The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-23
ON MINERAL PRODUCTS
SUMMARY OF IMMENSE OUTPUT OF
UNITED STATES LAS YEAR.
In Nineteen Years Total roductio
Has Increased to $697,ssO,OO2, or
Nearly 30 Per Cent.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 2.-The Of
hciaI report on the mineral production Of
the United States for the calendar year Of
1888 was made public to-day by the Geo.
logical Survey. 1t shows that since 1880 the
total value of the mineral production of the
United States has increased from 1863, 319, 900
to 1851, $4,000 In 1898, nearly 80 per cent.
The normal increase deduced from this
record OF nineteen years Is at the rate of
SIS. annually. but during the five years
since 1893 the rate of increase has been $25,-
900. 900 annually. While the normal rate Of
increase may lie somewhere between these
figures, the totals are marked by great ir-
Tegularities. From 1894 to 1895 the increase
was nearly 500. 100000. and in the
following year the increase was only
q little over $1,0O0,O00, while from
1892 to 1894 there was a decrease, owing to
the business depression. of over s121 .OOO. 600.
From 1896 to 1897 the increase was about
100000. about 1.3 per cent, while from
1887 to 1898 the increase was $50. 97O.594. The
1898 total product was the largest in history,
exceeding that of 1892, which held the record
prior to 1898 by nearly 50.0oo,0O
This is due to a general increase all along
the line of mineral products. all of the more
important of these showing large increases
end almost every one showing some gain.
The value of all metallic products in 1898
was $344. 096, 100. as compared with $500, 1885,
6o2 in 1881, a gain of 81, S97, s2S. All of the
metals except nickel made large gains, cop
per. lead, zinc. aluminium and anthony
reaching their maximum in both production
and value. but while the amount Of pig
iron produced in 1898 was greater than In
any other year, yet the value of this prod
uct was considerably less than in 1890 or
1892. though 1t increased s21, 434. 7O1 over 1897,
this being more than one-half the total
increase In the metallic products from 1897
to 1898.
The nonmetallic products increased from
$327. noses in 1897 to s352. 7S3. So. a gain of
s25, 02, 500. The largest contributor TO this
gain was bituminous coal. which increased
from $119. So, 24 in 1897 to S132. 5SS,3 3 in 1s9s,
a gain of $685. 1s, OS9. The value Of the an
The other products showing gains were
stone. petroleum. natural gas and mineral
waters; The official figures of production
and value OF the principal products follows:
Iron and Steel-Pig iron, n,773,934 tons;
bessemer steel, ingots, 6.609.0l7 tons; open
hearth steel. 22so.2O long tons; iron ores.
gold, value. s64. 463, ZOO, an increase in prod
uct: silver, 54.43S.OO ounces, coming value,
s1S;Sss;4 49, los G sla sSmm nonSas y yaIT1es 81 s3's rs a2e:
lead, %, 26s tons. value. ST.. 35. 175; zinc. u.s.
500 short tons. value. $40, SIS. go: quicksilver,
1,092 TASKS. value, H,1ss.627; aluminium, 81
10000 pounds. value. 81, 1900; metallic anti
mony. LILO short tons, value. $1S4.O50, 50 per
cent being derived from imported ores:
nickel. 13.411 pounds.
F~uels-Coal: Combined product of an
thracite and bituminous. 19e. 4O5, $50 long
tons. equivalent to 2l9. s74.667 short tons. a
ea per cent increase. OF the total AS, =, SIS
long tons were bituminous: coke. 16, OF. 29
short tons. Crude petroleum, 50, S54. 233 bar
iels. natural gas. value. s1i.75o.Oo0 Stone,
$36. 607. 2s4 I'm value; clays. So .OO value;
Portland cement, 3.692. 81 barrels; natural
rock cement. s,276. 424 barrels: corundum
and emery, S275.e64 value and product, 4.O64
tons; phosphate rock, co. sS4 long tons OF
s2.e73.a 2 value; gypsun, z1. 6Ss short tons.
value. s555.2So; salt. 17.612.6S4 barrels OF $50
pounds. value, S6.212. 54: borax. 16. 600
tons: precious stones. $3.50. $50 in value: as
phaltum. 1897 short tons. value, S675,649;
limestone for iron fiux. 5.275. SO tons, worth
s2.65s.0o0: mineral waters, g. S53, 1854 gallons
sold. worth ss.051. s33.