Cross ties in Northern New Mexico 183 



river, to prevent carrying the ties considerable distances when 

 they are put in the river in the spring. 



Each contractor furnishes or rents his ov^n yard. One con- 

 tractor yarding about 50,000 ties this year paid $50.00 yard rent, 

 or $0,001 per tie. However, as the majority of this year's ties 

 are yarded on rich agricultural land which is under irrigation, 

 this is believed to be slightly above the average annual cost of 

 yarding. 



Sawn Ties — Woods to River. 



Sawn ties, at present, are being made only from western yellow 

 pine and Douglas fir. The entire operation from the felling of 

 the timber to the delivering of the ties at the river is covered by 

 contract with one contractor, who in turn lets subcontracts for 

 the cutting and hauling of the saw-logs to the mill and the haul- 

 ing of the ties' from the mill to the river. 



Logging. The logging does not differ from that of any other 

 small operation in northern New Mexico. 



Felling, Limbing and Bucking. These operations are usually 

 covered by a single contract. Only 16-foot logs are cut for which 

 the choppers receive $0.75 per M. feet, Doyle scale. 



Skidding and Hauling. Skidding and hauling are included in 

 one contract. On some of the steep slopes it is necessary to 

 skid as much as an eighth of a mile. The length of haul varies 

 from one-fourth of a mile to three miles. The average haul is 

 about one and one-half miles, for which $3.00 is the average 

 price paid. 



Milling. The contractor uses a portable mill having a daily 

 capacity of about 10 M. feet B. M. The mill is composed of 

 one 45-horsepower boiler, one 35-horsepower engine (which runs 

 the circular saw, feed and edger), one 6-horsepower engine 

 (which runs the cut-oflF saw), friction feed with cable, edger and 

 cut-off saw. The cost of this mill is approximately as follows: 



Boiler and 2 engines, second hand, $650.00 



Mandrel, husk, feed works, carriage and 



track, new, 300.00 



Two 60-inch circular saws, new @ $100 



each, 200.00 



One edger, new, 250.00 



