The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-03-11
THE MINING INDUSTRY
What they are Doing i'm the
Mines.
ALL BRANCHES ARE REPRESENTED.
Briefiets that Are OF Interest To All
Ciasses-News from All over
the Country.

. The new State Mineralogist, A. S.
Cooper Of Santa Barbara, has stepped
/ into ]. J. Crawford's official shoes, and
new administration Of the State
Mining Bureau has begun, says the s.
F. Call. Mining men are expressing
a good many opinions of varied sorts
about the wisdom and unswisdom the
Governor displayed by the appoint
ment, but that coues as a matter of
course. and only time and Mr.. Cooper
can show what sort of an administra.
ton will result.
The appearance Of the general appro.
priation bill which is now being
milled at Sacramento does not at this
moment promise that the Mining
Bureau will be able to fulfill any great
mission during the next two years.
under snybody's direction. The appro.
priation named is only $25, 900 tor the
two years-just half what the bureau
has had during the past two years. If
the amount is not increased by amend
ment the bureau will have a contracted
and poverty stricken career ahead of
it. The amount of $12. 800 Just about
pays the INSIDE expenses of the
bureau as at present conducted.
This includes the salaries of the
State Mineralogist $4,000, the secre-
tary, curator, chemist ct al, rent
($2400) and the incidental expenses
of laboratory, library, correspondence
and office work, etc. The important
field work, which is carried on by five
field assistants, has used the balance.
The law provides that certain large
proportion of the appropriation shall
be spent in field work and with a total
of but $I2, 500 year there would have
to be heroic cutting down and crowd
ing together at headquarters.
The Mining Bureau is an institution
which could undoubtedly be made of
immense value in the wise encourage
ment and assistance it could give to
the development of the mineral
resources of the State, and since its
institution 1t has been of great value
TO the mining industry, though that
value has varied with the chances of
politics and the freaks of Legislatures.
For the years 1SS9-90 the appropria-
ton was 100000. The possibilities
OF State aid to the mining industry are
strikingly illustrated in some of the
British colonies, especially those of
British Columbia. Australia and New
Zealand, where the mining depart
ments of the State governments have
been one of the most effective causes
OF the present mining development and
prosperity.
The fostering care and the energetic
assistance bestowed ON the industry in
these colonies contain too much pater-
nalism for this country, but they illus
trate the value and Importance of gov
ernmental agencies doing what nobody
else can or will do for an important in
dustry.
The Mining Bureau is highly valued
by the mining men of the State. 1t is
ready and convenient source of all
manner of practical information, the
museum is visited by 10000 or more
people annually and its scientific in
designations and publications are of
very great value. This early stage of
a great mining revival is not thought
by mining men to be the time to Grip
pie the bureau into career of mere
existence.