Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-17

bristling from stem to stern with the
cleaning barrels of hue cannonsl
THE FUEL QUESTION.
Possible Exhaustion of the Present
Sources OF Supply.
With the rapid extension of the appli-
cation OF power to manufacturing, trans
portation, and all other industrial pur-
poses, the extent of our fuel resources
and the modes of securing and using them
become OF the greatest importance. The
ease with which the different forms of
fuel have heretofore been secured in this
country has led, in many quarters. tt
reckless waste and extravaganza modes of
use, in the apparent belief that the stores
from which these sources of power have
been drawn were inexhaustible. No
greater error can be conceived than that
OF surprising the worlds supply of fuel,
under the present systems of transfer
nation of energy, to be exhaustless in
amount. AS is we'll known, the total
available supply of English coal is reli-
ably measurable, at the present rate of
consumption, in terms Of period of
years which does not by any means
extend indefinitely into the future. A
very few years, indeed, have sufficed to
practically exhaust our own natural gas
supply, although the most ruthless waste
has contributed largely to this result. It
is not impossible that the discovery of
new fields may replenish the waning
store of gaseous fuel, although that does
not now seem probable. A considerable
number of oil fields have ceased to yield
a paying output, and many others have
reached the period of decreasing produc-
ton. Although the prospect for the dis
covery and utilization of new oil centres
in different parts of the world is certain
ly encouraging, experience conclusively
shows that only limited supply in refer
ence to the worlds demands can be ex.
pected.
The case Is not so very different when
the matter of coal supply is considered.
1t is true that our soft coal is found in so
many locations and in such quantities
that it seems to be practically lmitless;
and at the present rate of use it is so.
There is every reason, however, to an
ticipate an increasingly rapid extension
of the application of mechanical power,
with a correspondingly enormous con-
sumption of fuel under the present modes
of use. If it were possible to estimate
this increased consumption for the next
century, on the one hand, and our avail
able soft-coal supply on the other, there
is no reason to believe that the latter
would not be quite tinitely expressed in
terms of the former. Some really start
ling, though very conservative. results
were recently set forth by the Pennsyl-
vania commission appointed to investi-
gate the matter of waste in anthracite
coal mining. In the first place, it was
shown that in the past not more than
about 80 per cent. of the actual cosl in
the ground has been obtained for the
market by mining operations. The com.
mittee believes that this percentage NAV
in the future be raised to 40 by rework-
ing the coal lands and by utilizing the coal
now in the culm banks. Even that gain.
however, leaves q loss of 60 per cent.
The full significance of these figures
does not appear until they are made to
exhibit the total available remaining
supply in the three great anthracite dis
tricts. There remain in the Wyoming
district four and one-half times the
amount already mined, and in the Lehigh
district but two and one half times the
now mined. while the Schuylkill
district has been depleted of one fifteenth
only of its total store. The quantity
.ermed "mined" includes the 40 per cent.
AVAILABLE for market and the 60 per cent.
oss. 1t is thus seen that the supply of
anthracite coal is quite limited. Indeed,
'iew the whole question in any way that
We will, it is apparent that the present
ystem of utilizing power from its great
natural sources is such as to make the |
exhaustion Of our natural fuel supply |
mere matter of definite time.
1t is very probable, however, in fact
almost certainty at the present time,
hat developments in the science of
mercy will lead to direct and vastly more
utilization of the power stored
n nature. The best of our present pro.
esses are in reality excessively wasteful,
nd would within a definite period. of
ime exhaust the supply. But probably
70 one can be found bold enough to pre-
ict that exhaustion and deny that fur
her advances in science will not radical
Improve our present methods and
irtually open new sources of supply of
ower. 1t is only through such possible
venues that escape from ultimate fuel
can be made, and they indi-
ate the way to the most interesting and
scientific developments that
ave yet been made.