The San Francisco call., 1897-10-14
ASSAILS THE
BUREAU OF MINES
The Mining and Scientific
Press Starts a Miner
illogical Row.
Mineralogist Cooper Stops All
Field Work for Two Years
to Make Maps.
This Revolution in a State Institu-
tion Attracts the Attention of
Mining Men.

In its current issue the Mining and
Scientific Press vigorously assails the rev.
olutionary policy which State Mineralo.
gIst Cooper recently established in the
ad administration of the Mining Bureau, and
both The attack and the present admins
tration of the bureau are being much dis
cussed among mining men.
This policy, as was recently exclusively
described in THE CALL, consists in the
abandonment of the field work, which has
always been done by FIVE or six men sup
posed to be competent experts, who Wis
tied each mineral region and most of the
mines. noting the important features oil
mining development and compiling ma
terial, which was published in a biennial
report along with monographs on special
mining subjects and general statistics.
Mr.. Cooper decided to discontinue all
! field work except that OF Mr.. Watts in the
oil regions and to devote the energies OF
the bureau for the two years 10 the prep
aration of q series of mining, Topographic
cal and geological maps OF the mining
counties and a register of mines, which
would describe in tabular form all the
| mines, mills, ETC., OF the State. His
judgment was that this would be of more
practical benefit to the mining counties
than the o.d-styIe reports. he proposes
pay for the printing of the maps af er
they have been compiled and litho-
graphed, and each county map is TO be
revised by the County Surveyor or a
special deputy.
Whether or not tho Mining Bureau will
be discussed at the California Miners As
sociation next week is uncertain, but
as every possible cause of a conflict is kept
suUdued If posi- bic, the time of the con-
ventIon may be given TO other matters
entirely. The Mining and Scientific Press,
however jumps on Mr.. Cooper's maps
with botn ieet," and declares that the
last bill. appropriating $4,000 for the sup
port of tue Mining Bureau for two years.
enacted the usual require ment that at
least 30 per cent of the appropriation
should be expended in the field work,
which Mr.. Cooper has abandoned for two
years. In The course of its long editorial
thai journal says:
Apart from California, at the present dav.
the writer Knows OF no State or governmental
institution in the world which pretends 10
countenance such superficial methods OF max
ing known Its resources. California has been
liberal with the State Mining Bureau and the
plea cannot be consistently made tnat the
funds are not sufficient, especially when one
knows what has been accomplished by other
states with smaller appropriations.
so lar, this journal has deemed the charity
OF silence The best comment on The present
official course, but il would be untrue 10 itself
and the great industry II represents 10 pass
over what Is believed 10 be the untoward
policy OF a very worthy gentleman. who does
not seem 10 grasp the requirements OF his
present situation
State Mineralogtst Cooper does not wish
TO discuss the attack on the wisdom Of his
poilcy In the conduct of this State in
shtution and says that his work will speak
for itself when it is done.