COMMERCIAL USES OF WHITE ASH 



1087 



Courtesy J. G. Brill Company. 



WHITE ASH IN STREET CAR CONSTRUCTION 



White ash is used extensively in electric cars and auto busses, forming the principal body parts; i.e., the side and corner posts, and the slats 



for the seats. It is also used for the finish of the cars. 



ash is supreme among our woods. Its stiffness leads 

 tc. its employment in the lower frames of vessels, large 

 and small, but particularly among the small. This wood 

 forms the frames of portable boats, which sportsmen 

 and explorers carry into regions not accessible to boats 

 of the ordinary kind. Canvas skiffs with ash frames 

 have played an important part in the exploration and 

 development of Alaska and other remote northern regions. 

 The old voyageurs dragged their boats, weighing hun- 

 dreds of pounds, up rapids and over portages ; the present 

 day travelers roll up and transport on their backs boats 



of equal carrying capacity and of one-tenth the weight. 



Other articles of ash, which are useful in boat con- 

 struction or on board, are handspikes, levers for capstans, 

 tackle blocks, and pins for the attachment of cordage. 

 For these purposes its chief competitor in early years 

 south of New England was red oak, and hickory was and 

 still is a competitor. Ash blocks for hoisting sail, and for 

 loading and unloading, are yet much used on board 

 vessels. This same wood is employed as finish in cabins 

 and staterooms. 



The use of ash for l)ows on which to stretch the covers 

 of freight wagons has been continued from early times 

 till the present. Vehicles of the prairie schooner type 

 are now scarce, but wagons of many other kinds demand 

 ash for bows. Numerous business vehicles are in this 

 class. Missouri wagon manufacturers use 1,4.50,000 feet 

 of ash yearly; those of Arkansas 2,()00,000; Illinois, 

 2,200,000. In Michigan ash leads all other woods in the 

 automobile industry, the annual demand being about 

 7,000.000 feet. It appears probable that the automobil-i 

 industry in this country demand.^ more ash lh:in goes 



Courtesy .American Fork & hloe Company . 



FINISHED OX BOWS OF WHITE ASH 



Courtesy American Fork & Hoe Compauy. 



OX YOKES OF WHITE ASH 



