Cross ties in Northern Neiv Mexico i8i 



Felling $0.oi i per tie 



Limbing and scoring 032 per tie 



Facing 027 per tie 



Bucking 009 per tie 



Peeling 01 1 per tie 



Total $0.09 per tie 



One man making 20 ties per day of the average grades earns 

 about $1.83 per day. However, loss of time due to getting sup- 

 plies and inspections and the wear and tear on tools reduces their 

 daily wage to approximately $1.50 per day. 



The season in which most of the hewn ties are made is between 

 May first and October first. While the better tie makers prefer 

 to work during the summer, some of the less skillful prefer to 

 work during the winter, because the frozen timber is less- liable 

 to sliver, rendering it easier for the less skillful man to make a 

 smooth face on a crooked-grained or knotty tie. 



Brush Disposal. All limbs are lopped from tops which are left 

 in the woods. Large limbs are cut up so that when piled the 

 piles are about four feet high and eight feet across. The piles 

 are placed from ten to fifteen feet from the nearest top, tree, re- 

 production or other inflammable material, except in extreme cases 

 which would work a hardship on the operators. Such cases are 

 left to the discretion of the Forest Officer in charge of the sale. 

 As a rule each tie maker piles his own brush for which the opera- 

 tors pay him $0.03 per tree, or approximately $0,011 per tie. 



Skidding, Hauling and Yarding. The contractors are de- 

 sirous of allowing a month or two to elapse between the time 

 the ties are made and the time they are hauled in order to take 

 advantage of the weight loss in drying. In some cases it is pos- 

 sible for the haulers to drive to where the ties lie in the woods 

 and load them directly on their wagons. Where this is impos- 

 sible skidding is necessary. Skidding is usually done by a man 

 and one horse. A chain about six feet long having three to 

 four grabs about 18 inches apart is used. The grabs are driven 

 into one of the faces near the end of the tie. Two to four ties 

 are skidded at each trip. Where more ties are skidded at one 

 time an extra chain is needed. With the use of an extra chain 

 three ties are skidded in front and two or more trailers are 



