Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-03-03
Mineral Production of the United
States for 1891.
A rocant. number Of the Eqoi,

A recent number Of the E'aga
ing and Mining Journal presents
the official returns of the production
during 1890 and 1891 of nearly all
the important minerals and metals,
and comprehensive statement OF
the sources of production, the occur
renee of the minerals, the uses and
values of their products, and in many
cases the stocks of metal on hand at
the close of the year.
These statistics have been COM
piled with the greatest possible care,
neither labor nor expense being
spared to SECURE accuracy in every
particular.
The statistical reports given would
form book of about 80 pages.
We make the following abstracts
There have been no discoveries of
great bonanzas, no mining s'booms, .
during the year 1891, but the mining
industry never was more prosperous,
and its prosperity never before was
founded, on so substantial basis.
Large investments have been made
in mining, and for the most part with
prudence. Under competent and
honest management these invest
ments are making highly satisfac-
tory returns. The dividends declared
by mining companies during the
year 1891 were mach greater than
for many years past, and represent a
better return on the money actually
invested than ever before in the his
tory of mining in this country.
The immense increase during 1891
in production of most of the metals
has been surprise. Copper in par
ticular will, as usual, astonish the
trade. The consumption of metals
increases steadily, as might be
expected from the growing wealth
ndprosperity of the county. Almost
the only article which has fallen off
has been steel rails, and with it pig
iron. In this instance the financial
condition of the railroads was the
cause; while where consumption is
made up of the purchases in small
and various forms by the people at
large, it steadily increases unless
checked by very high prices. Dur
ing the year 1891 prices were gene
rally low and the people prosperous
they consequently purchased freely.
Nothing more forclbly demon
strates the absurdity of our barbar-
Gus system of weights and measures
than the compilation OF statistics.
We have tons OF 2,240 pounds, Of
1900 pounds, and the metric ton OF
,22044 pounAS, or 1000 kilos, to say
r1. .!siing Of si.e other special tons used
in certain industries. We have
ources troy and avoirdupois, and
grains and grammcs, with ;nnumera-
bic other weights. 1t is, indeed,
high time that ~ civilized countries
adopt the single metric standard of
weights and measures, in which case
the statistics compiled in one coun-
try will be available for comparison
elsewhere without Eecessitating the
laborious recalculation from one sys-
TEN into the other.
MINERAL PRODUCTION Or THE UNITED
STATES IN 1890 AND 1891.
1000 700,
o., leU $3.50 ic3d c3d ooo
silver, ounce. -. 54,5oo,ooo 5s,ooo,ooo
ls soo6 560n; ro,,nds adss loso7 o2s s.e76. 900
Steel rails, tons of 80 -. go ooo
conner po"nnS po"1nSs 2s4 $1,000 2e9 5000 SO 100
Lead, tons OF 1000 :,
zipc pce4os, TONS Of 1000 i0i'4'7 ''s''
pounds. 66,$$42 $500
oncssilPer 6lGess; PerIis; TASKS 'Ss $50 5io33
aluminium. pounds 1881 l63,s2o
Tin. pounds. l23'3oo