Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-31

study of fuel supplies with the re-
suit that they assure us that the fear
| OF coal famine throughout the world
in couple of thousand of years by
reason of the exhaustion of the coal
supply is not well founded. The sur
vey's experts wish to emphasize the
fact that the uncertainty in predict
ing for the future rests upon many
unknown factors, chief among which
Is the future rate of increase in con-
sumption. During the last so
years production has increased cnor-
mously, the output for each decade
being nearly double that of the pre-
ceding one, and If this rate of in
crease were to continue uninterrupted
" we might look for exhaustion Of
the bituminous coal supply early in
the tWenty-tirst century. Against this,
however. must be set n number of
counteracting Influences. Improve
ments in mining methods are in
creasing the amount of coal recovered
and improved methods of consumption
AS the more accessible coal becomes
AS the more accessible coal become
exhausted and the deeper and more
extensively mined beds have to be
worked. the higher cost will neces-
state further Increase Of economy in
mining methods and greater efficiency
in utilization.
THE FIGURES FOR IT.
The facts are that estimates of our
bituminous coal fields, prepared with
much care by Mr.. Campbell show that
the total quantity of coal stored in the
ground was about 100000, 100000 short
tons. From this supply there have
been extracted, according to Mr.. Park
er's figures, 10 the close of 1906, about
4,625,0oo,000 short tons, and, estimating
a recovery Of &C "a per cent-or in
other words, assuming that for every
ton of coal mined there is a half ton
lost--this represents an exhaustion of
nearly 7,000,0000 600 tons, or only about
one-third of one per cent of the total
supply. We produced and consumed
in 1906 lin round nun1bers) 34S, 100000
short tons, which represents say,
500 100000 tons of exhaustion. for our
practise in this regard is Improving
with each year, and less coal is lost
per ton mined than formerly. AT this
rabe, If no increase were to be allowed
for, the bituminous coal supply would
last about 1900 years. Taking into
account, however, the probable rate,
first, of increase. and, later. OF de-
crease in production, Mr.. Campbell and
Mr.. Parker are of opinion that the
coal WIZ be exhausted within 200 years;
but when the period of decreasing pro-
duction sets in, the need for fuel will
undoubtedly be supplied in consider
able degree by the utilization Of other
forces of nature, thus extending the life
of the bituminous coal field.
So far as the anthracite reyion of
Pennsylvania is concerned, predictions
of exhaustion have been based mainly
on estimates made by the Pennsylvania
Geological survey, which show that
there we're originally in the ground
about 19,500,0 100000 long tons of coal
and that for every ton of coal mined
one and a half tons We're lost. This
means that only 7,S00,000,000 tons of the
original supply were recovera BILE. To
the close of 1906 the production has
to approXima teIy 1850, 900 900
tons, which would leave 6150,000, 900
tons still available, and this, at the
rate of production during the last four
years (about 65,00o,o00 tons Year,
would last about 80 years. Later esti-
mates made by Mr.. William Griffith of
Scranton, Pa, place the quantity of
coal in the ground at the close
Of 1895 at 5,073.Ts6.750 long tons. Since
a little over 600,000.000 tons have been
mined, leaving, say, 4,470, 100000 tons
available which at the rate OF $4,000, 900
tons year. would last about years.
But against both of these must be set
the fact that production will not be
at the present rate until the
coal Is gone.
ANTHRACITE AT LIMIT.
The annual anthracite production has
about reached its maximum. When
It does begin to decrease the rate will
be slow. Moreover, with i'm
proved mine methods, and increased
prices of coal. beds are now being
worked which were not included in the
available reserves when the estimates
were prepared. In addition to this, the
present practise is such that probably
20 per cent is now recovered, instead of
10 per cent under the old methods.
This saving alone would extend the
lie of the region one-half.
The utilization of small sizes of an
-hracite for steaming purposes. which
1as increased rapidly within the last
few years. has not only reduced the
waste in mining, but is making pos
;ible the recovery of disable fuel from
the great culm banks that have stood
is unsightly monuments to the waste
'ul methods of former years
To what degree these factors will
extend the life OF the anthracite field
[ Is not possible to say, but the con-
litlons now existing indicate no danger
If exhaustion during the present gen.
,ration. A conservative statement Is that
,oon the annual production and con-
OF anthracite will decrease
so that the supply will
last for from $50 to 200 years.