The sun., 1908-05-14
DR. l. Z. WHITE IS ADDREss

4 simple glance at q geological map OF the
United States will convince any one that
nature has been most lavish 10 us in fuel
resources. for we find a series Of great coal
deposits extending in well scattered fields
almost from the Atlantic 10 the 10 ,ifc and
from the Lakes 10 the Guf. while even over
much OF New England and the coastal plains
vast areas OF peat The primal stage Of coal,
have been distributed. But coal OF every
variety from peat 10 anthracite il not oil
OF nature's fuel gifts TO fortunate America,
Great deposits OF both petroleum and natural
gas occur In nearly every state where coal
eHlsts. aud in SONG that have no coal What
greater doWry OF fuels could we ask when
We nnd them stored for us within the bosom
OF our mother earth Ia all three OF the great
types. coal. petroleum and natural Ras. only
awaiting the tap Of the pick aud drill 10 bring
then, forth II prodiEsl abundance
What account can We rs nation give Oi our
stewardship Of such vast Iuel treasures The
record OF waste OF natural gas. our bet aud
pure-t fuel II national Disgrace A this
very minute this unriyHllcd fuel is passing
into the ali within our domain lrHn uncon-
troIlpd gas wells from oil els. from giant
hambraus. from leaking pipe lines and the
many other meihods Ol waste at the rate Of
probably much more
From one we'll In eastern Kentucky there
poured q stream Of gas for period Of twenty
years without any Sttrmpt TO shut il in or
utilize II, the output OF which. il has been
figured Was worth at current prices more
than o., 900. .OOO Practically the same con
ditions characterized the first twenty-five
years OF PennsyIyahiss : oil aud gas history
aud the quantity Of wasted gas from thou
sands OF oil and gas wells In western PENN
sylvans is beyond computation. In my own
State OF West Virginia, only eight years ago,
not less than jOO, 900 900 cubic feet Of this |
precious gas was daily escd ping into the air |
from two counties alone. practically all Of |
which awas easily preventable. by moderate |
expenditure for additional casing. When |
Il IL remembered that 900 cubic feet OF |
natural igas weighs forty-eght pounds. and |
/ hat ,e01 cubic feet Of II would yield forty.
two gallon barrel OF oil when condensed. so
that q we'll flowing 5000 900 feet Of gas is ,
pouring into the air daily the equivalent OF |
! 900 barrels OF oil. what would our petroleum
kings think, II they could zee this river oil
oil rushing unhindered TO the sea- Would |
they not spend millions 10 check such fright
ful waste OF this golden fluid; And would
they not be the frst 10 appeal 20 the national
Government for aid In ending such great de-
str,iotion OF property!
But surely II men have thus permitted the
loss ofEour gaseous fuels, often because they
could neither see the substance itself nor
realize the extent OF what they were doing.
certainly they would not be so Wasteful OF
he solid fuels the coal beds. something they
ran readily perceive and handle and weigh.
The record here is also one 10 make every
'itizen Of our nation feel distressed and
for Of the total quantity OF coal
ye have produced since mining for COM
nereial purposes began. amounting TO about
I've billion tons. AZ least an equal amount and
possibly more. has been LEFT In abandoned
mines and irretrievably lost
The same story Of waste Of fuel comes from
very mining centre The experts OF the
United States Geological Survey report the
Iusntity Of fuel left unmined in the ground
u the way from 90 10 70 per cent OF the total
eposits,
How long can we hope 10 maintain our
supremacy in the iron and steel
uslness Of the worldY just 20 long as the |
.ppalachian coal field shall continue 10 fur
ish cheap fuel, and no longer. n the waste
Vi methods Of the past ore 70 continue II
he flames OF 5000 coke ovens are 10 continue
D make the sky lurid within sight Of the
lty Of PittsburE. consuming with friRhtiu
peed oue-third Of the power and half OF the
alues locked up In her priceless supplies OF
okng coal, the present century will see the
'rninstlon Of this supremacy
Honorable Governors Of the several States,
he questions involved In this discussion are
hose 10 which you and yOur constitnsuts are
lost vitality interested. What gver 4 Dua-