SPECIFICATIONS FOR WOODEN CROSS-TIES, 



PROPOSED &ENETJAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR CROSS-TIES. 



TIMBER. 



Cross-ties will be accepted of the following varieties of timber : Oaks of the vari- 

 ous kinds known as " white," ^' black," ^'yellow," "rock," or " chestnut," '' burr," 

 and " post," red cak, black locust, second-growth white chestnut, beech,, red elm, 

 cherry, maple, butternut, tamarack, and yellow pine of the long-leaved Southern 

 hard pine variety cut from untapped trees, white and red cedar. Hemlock may be 

 accepted but only under special contracts. 



First class. Eight and one-half feet in length, 7 inches in thickness, and not less 

 than 7 inches width of face on both sides at the small end. 



Second clas^. Eight feet in length, 6 inches in thickness, and not less than 7 inches 

 width of face on both sides at the small end ; and in each class there must be at 

 east oae- fourth of the whole number that will be not less than 10 inches in width of 

 faces. 



MANUFACTURE. 



All ties must be made from sound, thrifty live or green timber, free from loose or 

 rotten knots, worm-holes, dry-rot, wind-shakes, splits, or any other imperfections 

 affecting the strength or durability of the timber. 



Not more than 1 inch of ''sap wood" will be allowed on the edges or corners, and 

 none at all on either face of the ties ; they must be hewed or sawed with the faces 

 perfectly true and parallel, of the exact thickness specified; the faces must be out 

 of " wind," smooth, and free from any inequalities of surface, deep score marks, or 

 splinters ; they must be cut or sawed square on the ends to the exact lengths given 

 and be generally straight in all directions, and will not be accepted if more than 3 

 inches out of straight in any direction ; and must be peeled or stripped entirely free 

 from the bark before being delivered. 



No " square ties," either hewed or sawed, will be accepted excepting under special 

 contracts. No split ties will be accepted under any circumstances, and "culls" 

 only at the option of the company, and at such prices as may be agreed upon from 

 time to time. 



DELIVERY. 



All ties delivered along the line of the railway must be stacked up in neat square 

 stacks of fifty ties in each, with alternate layers crossing each other, and on ground, 

 wherever possible, as high or higher than the grade of the railroad, and in such posi- 

 tion as to admit of being counted and inspected with ease and facility. Ties deliv- 

 ered at suit;ible and convenient x)laces, acceptable to the company, will be inspected, 

 and bills made for all received and accepted up to the last day of each month, and 

 payment will be made for same on or about the day of the succeeding month. 



Chief Engineer. 

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