The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-31
Department of Mines and Mining
Planning to Have It Rep
re%sentative.
Everything Useful or Beautiful In
the Mineral Kingdom To
Be Displayed.
Rushing the Work ON tho Exposition
buildings and Grounds-A Worlds
Workshop.

to prevail that it will consist principally Of
a collection of gold, silver and other fine
grades of ores. The department of mines
and mining under the supervision of Chief
Skiff has laid plans for a complete and re.
preventative display from every section. In
no othsr department. of the Worlds Colum-
bian exposition, perhaps. will be seen q
greater diversity Of exhibits than inIthat OF
mines and mining. Not only will there be
a dazzling array of diamonds, opals,
emeralds and other gems, and Of the precious
metals, but a most extensive collection OF
iron. copper, lead and other ores, and OF
their product; of coal, granite. marble,
sandstone and other building stone; OF
soils, salt, petroleum, and, indeed, Of al
most everything. useful or beautiful, be-
longing to the mineral kingdom. How ex-
tensive the mineral exhibit from other
countries will be, is yet too early to know,
but the indications are that it will surpass
any that has heretofore been made. Chief
Skiff of the department. of mines and min
ing, is confident that this will be the result
of the plans which he is pursuing.
The coal industry in the United States is
Of gigantic proportions, involving the in
0bAAOA "a A4hAy AAAAo - NuRASo nAAN
the subsistence of many hundreds of thou
sands of people. According to recent Gen.
sus bulletins the output of coal in 1889
alone aggregated 1O4, $40, 299 tons, the value
of which at the mines was 3131,421, 172.
Fully two-thirds of the states and terrific
ries are coal producing. But great as is the
annual production Of coal in this country
it is insignificant compared with the posi-
bilities. Our coal resources are simply
enormous. Vast areas of coal measures,
thousands of miles in extent, lie distributed
between the Atlantic and Pacific and the
northern and southern boundaries.
Throughout the west and south coal min
ing is rapidly increasing in Importance.
Tn exhibit of coal at the exposition, of
course will be qualitative rather than GUAM
titive. Not only will the different varities
of GOAL, which the different localities pro-
ducs, be shown, but chemical analysis of
economic value and adaptability to
various uses. The coal resources of
the different states and sections will
be show by geological maps and draw
ines showing confRuration, qualification,
ETC., which will render apparent the extent
and accessibility OF the coal beds and veins.
For example, it will be shown that coal
measures of varying thickness underlie a
great portion of the state of Texas-some
40 or 50 eounties-and that, although the
coal production of Texas has thus far been
comparatively small, the supply is practi-
cally inexhaustible, and that much of the
coal is of excellent quality. Chief Skiff
is enlisting the cooperation of large coal
exchanges and corporations. and expects to
have a very extensive and complete ex-
hibit.
Another exhibit which will be very ex-
tensive and varied will be that of building
stone. Granite, limestone, marble, sand
stone and bluestone, in scores of v~arities
and scores of colors. will be shown by the
finest specimens procurable. Nearly every
state has quarries of native material of
excellent quality. From one to half a
dozen of the twenty or more recognized
varieties of granite, for example are quar-
Maine, California and Connecticut being
the largest producers. The value of the
granite output in 1889 was $14, 464, O95, an
increase of moro than $9,OOO,OOO over that
of 1880. Limestone is quarried in almost
every state, Pennsylvania and Illinois tax
1889 was $780, 95, JIG. This ia exclusive of
the output of marble. which, as is we'll
known. is a species of limestone, the quar-
rying of which in a number of the states is
an important and extensive industry.
Sandstone. including bluestone, was quar-
Il6u III 1coJ 70 tu6 value OF Tll, 100, USl,
nearly every state being a producer. The
exhibit of building stone, Chief Skif in
tends, will be given the Importance
it justly demands. Thousands Of speci-
mems, many of them highly polished and
very beautiful, will be shown, and accom-
panyinG each will be the results of tests
made to determine strength, durability and
other merits as construction material. The
exhibit, which will be made in the mines
and mining department., will. it is believed.
mean very much in the matter of rapid de-
velopment of newly discovered mines and
quarries, and the attraction of capital to
many which, through lack of it, have been
but little worked.
1t takes a fence six miles long to enclose
the Worlds fair buildings. All these
structures arc to be of extraordinary di-
mansions, but the largest of them, on which
the foundation work has just been CON-
menced. will be something ~stupendous. It
is the hall of manufactures and liberal arts.
The site for this vast building is a broad,
highly situated plateau overlooking the
lake. A railroad track runs through its
center, and on zach side rise tremendous
piles of lumber, iron and all sorts of con-
struction material. A similar scene is wit
messed at the other great building On which
further progress has been made. Within
the enclosure the exposition site resembles
one vast workground, surrounded by freight
cars and lumber yards. Looking out
toward the lake the breakwater, the long
pier and foundation for the naval exhibit
present the appearance of a mammoth
dockyard. Changed indeed is jackson
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