69 



Taking the total used for car manufacture and repair at 425,000,000 

 feet in 1923, there has been an increase of 17,667,000 board feet, or al- 

 most 5 per cent, despite substitution during the last decade. Partial 

 returns were obtained on consumption of lumber, fence posts, and piling 

 by railroads. The figures were given for the entire systems and pro- 

 rated to Illinois on the basis of relative mileage, as for cross-ties. The 

 indicated consumption of wood exclusive of car repair for the year 

 1922 was: 



Lumber Posts Piling 



Class Bd. feet Number Linear feet 



Large roads 65,512,789 66,886 219,388 



Small roads 1,947,177 952 84.751 



Switching and terminal Go's 12,545,696 676 13,862 



Total 80,005,662 68,514 318,001 



The total consumption per annvun of wood by steam railroads in 

 Illinois is thus estimated to be : 



Cubic equivalent of all except lumber, 27,143,694. 



Cubic equivalent of lumber at 6 board feet per cubic foot, 84,166,166. 



Total consumption of wood, cubic feet, 111,309,860. 



Total board-foot equivalent, 733,936,507.* 



CoNSUMrxiON OF Wood by Elixthic Lines and Light .\nd Powkr 

 Companies in Illinois 



During the years 1921 and 1922 there were in operation 3,51.1,8 

 miles of electric railways and light and power companies in the state, 

 and for the electric railways 2,450 miles were main track. From the 

 books of the State Commerce Commission at Springfield it api>ears that 

 the number of new ties laid in all tracks was 292,509 for 1921 and 

 326,455 for 1922, an average for the two years of 309,482. 



Further, from the books of the State Commerce Commission, it was 

 learned that 58 of the roads had made statements as to the average num- 



• The convertlne factor of fi board feet per cubic foot can he used for pi'es. 

 poles, posts, and lumber, but for cros.s. switch, and bridge ties averaging 35.9421 

 board feet each and 4.25 cubic feet the converting factor Is 8.4569. 



