The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-05
SALT OF THE EARTH.

states during l90V ana 1Su1 WAS LAG
largest for any two individual years yet
recorded. says DIR. Joseph Struthers in
Mineral Resources of the United
States, 1901" now in press, United
States geological survey.
The total production in 1901 was TO-
566, 661 barrels Of $50 pounds each. The
value of which was S6.617, 449.
The rate of progress in the salt indus
try since 1880, when the production was
5,961, O60 barrels. to 1901, with its produc-
ton of 20.5s6.661 barrels. is very great.
the increase being about 400 per cent.
During the last IS years. with the ex-
ception of 1889 and 1901. the yearly pro-
duction has regularly increased; and
yet, notwithstanding this rapid increase,
possibly because of it. the business of
the production Of salt has not been a
lucrative one. This condition of the in
dustry was due in a great many cases
to over production and keen competi-
ton for trade. AS result. combina-
lions have been effected among the ma
jority of producers in New York, Ohio.
Michigan, Kansas, Utah. and California,
which are among the most important of
the salt-producing states.
Previous to 1898 Michigan was the
SA'AOA SUIT RAOatNAh9 See~SSt WV AZ e4AeAe
year New York assumed the lead and
maintained the foremost position until
1901 when Michigan again resumed the
supremacy, with a production of 7.729.-
Gal barrels, as compared with the pro-
duction of 1885, a20 barrels in New York.
The production of salt in Michigan in
1901 was increased by $4,000 barrels
over that of the preceding year, while
= IN
ished by 610.761 barrels.
OF the other two leading states, Kan
sas produced 2.os7.7s1 barrels, and Ohio
l, 1853, 535 barrels. These four states con-
tributed ss.8 per cent Of the total guam
tity of salt produced in the United
States during the year. the percentages
of production being. respectively, Miehi-
gan 37.6 per cent. New York 34.4 per
cent, Kansas 1912 per cent, and Ohio SIS
per cent.
OF the total consumption OF salt In
the United States, the quantity of salt
of domestic production used increased
from e3.5 per cent in 1890 to s3.45 per
cent in 1901. while the consumption of
salt imported into the United States de-
creased from 36.s per cent Of the total
in 1880 to 6.55 per cent in 1901. The act
ual consumption in 1901 was 21,940, 235
barrels, or more than 2.s times that of
1880. In 1880 the imports of salt amount
ed to 3.427.6a9 barrels: in 1901 the inn
ports were 1,440.s5o barrels. The chief
sources of the Importation Of salt into
the United States are: The United
Kingdom, the West Indian islands
Chiefly British), and Italy. About 20
per cent of our imports are drawn from
the United Kingdom.
The principal exports Of salt are from
the port of San Francisco, and they go
to the Central American states, Mexico,
the Hawaiian Islands. Japan. and Ash
attic Russia. About rs per cent of the
exports are shipped across the Great
Lakes to the Dominion of Canada. The
total exports for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1901. were 14.1s3.167 pounds.
The statistics for the year 1900 are the
latest available for the worlds produc-
ton of salt. Previous statistics show
that the United States, which, since 1892,
has held second place among the coun
tries of the world, became the leader in
1897, ranking Great Britain by about S
per cent This advantage was increas-
ed in 1898 by a gain in the production of
the United States and decrease in the
Their augmented in 1899 by an increase
in production by the United States
nearly eight times as large as that of
Great Britain for that year. In 1900
the United States reported an increase
in production of approximately 100000
tons, whereas the output of Great Brit
ain was $4,000 tons less than in 1899 1t
thus appears that the United States has
not only maintained. but has material
ly increased the lead over her principal
rival in recent years. The total produce
ton of salt in the United States during
1900 was 40 per cent greater than that
of Great Britain in the same year. The
total worlds production of salt in 1900
was II, ISL ,043 tons. valued at $41, 396. 093.
of which total the United States pro-
duced 2,921.70S tons.
GLOBE SIGHTS.