Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-23

fOu,,d.
The known supply of petroleum is
estimated at 15.0OOOOOOOO to 10000
0o0,CC0 barrels, distributed through six
separate fields having an aggregate
area of $500 square miles. The pro-
duction Is rapidly increasing, while the
wastes and the loss through misuse
are enormous. The supply cannot be
expected to last beyond the middle of
tho present century.
The known natural gas fields agSre-
gale an area Of 5000 square miles. dis
tributcd through twenty-five states. OF
the total yield from these fields during
1907. 100000, 100000 cubic feet, valued
at S62.000.00O. were utilized. while an
equal quantity was allowed to escape
into the air. The daily waste Of natu-
raj gas-the most perfect known fuel
is over 1.000,O00,OOO cubic feet, or
enough to supply every city in the
United States Of over 100000 popula-
ton.
Phosphate rock, used for fertilizer,
represents the slow accumulation Of
organic matter during past ages. In
most countries 1t is scrupulously pre-
served In this country 1t is extern
sively exported. and largely for this
reason its production is increasing rap
idly. The original supply cannot long
Withstand the increasing demand
The consumption Of nearly all our
mineral products Is increasing far
more rapidly than our population. In
many cases the waste is increasing
more rapidly than the number of our
people. In 1I16 but a few dozen
pounds of iron were in use by the av-
erage family. Now our annual con-
sumption is over 1000 pounds per cap
ita. In 1912 no coal was used Now
the consumption is over FIVE tons and
the waste nearly three tons per capita
While the production OF coal Is In
creasing enormously, the waste and
loss in mining are diminishing. The
chief waste is in imperfect combustion
in furnaces and fire boxes.
With increasing industries new min
err resources become available from
time to time. Some lignites and other
low grade Goals are readily Sasified
and. through the development of in
ternal combustion engines. check the
consumption of high grade Goals. Peat
! Is becoming important. 1t is estimated
that Il, 600 100000 tons are available In
the United States. Its value is en-
HANGED because of distribution through
states generally remote from the fields
of coal, oil and natural gas.
The building operations of the coun-
try now aggregate about S1,OOOOOO, 900
per year. The direct and indirect
losses from fire In the United States
during 1907 appropriated $45O.Oo0,-
OO0, or one-half the cost of construc-
ton. OF this loss four-ffths, or an
average of $1,O0O,O00 per day, could
be prevented, as shown by comparison
with the standards of construction
and fire losses in the larger European
countries!
So far as the ores are taken from the
mines and reduced to metals. these
resources are capitalized, but after
thus being changed to a more valua-
BILE form they should be so used as to
reduce to minimum the loss by rust,
electrolytic action and other waste.
There Is urgent need for greater
safety to the miner. The loss of life
| through. mine accidents is appalling.
and preventive measures cannot be
| taken too soon.
The national government should OK
| ercise such control Of the mineral fuels
and phosphate rocks now in its pos
session as to check waste and prolong
our supply.
Lands.
The total land area of continental
| United States is 1,900,000O00 acres
OF this but little more than two-fifths
| is in farms, and less than one-half of
the farm area is improved and made q
| source Of crop production. We have
nearly G,CG0.000 farms; they average
| 146 acres each The value of the
| farms is nearly one-fourth the wealth
of the United States. There are more
than 300, 100000 acres. of public graz
ing land. The number of persons en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits is more
than 100000.
| w SAO" ObS-LANh Va thC WoAAd
wheat crop, thfee-ffths of its cotton
| crop and four-fifths. of Its corn crop
We plant nearly 5O,OOO,OGO acres OF
wheat annually, with an average yield
of about fourteen bushels per acre
1O0,O00,OOO acres of corn, yielding al
average of twenty-five bushels pei
acre, and 30,O0O,O00 acres of cotton
yielding about 100000 bales.
4, We had on Jan. l, 1908, 1900, OOC
cattle, worth $1,250,OO0, 600; 54,OOOOOC
sheep, worth $211,OOO,OOO, and $4,000,
600 swine. worth $339,OO0,OOO. The
census of 1900 showed $137 COX
worth of poultry in this country, which
produced in 1899 293,OOO,OOO dozer
eggs
There has been a slight increase IL
the average yield OF our great staple
farm products, but neither the increas.
in acreage nor the yield per acre ha:
kept pace with our increase in popula
ton. Within century we shall prob
ably have to feed three times as many
people as now, and the main bulk OF