The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-01
KANSAS NEWS.
Prof. Erasmus HaWOrt his Re
port of Minerals Issued.
The State's Output Increased
ever So, 1000, 600 in 1908.
OIL FIELDS A FACTOR.
Slight Decrease Shown in
Amount of Lead and Zinc.
State GeOIOgist Does Not Think
Oil Wells Will Play Out.

Lawrence, Kan, Feb. 1-Prof. Eras-
mus Eaworth of the University of Kan
Eas, state geoIogist for Kansas, has
given out his annual report for 1903 on
the mineral productions of the state.
The report shows a fair greater increase
in the mineral production than in any
of the other industries of the state. The
total amount in cash value of the vari-
Gus outputs is estimated at s2S, 336, S23. SO.
This amount does not include the value
of the refined oil, including gasoline and
fuel oil, which Prof. Haworth was I'M
able to report definitely, but which he
says amounts easily to over $1,000, OOO
This would bring the grand total up to
approximately $50, 600 900 for the year
just closed. The total for the year of
1902 was $23, 619 1920, which shows that
the past year has witnessed an increase
of over $6000,000 in the value of the
states mineral productions. The great
er share of this enormous increase is
due directly to the development of the
Kansas oil fields. and this development
seems to be only fairly well started.
Not only do the oil and gas wells in
crease the total value by the amount of
the intrinsic value of the products of
the wells, but the value of the allied
products, such as clay products, Port
land cement and the smelling of min
erals is greatly enhanced by the fuel
supplied by the wells. Prof. Haworth
estimates every dollars worth of oil and
gas increases the worth of the allied
industries from IS to Sc In 1903 over
$14,000,000 of the grand total of Kansas
mineral products was due to the gas
wells.
Prof Haworth looks for an immense
increase over these figures for 1904. The
number of wells is growing larger at
an astonishing rate and the price of oil
is also on the rise. According to the
Standard Oil company's statistics the
value of the December output of the
Kansas oil and gas wells was $238, ASS. IL.
Figuring this as an average output for
the twelve months of 1904 the value of
the years output would be $2,S61, S67 AZ.
But this does not take into conSidera-
ton the rapidly increasing number of
wells. In December 1853 producing wells
were bored and in January Cup to the
25th) 1856 producing wells had been put
in. At the end of 1903 there We're 1 ,427
wells in the Kansas fields and Prof.
Haworth says that he has no doubt
that the total number of wells at the
end of 1904 will be 5000. With double
the number of wells there is bound to
be a great increase in the output of oil
and gas. The increase will be much
greater also in the spring and summer
months than it has been in the winter
months. -, 49,
1.-THE Kansas oil district is a verita-
Bile beehive of activity said Professor
Haworth. TT is almost impossible to
get rooms in the hotels in the cities in
the district and next summer a man
could make q fortune renting tent
room to the men going there to inves-
tigate. The people of Kansas do not
realize the Importance of the industry
When asked if he did not think there
was danger of the wells giving out the
professor replied that he was not wOr-
rying over that at all. There seems to
be an almost unlimited supply of oil
and gas in the Kansas fields.
A recent report from the east states
that the Standard Oil company has
positively decided to lay q pipe line
from the Kansas fields to Whiting, Ind,
distance of 800 miles. This would in
dictate that that company has a great
deal of faith in the Kansas output The
oil will be pumped to Indiana, where
1t can be sold to a better advantage as
fuel for manufacturers. The pipe line
viii have an immense amount of mon
ey on freight. The putting in of this
pipe line would tend, however, to pre-
c1ude the probability of manufacturing
Industries springing up in this state in
the oil district
1t is not in the oil we'll productions
alone. however, that Kansas mineral
industries have increased. The total
valuation of Kansas coal for 1903 is
$9,S70,250 which is an increase of 81
796, 1865 over the value, of the 1902 out
put. This increase is due more to the
Tor grades than to increased production.
The probabilities of increase in the val
ne of the coal output for 1904 are not
nearly So great as in the case of the
oil and gas products.
The report shows a slight decrease
in the output of lead and zinc, but the
value of the smelling products in both
cases has increased materially. It is q
rather interesting fact to note that the
agricultural state of Kansas, the state
famous for its wheat. corn and live
stock. also sme1ts three-hfths of the
entire amount of zinc supplied in
America.
There was a healthy increase in the
salt output for the past year, and there
was no considerable decrease in any of
the mineral products.
The figures in the following table are
not in all cases exactly accurate. Prof.
Haworth has taken pains. however to
make the estimates very conservative
The possible variations are in the
prices paid for the products and in all
cases the professor has placed the price
trizSe below what ne really believed
would be the correct amount in order
to guard against giving the state too
much credit. The report is subject to
corrections but it is safe to say that