This strategy to procure ties was certainly the case with the 1850's
railroad here at Cahawba Alabama.    The Railroad contracted with two local
sawmills, apparently dividing the order to either ensure quick delivery, or
to be politically correct by "spreading the wealth."  The crews (mostly
slaves and Irish) focused on grading and installation of materials only.  


Linda Derry
Site Director
Old Cahawba Archaeological Site
719 Tremont Street
Selma, AL 36701-5446
334/875-2529
[log in to unmask]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On 
> Behalf Of Efstathios I. Pappas
> Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 2:57 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Railroad/logging-Tie Hack Camps
> 
> 
>   Carl, I have not done anything with Tie Hack camps before 
> although in my readings on the railroad industry, a few 
> trends seem to be relevant to your work. I assume you are 
> referring to camps where railroad tie material was harvested? 
> Very early in railroad history, the procurement of ties 
> shifted from employing individuals or teams to harvest tie 
> material to buying from specialized companies or suppliers or 
> the formation of separate divisions within the company. In 
> any case, as railroad companies reached corporate maturity, 
> tie procurement became formalized, systematized, and large 
> scale. For smaller, shortline railroads, sometimes locally 
> produced ties were purchased from locals on a piece-rate 
> basis in small quantities which may coincide with the 
> physical remains you describe. However, these individuals 
> were usually not directly employed by the railroads most of 
> the time and operated as independent contractors. Typically, 
> the era of rough/hand-hewn ties ended in the peri!  od of ROW 
> renewal following construction as hardwood/treated ties 
> became desirable to increase longevity, durability, and axle 
> loadings. On the Central Pacific, this period began as early 
> as the 1870s following the flurry of construction activity 
> and resulted in the creation of an entire system within the 
> Southern Pacific for tie harvesting, treatment, and 
> company-wide shipment. Either way, it was very big business 
> considering the hundreds of thousands of ties required per 
> year with a lifespan of barely 10 years depending on 
> conditions. I hope these musings and observations are of some help! 
>  
>  Stathi
>     ______________________________________________________
>  
>  Efstathios I. Pappas, MS
>  Doctoral Student
>  Department of Anthropology/096
>  University of Nevada, Reno
>  Reno, NV 89557
>  (775) 323-5730   
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: [log in to unmask]
>  To: [log in to unmask]
>  Sent: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 9:29 AM
>  Subject: Re: Railroad/logging-Tie Hack Camps
>  
>   Stathi -
> 
> 
> 
> Have you had any experience with Tie Hack camps?
> 
> 
> 
> If so, what physical indicators were you seeing that 
> indicated it that was
> 
> a tie hack camp?
> 
> 
> 
> For exmaple, was there large acerages of stumps at a uniform 
> height nearby?
> 
> 
> 
> Carl Barna
> 
> Lakewood, CO
> 
> 
> 
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> A
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> Stathi
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> Efstathios I. Pappas, MS
> 
> Doctoral Student
> 
> Department of Anthropology/096
> 
> University of Nevada, Reno
> 
> Reno, NV 89557
> 
> (775) 323-5730
> 
>    
> ______________________________________________________________
> __________
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