


75 
manner, Perhaps the most constant and serious drain on their part — 
is in connection with the demand for cross-ties. Tor this use it is eus- 
tomary to cut the smaller and rapidly growing trees, which results in a 
wasteful consumption of the trees themselves and a great diminution 
of the source of future supply; or else much valuable timber is left in 
the woods, the tie cutter taking only such parts of trees as will most 
easily yield him ties of the required size. 
The information collected with respect to the railway mileage of this 
region, and the amount and kinds of native timber used by the sev- 
eral roads, is not sufficiently complete to warrant the presentation of 
the same in tabular form, and is therefore embodied in the condensed 
statements following. 
By the courtesy of Messrs. Poor, publishers of Poor’s Manual of Rail- 
roads, we are enabled to give, in advance of publication in the usual 
way, the following estimate of the railroad mileage in the Rocky Mount- 
ain region at the present time. In a letter received from them they say: 
From careful examination of the data now in our office, our estimate is as follows 
Miles. 
Idaho ..... oR irae Be get SS Sat PS el ra eh ce 850 
PP tg Ge ee RRM aaa eT Fis al a ea 1, 575 
OS LL SI aE a 850 
Co ate Mugg Og ihe A a Oe a ee eee 3, 650 
pn i SN Es creel ERS AS Sa Se aie ae 1, 238 
ae 2 Sy Rl I cr ge le 1,145 
It is possible that before the end of this year there will have been added to the 
mileage of the six St ates and Territories named an additional 300 miles of new rail- 
road, making the total increase for the year about 1,650 miles of railroad, to which 
will be added at least 400 miles of sidings and other auxiliary tracks, or a total of 
over 2,000 miles of track within the year. 
Assuming this estimate to be correct, there will be in the Rocky 
Mountain region at the close of the year 1887, 10,008 miles of railroad 
track. This would bring the demand upon the forests up to the present 
time for construction to not less than 200,000,000 cubic feet, and the 
annual demand for renewal and maintenance to 25,500,000 cubic feet. 
Union Pacific Railway.—Consumption of native timber. Statements from 8. T. Smith, 
general superintendent, Omaha. (Length of road in Colorado, 965 miles. ) 
August 20, 1886. We-have used during the last twelve months in Colorado about 
200,000 cross-ties, about 5,000 posts, 2,700 cords of slabs for fuel purposes, and 1,500,000 
feet of mountain pine for various purposes. 
February 1, 1887. Number of cross-ties and feet of dimension lumber used in the 
year 1886 on the following divisions: 

Square feet 
of dimension 

| Number of 
State or Territory. arnea ies 

timber. 
cine occemcanacuccceeues 9, 180 1, 084, 827 
TEE SSS OE 7s Sai ee eee 41, 844 401, 221 
ER re te i secu dansdesaaccdavcuccsc| 355, 930 1, 800, 282 
NOSES SSN ae ig es ee, 279, 827 | 5, 164, 639 
EE Me ee Lents, Wie a oo aes gn e somes e aks scre ce tn aee 686, 827 

8, 450, 969 


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