The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-22
AMERICAN MINES.
Report on the Recent Census of Nfin.
ing Industries.

Washington, Feb. 22.-The bureau
of the census has just published it's
final and complete report on the re-
cent census of the mining industries
of the United States. This census was
conducted in collaboration with the
United States Geological survey 1t
relates to the calendar year 1902 and
forms a part of the general work of
the twelfth census of the United
States, being one of the special in
quiries provided for in the legislation
relating to that census. These in
quirieS were not to be taken up until
after the main reports presenting the
data collected by the enumeration of
1900 relating to population. mortality.
agriculture, and manufactures had
been completed. A summary of the
statistics relating to mines and quar-
ries has already been presented to the
public in a preliminary report pub
lished by the bureau as a bulletin
about six months ago. This was a
pamphlet of SO pages The report
now issued is a bound volume of 1923
pages
The statistics compiled in the elabo-
rate tables comprise data on the value
and quantity of the product of the
mines. the cost of supplies and ma
terialS the miscellaneous expenses the
OF their wages. the number of clerks
and saIaried officials, the kind and
amount of power used, the amounts
paid for contract work etc.
The layman taking up this report
viii probably be surprised at the
variety of minerals covered by the in
curry Statistics are presented not
only for the coal, iron, and petroleum
of indispensa bic everyday use, and the
gold and silver of universal desire, but
for minerals with unfamiliar names
and limited uses, such as bauxite.
tungsten. uranium and vanadiurn.
The report is far from being a mere
compilation of figures. In fact most
of it is descriptive and analytical text.
1t contains a discussion of the scope
and plan of the mining inquiry, a his
torical review of the mining Industry
in the United States, followed by a dis
cussiOn of the statistics for the indus
try a whole. A separate section is
devoted to the mineral industries of
each state and territory, and it appears
from this list that Mississippi and the
District of Columbia are the only po-
litical divisions of the United States in
which the sound of the miners pick is
not heard. This discussion by states
is followed by a. series of monographs
reports presenting the results OF the in
quiry for separate minerals. These re-
ports were prepared by different experts
most of whom are men of established
reputation as authorities on the sub
jects which they discuss This method
of presentation makes it easy for the
reader to find all the data relating to
any particular state or particular min
eral in which he may be specially in
terested.
The volume contains a large number
of plates Illustrating mining processes
or mining machinery, and of diagrams
presenting graphically statistics of pro-
duction and prices. In the appendices
are given the schedules of questions
used in collecting the information, the
instructions to the special agents en-
ployed in the work and the instruc-
lions for revising and editing the sched-
ules
All in all the report contains vast
amount of valuable and we'll arranged
information, and is probably the most
complete account Of the mining indus
tries of the United States that has yet
been published.