no installation of this apparatus in the United States. Several years ago 

 the use of the perforating process on a large scale was inaugurated by the 

 Columbia Creosoting Company of Portland, Oregon. Mr. W. D. Clark, 

 Vice President of that company, devised a machine for perforating railroad 

 ties according to a plan of spacing of perforations originated by Mr. O. P. M. 

 Goss, Consulting Engineer for the West Coast Lumbermen's Association 

 and the Association of Creosoting Companies of the Pacific Coast, in which 

 maximum penetration is secured with a minimum number of perforations. 

 As ties perforated by this method can be readily treated without subject- 

 ing them to high temperatures, it is now possible to creosote Douglas fir 

 without increasing the tendency for the ties to rail-cut. The decrease in 

 strength due to the perforating as shown by actual tests has been found to 

 be negligible. It is expected that several railroads in the very near future 

 will adopt this method entirely for the creosoting of Douglas fir ties. 



With the invention of a number of machines for the perforating of 

 poles by the writer, the possibility of the rapid development of this field 

 has become quite assured. In the writer's processes, the preferred method 

 of perforating poles consists in rotating the pole while in a horizontal or 

 vertical position and forcing a wheel carrying a single row of spikes against 

 the 'portion of the pole that is included in the space between one foot 

 below and above the ground line. The wheel is fixed in such a manner 

 that it traces a spiral row of perforations around the pole. In this way 

 a minimum number of perforations are made, scarcely reducing the strength 

 of the pole. The perforations are about one-half inch apart in the row, 

 while the space between the spirals is from 4 to 8 inches. The cost of 

 operating such a machine promises to be very low, as the device is not at 

 all complicated. The writer has also designed a machine for perforating 

 piling arranged in such a manner that the crook of a pile does not affect 

 the operation of the machine. 



The perforating of a pole at the ground line before treatment with 

 creosote not only insures even and positive penetration where it is most 

 needed, but a large proportion of the creosote that ordinarily penetrates 

 into the end of the pole is saved, due to the shortening of the time of treat- 

 ment. The relatively cheap open tank process is used in treating perforated 

 poles, though the pressure retorts that have been described may also be 

 used. The effectiveness of this method of treatment is graphically illus- 

 trated in the third pole of the illustration appended to this article. 



It has been argued that the perforation of the pole at the ground line 

 weakens the pole. The weakening effect is in direct proportion to the 

 reduction of area due to such perforating, and is so slight that it may be 

 entirely disregarded. The sapwood of an untreated western red cedar pole 

 will usually rot away in one year to a greater extent than the reduction of 

 area due to perforating, and it would be rather hysterical to assert that 

 a western red cedar pole becomes unfit for use after a service of one year. 



In conclusion, the writer wishes to sum up the advantages to be 

 derived from the perforating process as applied in the creosoting of western 

 red cedar poles. The chief advantages are as follows: 1. The greatest 

 penetration of creosote is obtained at the ground line, where fungi are most 

 active; 2. The penetration of creosote at the ground line is positive; 3. 

 Creosote is not wasted at the end of the pole; 4. The capacity of t pole treat- 

 ing plants can be greatly increased without the installation of expensive 

 apparatus; 5. The process is not expensive. 



11 



