The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-06-29

wastefuI methods Of coal mining are
mot improved. and II the consnmption
increases in the same ratio as II has
during the past decade, that BY 1887
al least one-eighth or the conntry's
known available supply Of fuel win
have bene exhausted. And II there
lis not a careful outstanding Of reyo-
llutoDizing inventions in the mean
time that the greater part Of our Is.
timated original heritage OF $780,
900 100000 tons Of coal viii be
practically entirely used or wasted BY
the end Of the next centnry. or at
most two hundred years hence; and
that our estimated 100000. 900
tons OF iron win be exhausted in
about the same period Of time. Iron
masters have estimated that the to-
tai production OF iron ore in the Unit
ed States,np to 1890 was. some 2T5.-
100000 tons; in the next ten years
| It was nearly 200 600, 600, and in the
seven years from 1901 to 1907 more
than 270.000.000 ions were produced
or nearly as much as the total for
the first century Of our history The
aggregate production to date, $780,
100000 tons. Is about one-thirteenth
OF the estimated original supply. All
the recent rate Of Increase doubling
each decade) the production In 1918
viii exceed loo, 100000 tons, by 1893
200,000,000 tons. md by 1888 1t viii
be over 100000, 900 tons; /. e., in
that single year, which many Of us
expect to see. an amount approximate
ing the entire production in the
United States mp TO the close of last
year. BY that date about half Of the
original supply will be gone. and only
the lower grades of ore win remain.
and all the ore now deemed workable
viii be used long before the end OF
the present century.
Water Power Rnphasizcd.
The great drain upon coal. how
ever, can he materially checked by
the use of water power, and at the
same time keen the manufacturing
wheels rolling with even greater
force than they are now turning. MIL
lions of horse power or water are
now going to waste every year here
in West Virginia that ought, and
some day viii he, utilized for manu-
featuring purposes. But what SORT
of mineral or minerals is or are to
take the place Of iron ore is yet an
open question. All that can and
should be done by the present genera
ton is to guard against an undue.
waste of this valuable material. The
use OF concrete for bridges and large
buildings is lessening very materially
the demands upon iron and steel, but
there is no known substitute for
these metals in the operation of the
railroads of the country and in the
construction of batleships and ocean
steamers. A promising mode OF re-
ducing iron consumption is opening
through the development of iron al
Toys. 1t was only within the men,
DRY of men now present that nickel,
silver, zircon. tungsten and other
minerals were scientifically alloyed
with iron to yield those protean mod
ern steels adaptedsto an eyer-increas-
ing range of nses.ss And the end is
not yet; every expert knows that
metal alloying is if-its infancy.
A Criminal Waste.
THE waste of natural gas in our
State is nothing short of criminal.
The U. S. Geological Bureau is
authority for the statement that our
country consumes annually for all
purposes 400. 100000 tons of coal,
and at least one-half that amount is
Wasted every year. And Professor
White( our able State geologist, is
authority for the statement that no
less than 250. 100000 cubic feet of
natural gas Is escaping daily from
the thousands of oh and gas wells in
West Virginia which is total loss to
our people. This loss. Professor
White tells us. represents more than
ten times the value OF the oil that has
been recovered within the limits OF
the State. Our people are already
beginning to feel the effects of this
waste, but in the course OF time, un-
less measures are taken, they will feel
It worse. In no less degree. butswith
less noticeable effect, because the