Very little building was done in that period in two hundred and fifty prosperous agricultural counties in thirty-two different states.
The railroads consume about 15 per cent.

of our total lumber cut.
They use between 100,000,000 and 125,000,000 railroad ties a year.

It used to be that most of the cross-ties were of white oak cut close to the places where they were used.

Now Douglas fir, southern pine and other woods are being used largely throughout the Middle Western and Eastern States.

The supply of white oak ties is small and the prices are high.