MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS. 15 



tain annualfixed charges, that the concrete CROSS-TIES PURCHASED IN 1909. hewed from Douglas fir does not change from 



building will give a lowtr annual tax against The total number of wooden cross-ties pur- - vear to >' ear proportionate to the use of the 



the enterprise that it is housing than will the d-ased by the steam and electric railroads of the s P e cies, the fluctuations in the demand for ties 



cheaper forms of construction. United States in 1909 was 123,751,000. This ma de from this wood being confined largely to 



The second advantage is its fireproofness, represents an increase of 11,285,000 ties, or 10 sawet ' ties, which show wide variations annu- 



concrete being generally accepted by the in- per cent., over the number purchased in 1908, a11 *'- 



surance interests and the building world as but a decrease of 29,952,000, or 19.5 per cent., * n tne case f cedar ties the number of 



out the country have subjected concrete floors, of the general business depression and curtailed to 1.813,000 in 1909. 



beams, girders, and columns to most severe their expenses accordingly. The figures for The steam railroads of the United States 



conditions, with the result that the owners 1909, 1908 and 1907 show, however, that the purchased 115,432,000 cross-ties in 1909, or 93.3 



of the buildings on fire have immediately aft- cross-tie industry is rapidly regaining the pros- P er cent of the toral quantity purchased. Of 



er the extinguishing of the flames been able perity enjoyed in 1907. these, 77 - 9 P er cent were hewed and 22.1 per 



to make use of their structures a condition Of the ties bought for new track in 1909, the cent sawed. The electric railroads purchased 



which has never been heard of in any other steam railroads reported 13,822.000, or about 84 8,319,000 ties, or 6.7 per cent, of the total in 



type of building. per cent., and the electric roads 2,615,000. The 1909 ' a ? ain of W>*.M ties over 1908. Of 



The permanency of concrete cannot be ties purchased for new track by steam roads l iese - 67 - 5 P er cent - were hewed and 32.5 per 



doubted. One hardly ever reads anything about formed 12 per cent, of all ties purchased by cen *- sawe< i- 



concrete without finding reference to its use them, while the corresponding proportion for 



by the Romans and other ancients. To the the electric roads was 51.4 per cent. more tles made of chestnut than of any other 



best of our knowledge, the concrete which we Ten kinds of wood supplied 97.3 per cent, of 5 Pecies. Almost as many southern pine ties 



are placing today is better than the old kind all ties purchased. These are oak, southern were , reported by them; and ties of cedar, red- 



o: concrete. This for the reason that the P in e, Douglas fir, western pine, cedar, chestnut, wood, and .Douglas fir ranked next in import- 



cement. which was used in the old days was cypress, tamarack, hemlock, and redwood. The arl "- Since the steam roads purchased a very 



a natural but non-uniform material, whereas oaks led by a wide margin, being the timber high proportion of the total number of ties re- 



our cement today is an artificial, chemically used for 57,132,000 ties, or 46.2 per cent, of the Ported, the rank of the woods used by them is 



uniform substance. Hundreds of tests of ce- total number purchased, and more than two the same as that discussed under the total num- 



ment in all parts of the world have demon- and one-half times as many ties as were made ber purchased by both classes of roads 



strated that it steadily increases in strength from the southern pines, which ranked next in less durable woods are little used by the electric 



for long periods of time, and that as far as importance and which were used in the produc- roads, doubtless because these roads lack the 



scientific judgment can foresee our concrete tion of 21,385,000 ties. More than 63 per cent. facilities for preservative treatment which a 



structures are increasing and will continue to of a11 tles Purchased were made from some number of the large steam railroads now pos- 



increase in strength year by year. Concrete s P ecles of oak or from the southern yellow seg s- . 



not onlv nprmpnpnt hn't arttiallv P lnes - The total cost of all cross-ties purchased in 



better -NY Evening ' Post Dou * Ias fir ' a s P ecies which wil1 P*bly be "09 was $60,320,700, an amount which exceeds 



' drawn upon heavily as the demand for ties the figures for 1908 by more than $4,000,000. 



BIG LOGGING CONTRACT crowds the supply was used for 9,067,000 ties. ^ n 1909 tne steam roads and electric roads 



,,. _. '. Ranking next in importance were western pine. eacn P aid the same average price for hewed 



Warren Flanagan, of Iron Mountain, has ced and chest nut, each being credited with a ties. Sawed ties were purchased for the same 



made for his logging operations in the total of sli ht , y mo than 6> Vooo ties Cy- average price (49 cents) as hewed ties by the 



^"nnnnnn 3 ? t ( "^ A H ' f*?"*? V '! P ress - tamarack, hemlock, and redwood each st eam roads, but the electric roads paid 4 cents 



about 

 cedar. 

 wood 



nnnnnn ( A - , , an rewoo eac , 



2.000.000 feet of hardwood, hemlock and supplving more than 2-000 000 t ; lete the more for sawed ties. It is an interesting fact 



