5ie Proceedings of the 



graph poles, building timber of all kinds, car material — 

 all of which together, it is estimated, will equal in 

 board measure the cross tie item, so that it is possible 

 that the railroads of the United States, for all purposes, 

 require, under present practices, the entire product of 

 almost one million acres of the forest annually. 



So the railroad business, as well as the manufactur- 

 ing business, in a number of directions, is interested in, 

 and very dependent upon, the preservation of the for- 

 ests of this country, and in a wise handling of the 

 subject by the Government, both National and State; 

 in the continuance of the supply of timber for use now 

 and in the future; in the revenue derived from the 

 transportation of forest products; in conserving the 

 water supply of the country so that the maximum 

 amount of arid land may be irrigated and thus support 

 a producing and consuming population. 



Until the time came when the increase in distance 

 from the point of supply of timber, and the increase 

 in the value of the stumpage, resulted in an increase 

 in the cost of all items of forest products, not much 

 attention was paid by business interests, excepting by 

 a far-seeing few, to the necessity for a conservative 

 policy about the forest supply. Happily, before too 

 late, there has been an awakening, the credit for which 

 is due to the persistent efforts of those present. 



On the part of the railroads, this awakening has 

 taken the practical form of preservation of cross ties 

 and other timbers so as to lengthen the life of the 

 wood ; to a greater use of metal, stone and cement ; to 

 the wiser cutting, handling and seasoning of ties and 

 timber, and to a utilization of different kinds of wood 

 for ties, and what is true with the railroad is also true 

 with other important business interests dependent upon 

 wood for their successful operation. 



