Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-12-24

The waste OF mineral products in
the United States amounts to $1,000
geo per day Ia value" says John II.
Gochrane of the Geological Survey.
The waste of natural gas amounts
70 100000, 600 cubic feet per day, OF
more than enough to light all tie
cities of the tied States that have
more than 100000 population.
These statements were made by
Senators Flint of California at the re
cent meeting Of the Madonna Conser-
walton Commission in Washington, d.
C. in mis- report on the mineral sec
ton OF the Commission.
Senator Flint called attention TO the
large waste Of material and the large
mineral industries in all parts Of the
country, which he said was deplora-
Bile.
The enormous waste in coal mining
is equivalent to about one-half of the
total product mined, or for the year
1907 about 240,000.O00 tons" said
Senator Flint with an entire waste
of all mineral products approximating
S1,000,000 per day, and with the min
eral products approximating 100000
per day. and with the mineral prodnc-
ton OF the United States during the
past year amounting to $4,000, 000,999.
this waste is equivalent to more taan
one-sixtn the value OF the toal pro-
Guetion.
THE seriousness of this loss is
more clearly appreciated when it is
remembered that our production and
consumption are increasing much more
rapidly than IS the population Of the
country; that the mineral supplies fer
future use are limited in quantity ana
cannot be reproduced. No new sup
plies are being created to take the
place of those being withdrawn from
the earth and either used or wasted.
Wien once these supplies are eS-
hausted. the exhaustion is complete
and permanent. At the increasing
rate of consumption which nas char
acterized the industry during the
past few years. the available supplies
of certain of our more important re
sources, Ike the coal and iron. will
be early in the next century so nearly
approaching exhaustion as to bring
real hardship to the nation.
But more serious even than this
waste Of materials is the excessive
loss Of life in our mining operations.
We are grieyed to find that during
the past year in coal mines alone
more than 5000 men were killed and
more than 1000 Injured; and our dis
tress is increased rather than dimin-
ished to find that the number Of men
killed IL the United States for each
1000 men employed in the mines is
fs2sn two to flour times as great as it
isEHt other coal mining countries.
Vie seriousness Of this problem rs
shown when the fundamental facts are
brought to the front that these mili-
eTaI resources have required untold
ages for their accumulation; that nU
hutan being has contributed toward
los accumulation or has increased
ne intrinsic value Of these resources;
and that hence their present owners,
whether acquiring them through dis
coyery or purchase, have no right to
waste or destroy that which is neces-
sary to the wealth OF the nation, which
they did not create and which they can
not replace.
The coal supplies Of the United
States, which occupy an aggregat'
area Of 500, goo square miles, are es
timated to contain about 1,400, 100000
600 tons Of coal available for mining
under existing conditions. TAe bound
aries of these coal fields are alread!
so wen known that the discovery OF
deposits outside these boundaries il
not likely to equal per cent Of the
total known supplies.
"The estimates Of our iron ore sup
plies, based upon data gathered from
every available source, indicate that
OF the high-grade ores we have In
sight available for use under present
economic conditions $4,000, 900 tons
of which nearly twothirds. ARE located
in the Lake Superior district In ad
dit.0n TO this, the final estimate o.
Iow-grade iron ores, those not avail
able for use under existing eondi
lions, shows that there are about SO,
600, 600 900 tons distributed Throughout
the iron-produc,ng districts At the
present increasing rate of consump
ton it is estimated that the hign
grade iron ores will have been largell
consumed by the middle Of the pres
ent century; while the supplies d
high-grade coal may be extended e
near the middle Of the next century.
-The chief waste in our oil supple
lies perhaps in tae'r misuse; that is
their excessive use for fuel purposes
more ban 18.000,000 barrels having
been used during the past year FOL
locomotive fuel, for which purpose Goa
as a more abundant fuel might be ap
propriately used, leaving the major
uses OF petroleum for lubricating, u
Eliminating in isolated districts and
other uses for which it has no know
satisfactory substitutes.