Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-09
WASTE OF RESOURCES MU ST
STOP If WE ARE TO PROSPER

of low grade ores which Formerly
were left in the mines or ON the dump
or were used IN the construction oi
walls or public roads. just as they
have developed for the profitable re-
treatment OF the enormous piles OF
tailings Ucfusc) accumulated under
me crudcr methods of treatment
practiccd only Il few years since. In
the mining and treatment of some oi
these mctallfcrous ores there is still
opportunity for decided Improvement
along these lines.
In then mining and utilization of
miscellaneous minerals existing pracs
ticc is great Improvement over that
OF the recent past, and the future is
fun of promise. Thus. i'm the utlli.
1ation OF the mica deposits. formerly
only cut sizes of mica were used: now
the smaller scales are being collected
ground and used for Il number OF pur-
poses. The former waste in the quar-.
~ r.; now being largely used for
macadenizing public highways. for
mixing with cement ana sand in the
construction of concrete buildings. or
Tor use in Il variety of other ways. Tho
waste yiles about some of the coal
mines. and other mines of the past.
are being taken back into the mines.
and new waste materials are being
retained in the mines for the building
OF supporting pillars. and In filling
space otherwise left open through the
extraction Of the mineral deposits,
thus greatly diminishing the need for
for timber and permitting a much
larger extraction of valuable mater
inl from the mines Waste in the
utilization of fuels Is a problem that
in an especial manner concerns the
general public for the reason that the
fuel supplies are coming To he regard
cd, like the water and forest, as pub.
lie utilities They furnish our heat,
light arr power; they serve as the
basis of industry and of transporta-
tion; and are, therefore. absolutely
necessary to the welfare of the nation
But Notwithstanding their vast i'm
portance it is in the mining and util-
ization of these fuel resources that We
practices the greatest waste
Gas. Too, is Going.
Persons now living can recall When
the great gas wells were seemingly
incxhausiibic in Ohio, Indiana, West
Virginia and Pennsylvania. in many
of these nelds, this gas supply was
wasted in manner well-nigh crimi.
nal, and the exhaustion has been SO
complete that there is no ground for
helieveing mat other supplies of gas
will be discovered in many of these
special regions
petroleum in the past has, in like
manner, been wasted, both in cnor-
nous ovcrflows and the burning OF
material. In the cary days of petrol
cum there was also an enormous waste
through the failure to save the gaaso
line and other bi-lroGucts, which now
have great value. Here, however. rs
in the case of the metals. the modern
improved practice is doing much to
lessen ms enormus waste. This
problem Is one of special Importance
To the Pacific Coast States. owing 10
the absence of adequate coal supplies
Coal is now the worlds great fuel
Wood has been used extensively in the
past, especially for domestic purposes
Gas and petroleum continues to have
an extensive local use, and in power
ana light developments waier Will
play AN important part In many por
lions of the country. BIT the worlds
great ccnicrs and industries of today
and. MS far as We know, of the future
must leck to coal rs .leir source OF
heat. power and light.
Notwithstanding the recognized i'm
|portancc OF coal, its mining and use
arc subjected to enormous waste. III
the mining operations At the present
time nearly one half of cur total coal
supply is left under i-LMnd, oarty MS
pillars to support the roof; partly rs
coal of interior quality, only the best
rnrt of the coal from the beds being
removed in many cases, and parity
due to the fact that hte working on
of lower beds OF coal first. ircquent
lv breaks and renders impraclictDit
the subsequent mining OF the adjlccl'
higher coal beds. OF the coal actuat
Ilv used for power development, us
nally not more than five per cent. Is
ACTUALLY converted into light; INC
Remaining nincy-ninc and Tour nun:
pcr cent. being consumed in the Varl
Gus preliminary formations Of energy
This waste is appllilng, ana every
possiblo means should be adopted io'
reducing it TO an absolute minimum
i'm order that our fuel resources MAY
suffice for the future ms vel as lo'
the present needs of the nation.
Coal Represents Unmeasured ages
In the plant life of the earth oul
coal fields represent vast areas o
vegetable matter. accumulated duriht
PAST PERIODS in the carth's history
later and gradually transformed nt'
coal. Every foot Of the thickness o
tlI,s co.. may ne considered The cqnl
valcnt of many times that thickness
of the original vegetation. OF the sun
light and heat our coal represeht'
enormous quantities transformed ans
stored in this vegetation. and iurthc
concentrated in the coal. 1t Is th'
carths great storage battery of sofa
energy. In time this coal represent
the unmcasured ages OF the past lil'
thousands and millions of years be
fore man came into existence durin'
which this solar energy was bcini
stored and concentrated in diffenen
nnrts OF the oarth's crust. In th