3i6 WOOD TRANSPORT BY LAND. 



felling-areas. The construction of this tramway was com- 

 menced in August, 1890, and it was opened for transport by the 

 beginning of December of the same year, but has now 7 been 

 removed entirely. The most recent level forest-tramway is 

 that 15 kilometers long at Rheintessen from Sprendling to a 

 depot on the Eiver Main. This depot covers an area of 12J 

 acres and affords convenient quays for lading boats with 

 timber. 



The forest-tramways in the German Vosges near Barr, 

 Rothau and St. Quentin are the most important mountain- 

 tramways hitherto constructed. Owing to the nature of the 

 locality, consisting of narrow winding valleys, frequently with 

 steep gradients, many difficulties were encountered during the 

 construction of these tramways, and deep cuttings, viaducts, 

 bridges and double curves are frequent. Thus, the Schirmeck 

 tramway, 40 kilometers long, with a gauge of 70 centimeters, 

 and w r orked by locomotive pow T er, ascends 501 meters (1,612 

 feet). The branch-lines of similar construction to that of the 

 main line are 16 kilometers long, with a maximum gradient of 

 7-14%. 



[In the State forests near Schlettstadt on the river 111, in 

 Alsace, that are liable to inundations and where the con- 

 struction of roads is very costly owing to the spongy nature 

 of the ground, short portable tramways are used to transport 

 the heavy oak and other timber to the banks of the 111. Tr.] 



For a discussion of the value and suitability of forest-tram- 

 ways, as compared with other means of transport, the reader 

 is referred to p. 430 of the present book. 



SECTION IV. WIRE-TRAMWAYS. 



At the end of 1850, the first wire-tramways of the simplest 

 kind were erected in order to convey bundles of firewood and 

 faggots weighing up to half a cwt. down precipitous hillsides. 

 A stout iron wire was used for this purpose, which descended 

 the valley with a gradient of 25 30 % and on which the 

 transported material passed hanging by a hook, or a twisted 

 withe. 



This simple; arrangement has led more recently to continual 



