Crossties in Northern New Mexico. 413 



ly done by a man and one horse. A chain about six feet long 

 having three or 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 trail- 

 ers are hooked to the rear of these. The number of ties skidded 

 in a day by one man and horse varies greatly with the distance 

 which they are skidded and obstructions, such as underbrush, 

 rocks, steep slopes, and arroyos. A man and horse can skid 500 

 ties in a ten-hour day on the mesas, which are comparatively 

 level and free from underbrush, or where the skidding distance 

 is short. In the canyons and on the brushy slopes of the Douglas 

 fir type, or where the ties must be skidded 200 yards or more or 

 where they are scattered, one man and a horse can skid but from 

 150 to 200 ties per day. 



The ties are loaded on wagons which have been lengthened 

 enough to permit two tiers of ties to be piled end to end. An 

 average load for a team of the small native horses is about 25 ties. 

 Ordinarily each man requires about one-half hour to load the 

 ties and bind them on the wagon with a chain. 



The average haul from the areas at present allotted the con- 

 tractors to the yards at the river is about two miles, all of which 

 is down grade over comparatively good roads. For this haul 

 they receive $0.09 per tie for all classes. Subcontracts are let 

 at different prices, varying according to the distance the ties must 

 be hauled and the accessibility of the areas. The haulers receive 

 from S0.05 for the shorter hauls to $0.10 for the longer and more 

 difficult ones, with an average of about $0,065 P^^" tie. The haul- 

 ers are required to construct all but the main trunk roads, many 

 of which are county roads. The number of trips a man and 

 team can make in one day varies from two on the longer hauls, 

 or where skidding is difficult, to four trips on the shorter hauls 

 or where skidding is easy or unnecessary. One man and team can 

 skid and haul an average of 75 ties per day. At this rate he earns 

 about $4.86 per day actual time, but considerable time is lost due 

 to breakdowns and inclement weather which considerably re- 

 duces the haulers' average wage. 



About fifteen minutes are required for the hauler to unload 

 and pile his load in the yard. In piling, two ties are laid on the 



