Crossties in Northern New Mexico. 41 1 



pitch from the saw) to every two men. These are furnished by 

 the tie makers themselves. 



Enough trees for the day's cut are notched by the men, work- 

 ing singly, in such a manner that when they are felled any crooks 

 the trees may contain will be perpendicular to the ground. The 

 object of this is to face the tie so that when finished it will lie 

 flat on the ground. Care is also taken with small trees that their 

 greatest diameter is perpendicular to the ground. This gives the 

 ties the widest possible face and necessitates less scoring. After 

 the trees are notched two men fall them with a cross-cut saw. 



Two methods of scoring are employed. In the more prevalent 

 method followed by the native Mexicans the chopper stands on 

 the fallen tree and with the axe cuts into its side at an angle of 

 about 45 degrees at intervals of about six inches. The Chihua- 

 huans, in scoring, stand at the side of the fallen tree and split 

 large slabs from its side until it is nearly the desired size. This 

 method requires more skill on the part of the chopper but is more 

 rapid and leaves no possibility of the score hacks showing after 

 the tie has been faced. The limbs are chopped off as they are 

 reached in scoring. 



In facing, the maker stands on top of the tree in all cases and 

 with the broadaxe works the two faces to their desired size and 

 smoothness. The "cant" or faced tree is then bucked into 8-foot 

 lengths with the crosscut saw. The unfaced sides of the larger 

 ties are hewn until they become rectangular, making them into 

 squares. The bark is then peeled from the unfaced sides of the 

 remaining smaller ties. As this requires no skill it is often done 

 by boys or apprentices. 



The following prices are paid for making the ties : — 



Squares, $0.14 



Drys, 0.12 



Firsts, o.io 



Seconds, 0.08 



The average price, including the culls for which nothing is 

 paid, is $0.09 per tie. The contractors sublet the making at prac- 

 tically the same prices, expecting to make their profit on the haul 

 from the woods to the river. 



In timber averaging three ties per tree, two men, making 40 ties 



