Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-09

In the early days of petroleum there was
also an enormous waste through the
failure to save the gasoline and other
by-products, which now have great value,
Here, however, as in the case of the
metals, the modern improved practice is
doing much to lessen this enormous
waste. This problem is one of special
Importance to the Pacific coast states ow-
ing to the absence of adequate coal sup
plies.
Goal is now the worlds great fuel.
Wood has been used extensively in the
past especially for domestic purposes.
Gas and petroleum continue to have an
eextensive local use, and in power and
light developments, water power will play
an important part in many portions OF
the country. But the worlds great CEN
ters and industries of today, and as far
as we know, of the future, must look
to coal as their source of heat, power
and light.
Notwithstanding the recognized i'm
portance of coal, its mining and use are
subjected to enormous waste. In the
mining operations at the present time
nearly one-half of our total coal supply
is left underground, partly as pillars to
support the roof; partly as coal of in
ferior quality, only the best part of the
coal from the beds being removed in
many cases, and partly due to the fact
that the working out of lower beds of
coal first, frequently, breaks and renders
impracticable the subsequent mining of
the adjacent higher coal beds.
Five Per Cent for Work
"Of the coal actually used for power
development, usually not more than per
cent is converted into actual work. the
remainder being consumed in the making
of steam and smoke, and in overcoming
the friction and inertia of the engine,
shafting, etc.
"Of the coal used in railway operations
which includes nearly one-third of the
tval supply of the country--not more than
per cent Is transformed into the--actual
work of pulling the trains. OF the coal
used in the development of electric lights
usually less than one-fifth of 1 per cent
is actually converted into light, the re-
naming 80 As per cent being consumed in
the various preliminary formations of
energy. This waste is appalling, and
every possible means should be adopted
for reducing it to an absolute minimum
in order that our fuel resources may
suffice for the future as well as for the
present needs of the nation.
I'm the plant life of the earth our coal
fields represent vast areas of vegetable
matter, accumulated during past periods
In the earth's history, later and gradually
transformed into coal. Every foot of the
thickness of this coal may be considered
the equivalent of many times that thick
ness Of the original vegetation
Storage Battery
"Of the suns light and heat our coal
represents enormous quantities trans
formed and stored in this vegetation and
further concentrated in the coal 1t is
the earth's great storage battery of solar
energy. In time this coal represents the
unmeasured ages of the past. the thou
sands and millions of years before man
came into existence during which this
solar energy was being stored and con-
centrated in different parts of the earth's
crust. In the nations welfare 1t repre-
sents the basis of the heat, power and
light upon which the nations comfort
and the nations industries depend.
4 During the past year the country
used considerably mores than 10000, 900
tons of coal; during the ten years pre-
ceding this consumption was nearly
5000, 900, 900 tons, which approximates
the aggregate consumption of the
seventy years preceding. This rapidly
increasing cons umption is normal and
proportional to the country's develop
ment and there is no reasonable
ground for doubling its continuance
except as we may find ways of using
our coal more efficiently. If this in
creasing rate of consumption does
continue the nation will have used the
largest part of its coal supply before
the end of the present century In con-
sidering the possibilities of extending
the life of our coal supplies so as to
meet the needs of the future as well as
those of the present we must there-
fore reckon with the continuance of
these rapidly growing needs of the
country and our possibilities of success
be along the following lines:
Half Worthless
THE coal left in the mines. as pillars
to support the roof, together with that
left under ground because Of its being