The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-03
THE DYING CENTURY
PASSED In REVIEW
NATURES LEGACY FOUND UN,
DER THE SOIL.
Riches Have Come and Are Still to
Come to Those Who Dig and Drain
for the Mineral Wealth Imbedded
in Mother Earth.
From the Chicago Timcs.Hcrald.

From the Chicago Timcs.Hcrald.
For the new century the term "min-
eral development" will have a broader
meaning than 1t had hundred years
ago. The growth of the mechanical
arts has made necessary score of
minerals which were almost unknown
TO the last generation. Asphaltum,
gypsum, graphite, asbestos, metallic
paint, manganese. antimony, platinum
these are among the comparatively
new substances which engage the ef-
forts of the miner and which have
become common to the needs of the
people. And these are but incidents
in the mineral development of the
world.
From the time of Solomon gold has
been the chief quest Of the miner, in
spite of the truth that the worlds
coal production each year is fabulous
ly more valuable. In the United
States, from 1883 to the discovery Of
gold in the Klondike country, the
production of gold was steady at an
average of $39,000,000 a year. while the
thirty-five states and territories that
produce coal have been yielding s175,-
100000 annually.
SOUTH AFRICAN FIELDS.
As between the modern coal mining
and the modern gold mining there is
small choice in method. One Is about
as humdrum as the other. New gold
processes enable the miner to work
profitably ores such as were dumped
as worthless "tailings" twenty years
ago. The greater part of the gold pro-
duction of the world is from deep
mines, bearing low grade ores that re-
spond to economical treatment The
Klondike and the South African Cape
today hold most of the promise to him
who would seek gold in the old poetic
romantic way.
The gold fields Of the Witwatersrand
rival those of California in the palmy
dayS of '49. They were discovered in
1885, and Johannesburg sprang into
I being with the magic of San Fran
cisco. Gold in the Sutherland hills,
in 1870, had pointed to the riches of
the Rand. Now the workers of the
Rand mines are figuring upon shafts
5000 feet in depth-an indication of the
capital that may be necessary soon
to operate the diggings. Even in
South Africa the history of California
may be repeated when greed for gold
has peopled 1t. For following the great
stampede for gold in 1S49, it was dis
covered that the wheat crop Of Cali
fornia was more valuable than the
riches of it's mines.
OF silver the mines of the United
States and of Mexico produce a large
percentage of the worlds output In
the United States the production OF
silver has increased steadily since the
sos, in about the same proportion
tina the gold production has increased.
Like the mining for gold, the modern
processes are stripped of all that is
romantic, while as compared to the
value of iron products, silver is Sec
ondary.
Within the last 100 years the United
States has taken second rank in the
production of iron ores. Great Brit
ain leads with 100000 tons, the Uni
ted States falling slightly behind it.
Germany ranks next, followed in order
by Spain, France Austria Hungary,
Russia and Sweden.
Michigan leads the United States in
production far beyond all other states
Alabama and Pennsylvania are close
competitors for second place. Twenty
six states and two territories are iron
producers. In the Lake Superior coun-
try, however the business of iron
mining has marked the whole country
with its canals, locks and immense
docks for storage and shipment. Yet
with all of this production. the United
States is an importer of iron ore;
above $l,OoO,O0O annually.
PRODUCTION OF COPPER.
lron-making processes have been
revolutionized within the last fifty
years. New furnace methods and new
forging machinery have worked won.
ders for the trade, cheapening the
product even in the face of an in.
creased demand.
Since 1880 the United States in the
production of copper has led the world
Electricity has emphasized the de-
mand for the product. and in copper
wire alone vast proportion of the
250,0O0.000 pounds produced in the
United States is made up. Montana
has taken the lead over the Lake
Superior country, with Arizona hav-
ing second place. Still. the Calumet
and Hecla of the upper Michigan PEN