The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-02
MUCH TOO BULKY.
The Mining Bureau Report
Not Yet Published.
Chagrin at the Manuscript Being Re-
Edited by One Not Connected
With the Institution.

There is an ominous growl at the State
Mining Bureau, which would not sound
particularly pleasant to some of the legis-
lators who recently congregated at Sacra-
mentO.
The cause of the growl, which is one of
displeasure, Is the manner in which the re-
port Of the bureau for 1892 has been treated.
The report was submitted to the State
Printer in the month of September last. 1t
is now going on eight months since the
report was sent 10 Sacramento, and yet it is
still in manuscript The reports # all
other STATE commissions and institutions
have long ago been printed and scattered
broadcast, but not a single type has been
set in the case of the Mining Bureaus re-
port What makes the subject more an
nOying is the fact that the volume is not
liable to be printed for some time TO come,
and when il is issued the report for 1898 will
probably be ready.
Many Inquiries have been made for the
work. and demands for copies have come
from Eastern institutions asking at the
same time why il Is that the usual courtesy
OF exchange has not been followed.
This is what netties the officials Of the
Mining Bureau and causes their brows to
COrrugate whenever the subject is men
toned. There is little story behind the
failure of the State Printer to issue the
FOAImes anu me mduutI III which the
manuscript has been treated has deeply
wounded the amour prOpre OF those con-
nected with the bureau, especially those
who were engaged in the preparation of the
work.
The annual report OF the institution was
somewhat larger than usual on account of
the new work which had been performed
during the year. After Mneralogist ire
land sent the manuscript to Sacramento TO
the State Printer nothing more was thought
of he M n baT,, ~
the volume would be printed without
trouble as usual
Some months later the Board of Exam
liners met and requested the State Printer
to bring before them the manuscript of the
Mining Bureaus report. They scanned
page after page Of the manuscE55ii., hut they
evidently had nOn-scentific eyes. for their
general impression was that the volume
was too bulky.
This should be cut considerably" said
Yes, boil it down; prune IT," said an
other.
So the Board of Examiners refused to
authorize the State Printer to publish the
work in the form in which 1t was sent to
Sacramento.
Some time later the officials of the Mining
Bureau in this city received notice of the
refusal of the Board of Examiners TO aG-
thoriZe the printing of their report. on the
ground that il was too bulky and should be
accordingly sent to Sacramento to return
the manuscript TO SIN Francisco, .where it
could be satisfactorily reduced in size to
meet the ideas Of the Board of Examiners.
Time passed on but the manuscript never
came. The authors of the report thought
probably that the objections first urged
might have been waived.
Then the Legislature met and attracted
all the attention. During the session a bill
was introduced appropTiating $500 and pro-
yi1i fng pf he Iinin d.,
reau's report The bill was passed and
signed by the Governor aud man was APP
pointed outside of the Mining Bureau 10 re-
edit the report
This is why the shoe pinchss even on cold
DAYS in the neighborhOod of the Mining
Bureau. and why the brOws OF those therein
gather until the fringe is one continuous
line.
The idea of some one who Is not scien-
list. who has not delved into the mysteries
OF geology, attempting to edit the carefully
prepared report of the Mining Bureau
That is why they are mad, and TOR the fur
Their reason that there is an implication OF a
want Of competency on their part. There
is no more tender spot than the amour
prOpre of scientist. and that OF the Off
Gals OF the Mining Bureau has been most
deeply wounded.
They say. besides, the State has uselessly
caused an expenditure of $500, with posi-
bllitY of the volume being mutilated by a
stranger who is not familiar with practical
scientific work, whatever may be his lit
erary attachments. If the manuscript had
been returned to the bureau the required
corrections and lamentations could have
been Systematically made without any ill.,
jury 10 the work or additional cost to the
State.
Professor burden, curator Of the Mining
Bureau, in speaking of the report yester-
day. when questioned on the subject, said
that the report was the most valuable one
no fhas had avar haat,
prepared by the bureau. he has been con-
nected with the bureau Tor many years and
is an authority on geology and mineralogy
In the scientific world. He stated that the
bureau had now larger appropriation
than formerly and consequently more eX-
tended work was planned last year. Men
were sent TO various parts of the State, par
tculary the mining districts, and collected
and collaled the latest and most accurate
Information regarding the leading industry
of the State The knowledge gathered was
incorporated in the report, which made 1t
somewhat larger than usual. Again, ex-
aminatioDs were made into the petroleum
aud naturaI-gas districts of the State with
the view of furnishing the world with the
latest Information on this subject. The
districts where petroleum and natural gas
were reported TO have been discovered were
scientifically examined, for these products.
II they abundantly exist, are most valuable
ones, as In the East in a very short time
they caused towns and millionaires to
spring into existence like mushrooms. The
reason the report was larger than usual
could only be laid to this extra work on the
part OF the bureau.
Professor burden refused TO state his
views on tine subject of one outside of the
bureau and not acquainted with its work
re-editinR the report in order to reduce it in
size. Tue idea, it WAS apparent, was not
altogether pleasing to him. The new min
eralogist. !. j. Crawford, is away and will
not return forltwo weeks. so he could not be
interviewed