Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-07
PLENTY OF COAL
EUROPEAN EXPERTS DO NOT
FEAR EARLY EXHAUSTION
of SUPPLY.
Not For a Matter Of 1000 Years VIII
There Be Need of Any Such Fears
Queer Situation In the United
States Senate.

Washington, D. c., June e,-(Spe-
c1aD Frank w. Mahin of Gin.
ton, Iowa, who is stationed at the i'm
portant post of Nottingham. England.
has written the state department, pre-
senting some interesting figures with
respect to the coal deposits of the
world, as estimated by experts in Eur
Ope, With some conclusions as to the
length of time that must elapse before
the present deposits become exhaust
ed.
From the information in the posses
sion OF mining authorities the deposits
or Germany amount to 100000, 900 900
tons, which, at the present rate of con-
sumption, will last that country about
1000 years, and allowing for a steady
increase, will not become exhausted
before the year 5000. /. At that time
1t seems probable that science and In
vention will have rendered the COM
bustion of coal unnecessary in order to
produce heat and light.
Great Britain's coal deposits amount
to 193, 000,000,000 TONS and as the con-
sumption in that country is twice that
of Germany, it is figured that 400
years will exhaust the supply. Bel
GUM has 2S,0O0,OO0,0OO tons, France.
19,000,0O0,000, Austria, 100000 900,
Russia, 40,000,O00, 600.
The deposits of coal in North Ameri.
ca are estimated at $4,000, 900, 900
tons, which Is about equal to the en-
tire supply of Europe. The figures re-
lating to our continent, however, are
not presumed to be accurate. Nobody
knows what the great Canadian and
northwest country contains or the pos
sibilities in, Alaska or Mexico.
But there is no occasion to despair
for generations even 1000 years in
the future. 1t is declared that the
deposits of Europe and North America
are only drop in the bucket COM
pared with the fuel that lies under
meath the surface of Asia 1t is said
that based upon facts already known,
that China possesses beds of coal that
are practically inexhaustible. A Ger
man scientist goes so far as to place
the deposits in the province of Shansi,
alone at 100000 100000. Siberia and
the island of Sakhalin, which was re
Gently divided by Russia and Japan,
contain vast deposits of coal. Thus it
transportation and decreasing freight
rates, no apprehension as to fuel sup
ply need be felt for 10000 years.
During the present session of con
gress three states have been represent
ed in the United States senate by one
senator: New York, Kansas and Della
ware. Senator Depew of New York
was in the chamber few days early in
the session, but he took no part in the
proceedings and quickly sought retire.
ment in a sanitarium. There is no rea.
son to believe anything in the world
ails Mr. Depew except modification
and chagrin. The few days he was in
the chamber he was practically unno
ticed and given frigid reception gen
orally. Such man as Depew, accus
toned to being made much of and in
the limelight, could not stand for this
and, broken in spirit, he Immediately
got out. :
Senator Burton of Kansas, who re
Gently resigned, has not been in the
chamber during this session, although
he has been in the building and even
in the cloak room. In fact he has been
seen from the chamber. That he was
seen from the chamber is due to- the
necessity that the disbursing officer
might be able to state that Senator
Burton had been seen in the chamber
in order to pay him his monthly sal
alary of SALT. Senator Burton was de
pendent on this money, and while he
would not enter the chamber, it is sale
hA stnod the cloak room in such 6