. Of this amount 1.000,000 feet of hard- V ^ oi the ten , eadin ' y d of p e that although the average tie used by the elec- 



will go to the Von Platen Lumber Com- chased . The remainim f ?. '?*+*& - trie roads is smaller than that used by the steam 



ties to the St. Paul Railroad Company, and his The two leading timbers were the same as in are more like 'y to purchase ties at points where 



entire output of cedar poles, posts and logs 1908. Oak, with an increase of 90*2000 ties the price includes railroad transportation 



the Roper Lumber Company Menominee. contributed a slightly higher proportion of the charges. 



addition to the above. Mr. Flanagan has a total number of ties purchased in 1909 than in The highest average price reported by the 

 arge contract with the Bristol Mining Com- 1908. Southern pine, on the other hand fur- steam railroads was 64 cents for sawed red- 

 Crystal Falls, for mining timber, which nished a slightly smaller number of ties than woo<1 ties and the lowest 33 cents for hewed 

 includes 15.000 pieces of eight-foot logging, in 1908 and a smaller proportion of the total hemlock. The electric roads paid as high as 82 

 Flanagan has given the contract to cut Douglas fir, with an increase of 1079000 ties cents Ior hewed western pine ties, these being 

 and haul to the track 1.000.000 feet of hard- held third rank in 1909, the same as in' 1907 ' practically all treated, while the lowest average 

 wood and 500.000 feet of hemlock to Anton The increasing use of several of the rela- P"ce paid by them was 31 cents for hewed 

 Miench. The cedar, pulpwood and mining tively unimportant tie woods, especially gum hemlock. From Annual Federal Report, 

 timber Mr. Flanagan will cut with his own spruce, and beech, is noteworthv. The "number 



crew. of gun, ties purchased, which in 1907 was only RECEIVER FOR PETERS SALT AND 

 15,000, increased to 262,000 in 1908, and by a LUMBER COMPANY. 



COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM FAVORED. further gain of 116,000 ties, reached a total of Judge Denison of the United States court 



Thirty-four of the counties of Michigan have 378,000 ties in 1909. Spruce and beech also has appointed the Michigan Trust Companj 



adopted" the county road system, which is tax- showed heavy gains during the past two years, of Grand Rapids received for the R. C 



ing the whole county for a fund to build The increasing use of these species which are Salt and Lumber Company of Mamstee 



trunk line roads. They are Alger. Alpena, lacking in decay-resisting qualities is evidence for R. G. Peters. The liabilities approximate 



Baraga, Bay. Benzie. Berrien. Cheboygan. of the growing use of methods of wood preser- $2.000.000 and the assets are t 



Chippewa. Delta. Dickinson, Emmett. Genesee. vation through chemical treatment. $500,000 in excess of these, but 



Gladwin. Gogebic. Grand Traverse. losco. Approximately 77 per cent, of all ties pur- widely scattered. The receiver was appoir 



Iron. Kalkaska, Kalamazoo, Luce, Manistee. chased in 1909 were hewed. Although the pro- for the conservation of the Peters interests 



Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Menominee, Mis- portion of hewed ties was lower than in 1908, and to protect creditors. 



saukee. Muskegon. Oceana. Ogemaw, Ontona- it was the same as in 1907 and higher than in Mr. Peters and the Peters Salt and Lumber 



gon. Saginaw, Schoolcraft. Wayne and Wex- 1906. About 82 per cent, of all ties purchased Company failed in 1890 and the Michigan 



ford. in 1908 and about 75 per cent, of those pur- Trust Company was appointed receiver then 



In St. Clair, Cass. and Gratiot resolutions chased in 1906 were hewed. In the industry as also. All debts aggregating about $3,000.00 



were introduced at the October sessions of a whole it is apparent that methods of manu- were paid in full and assets aggregating 



the boards of supervisors to submit the propo- facture are not undergoing any great general Si. 500.000 were turned over to Mr. Peters, 



sition to a vote of the people, but in each and permanent changes. The receivership was dissolved in 1896. Now 



case the matter was laid over to the January Cross-ties made of oak showed a slight gain comes the second crash. 



in the relative number of sawed ties. In 1908, The receivership is now created at the in- 



12.4 per cent, of the oak ties purchased were stance of Mrs. Emma Burton of Palestine. 



MUST HAVE GOOD ROADS. sawed, while in 1909, 16 per cent were so re- Texas, a sister of Mr. Peters, who has filed 



I ncle Sam has a firm hold upon the question ported. In the case of ties made from southern a bill in chancery in the United States court 

 of good roads which are being talked about all pine the proportion of hewed ties, although less asking that this action be taken. She is a 

 over the country. In some localities threats have than in 1908, was greater than in 1907. Doug- creditor of the R. G. Peters Salt and Lumber 

 been made and eventually carried out to the ef- las fir is the only important timber from which Company to the amount of $16.163. holding 

 feet that rural mail service would be discon- more ties are sawed than hewed, 78.5 per cent, the company's notes endorsed by Mr. Peters, 

 tmued if the roads traveled over were not put in of the ties reported as made from this timber The action is in chancery and not in bank- 

 better condition. in 1909 being sawed. The number of ties ruptcy. 



