The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-30
AFTER COAL, WHATP
Science Says the End of the Supply Is
Approaching.

From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
One of the best scientists in America
tells US that by the end of the first quar-
ter of the next century most of our
smaller coal fields will have been ex-
hausted that the middle of the next CEN
fury will take US to the end of the supply
from the great fields of Pennsylvania an
thracite; from 1850 the whole weight of
demand will fall on the Pittsburg coal
seam, and that demand is now, and prob
ably will be, steadily on the Increase
Meanwhile Prof. Huh of England has
set the discussion on foot as to the length
of time the collieries of that country
would send out a supply. As long ago as
1850 he calculated that the English depos-
its, enormous as they are, would be used
up in 100 years.
Put together the figures and we get the
present greatest coal supply of the world
exhausted soon after the year 1000 But
the deer eased supply will begin before
1850. We would practically be at the end
of the wonderful "cOal erao very early in
the next century.
1t is possible that other coal fields will
be opened; but if so they will be at such
remote points from present Centers of in
| dustry as to readjust civilization.
But will we not be able to substitute
petroleum and natural gasl Prof. Orion
replies 10 Jhis.that both Of these fuels
will very soon lie used up.
Is America doomed very shortly to lose
its prestige as an industrial leader Is our
race to be run in the short period of about
200 years. Or, if no StOrageS of fuel be
elsewhere found, are we at the end, or
near the end, of our magnificent burst of
industrial progress and achievements
Can we revert to the use of wood Our
| forests are now reduced to such an eX-
tent that to draw upon them in the place
of coal would not only be very inconven-
ien5, but the supply would be exhausted
in three years. This would turn miners
INTO agriculturists. 1t is quite certain
also that, on the largest possible scale.
wood production could not ill the demand
as it is now met by coal.
We have a dream that a new power or
form of solar power is to be at our COM
mand that will be enormously more prac-
| ticable applicable and disable than coal
The transformation of water power into
electrical energy is apparently to be real
lzed on vast scale. In the same way
| we look for transformation of wind
| power
WHAT 1T WOULD MEAN.
But we must bear in mind that, so far
we are even as electricians dependent
| largely on the coal beds, nor do we know
of any escape from this dependence.
If we can divine a method of utilizing
! the solar beams without the Intervention
of the vegetable kingdom at all then we
have resource that will, indeed, be in
| eXhaustiUle.
But let US suppose that we do not sue
coed in making any discovery of this
| sort before 1850, or even 1928, what then
AS a first consequence the accumula-
ton of capital by means of vast indus
tries, dependent on great accumulation OF
power, will be impossible.
IL is not the tariff, it is not the absence
of a tariff, that is responsible for the con
| ditions we deplore. IL is the steam en-
CINE and the coal that feeds it. A ton Of
coal stands for the work of 300 horse,
for full day of ten hours. What shall
be said of the factory that consumes 10,
tons of coal in a day, or of the railroad
magnates whose locomotives use 1000.
tons Of coal in a day
The present sociological agitation i,
simply an outcome of the state Of a air.
brought about by our coal beds, a state
that may be ended as suddenly as II oc
CURED. The tremendous conflict between
power stored in coal and that stored il
muscles may be, aud will be, terminated
in spite of legislation inside of fifty years
But suppose we only graduate into an
age ofappied electricity. The first feet
of an age Of electricity must be TO equal
lie the comforts and pleasures of man
kind, instead of concentrating them al
nuclei There will be an evenness in The
worlds advantages that has never before
been possible.
After coal-what2 What power is C
be at the service Of the human hand anC
brainl In what way shall the brain anC
hand use that powerl