cars and the im- 

 mensely excessive cost over the figures involved in the making of wooden 

 cars, and then also taking into account the excessive wear on tracks and 

 excessive call on motive power due to greatly increased weight, point the 

 way to reforms by railroad officials, many of whom have already gone on 

 record in unqualified terms endorsing the use of properly constructed 

 wooden freight cars in place of the provenly defective steel cars that have 

 l)een in use. 



The following is the summarized declaration of William Queenan, as- 

 sistant superintendent of the Burlington railway shops, which was made 

 before the Western Railway club in Chicago recently : 



That the initial cost of the composite gondola with the present price of 

 steel should be less than the all steel gondola. 



That the composite type of car tosts less to maintain than the steel 

 goniiola. 



That sides of the composite car do not bulge as do those of the steel 

 car. 



That records show while the composite car costs more to repaint than 

 the steel car, they do not require painting as frequently. 



That a large portion of the repairs to composite cars can be taken care 

 of at other than steel car shops. 



That certain properties in coal cause corrosion to steel and that wood- is 

 not alTected by these. 



Made Up for It. 

 Fay : The Widow Dashaway's husband didn't leave her much when h» 

 died, did he? 



Kay : No ; but he left her very often when he was alive. — PMladelphtm 



