The San Francisco call., 1909-11-13
ILLOGICAL SURVEYS.
STATISTICS DEFENDED
Charles Gregory Yale Takes Umbrage at ReHeeon Cast
On Work by State Mineralogst and
Explains Situation
Bv cHARLEs GREGORY YALE


accuracy. without which statistics are
useless; but all this takes time. and
the gold and silver separate Is usually
among the last to appear each year
for these reasons. though the basic
material has to be prepared months in
advance of publication
Since this work on gold. silver and
associated metals was placed under the
supervisiorl of Waldemar Lindgren. the
noted geologist. few years ago. the
annual reports have become OF far more
value to the mining community than
any ever before issued by the federal
or any state government The mere
statistics of product by state and coun-
ty have. become. perhaps. a secondary
feature in view OF the more elaborate
and technical consideration OF fields
and districts. and the analyses given
OF results obtained from different
classes OF ores, etc.
The processes and methods OF work.
ing ores are described and each district
of Importance in the different counties
OF the various states Is described In
detail. with the results accomplished
each year. The reports show the source
of gold and silver production by kinds
of ore; source of placer gold. whether
from hydraulic. drift, dredge or sur
face work: increase or decrease by
county: subdivision OF tonnage or ores
and classification; number OF mines In
each county classified by chief products
=
district; average value OF ores In it,
tricts; amount saved on plates ana byI
concentration. with average values OF
each; conditions In each district, with
names of producing mines and their
stage of development. etc. All this
class Of information is. of course. ab-
sent from the ordinary statistical re-
ports OF state institutions. because the
work Is too expensive and because they
do not employ men competent to make
these Investigations or. enough Of them
to carry them on. The services OF
geologists in the permanent employ OF
the United States geological survey for
the work in the mineral resource di-
vision gives the advantage of a corps
largely based on field observation.
For some time cit has been a pre-
requisite for employment in this divi-
sion that one must be a graduate of a
college of mines of some university Of
recognized standing. and must pass a
first grade civil service examination.
with satisfactory percentage.
This gives naturally a much higher
grade of men for-statisticals work than
can be found in any state institutions.
where both chiefs and subordinates are
more commonly chosen for political
reasons than for qualifications or ex-
perienee. and where tenure OF once Of
everybody depends on political favor.
instead of knowledge and ability.
Moreover. there is no tendency to
boost" any one locality unduly. as is
the case with state oficials who wish
to enhance the Importance OF their
own baiIiwicks. The federal statistics
are therefore the more conservative
and correct. and are so considered.
The United States geological survey
has several divisions. such as the geo
logic branch topographic, water, re-
sources. technOlogic. branch. etc. and
all these issue reports in the form OF
annual reports. monographs, profess
sional papers, bulletins. water supply
and irrigation papers. mineral re.
sources. etc.
1t is. OF course. impossible TO pub.
lish all these at once. and each musE
take its turn at the printing offlce.
For this reason unavoidable DELAYS
often occur in publication. Often re-
ports are ready months in advance of
the time the government printer can
take them in hand. As far as there
being special demand for any one
thing for any one man or set OF men.
it may be said there is a special de-
mand from different sources for imme.
diate publication of all these docu-
ments. but it is not always in the
power OF the oficials of the survey to
print their reports as soon as they
would like.