, Treated Southern Gum for R. R. Ties

Some of the progressive hardwood manufacturers of the Texas-Louisiana territory are now d,oing some constructive boosting in behalf of what they consider to be a very valuable and much-wanted product: Southern Gum, creosoted like any softwood, for use as railroad ties.

There is much to be said in favor of treated gum ties. They weigh just about the same as the ordinary softwoods that 'are usually creos,oted f,or tie purposes, they hold a spike far better than the average softwood, it costs no more to creosote them than the softwoods, they give the treating fluid splendid penetraticn, and they are very reasonable in price ,on today's market-cheaper than most softwood ties.

The Santa Fe Railroad, generally known as one of the ntost careful and thorough of all railroads in testing out materials to be used, has made extensive tests of Southern Gum ties, creosoted, and they make a most glowing report of the value of same, and likewise buy such ties in huge quantities. It is to interest other r'ailroads in the commodity that the hardwood men are beginning to sing their praises The Santa Fe Railroad is reported to have some treated Southern Gum ties in their tracks that have been there for fifteen years, and are still in perfect order, so there is no way of knou'ing just how long a treated Southern Gum tie will last. That it will give a generation of service is perhaps not too much to expect, according to the opinions of some of the hardwood men who have been investigating the subject.

All of the species of Southern Gum that are com.mercially known, have been found to be well fitted to give service as ties when treated, not only sap gum, and red gum, but likewise black gum having responded splendidly to the tests made by the Santa Fe.

While the Santa Fe is probably the largest consumer of treated Gum ties at the present time, o'ther railrogds have been buying them to some extent, and since there is a wonderful supply o'f this timber in the South, and the a\:erage hardwood s'awnrill can turn out tie timber in large tluantities. it seems slated to become a very popular tie timber with thc track builders.

The hardwood men who know do NOT recommend Gum ties to be used untreated, believing that their large degree of satisfactory service lies in their being creosoted.