American Forkst Congress 285 



woods was more than doubled at a cost not quite 

 one-half the original cost of a new tie. 



Timbers treated with creosote show results in the 

 United States similar to those obtained in European 

 countries. Piling of longleaf yellow pine has been in 

 service in bridges since 1869 and 1870 in several south- 

 ern states, and a recent examination shows that the 

 wood is still sound. There is no longer any necessity 

 for doubting the value of creosote (or, as it should be 

 more properly called, tar oil) as a wood preservative. 

 Where a good quality is used, and with a sufficient 

 quantity injected, an almost indefinite length of life 

 can be obtained. The chief objection against its uni- 

 versal use has been the high cost of- the oil and the 

 small quantities available. There seems to be no good 

 reason why more tar oil should not be produced in this 

 country and at lower cost. It is encouraging to note 

 the introduction of by-product coke ovens in which the 

 available tar oils are being saved. More of those 

 by-product ovens should be constructed, and if uni- 

 versally used in coke-burning regions there would no 

 longer be any dearth of oil. 



There are several new processes using creosote 

 which are so conducted as to use small quantities of 

 creosote, thereby reducing the cost of treatment and 

 bringing the creosoting process within the range of 

 consideration. In speaking of creosote, I cannot omit 

 a word of caution as to the manner in which wood is 

 frequently treated with tar oil. Creosoted wood has 

 a bad reputation in many quarters, for it is said that 

 the treatment with tar oil makes the wood weak, brittle, 

 and brash. That such is frequently the case no one 

 who has had occasion to examine any amount of creo- 

 soted timber can doubt. During the past summer we 

 have been conducting an extensive series of tests at 



