Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-05-24
WAT The WORLD IL WORTH IN
COLE.

ACCORDING 10 q Dulleeln WHICH mas
recently been issued by the burea,
OF statistics in Washington, ID. G :.
he worlds supply OF gold during
The past decade has increased one
half; and the amount OF the yell
low metal which has been coined
into money has Increased nearly rs
per cent.
But the document contains other
Interesting items OF information.
For example
Prior TO 1900 we are told, the
worlds gold production averaged
about s1O,OOO.OOO year; and from,
1850 to 1850 IL averaged about $12,-
100000 a year
Then came the discovery of the
yellow metal in California, closely
followed by the announcement Of
fabulous deposits in far-off Austral-
Ia.
with this impetus, the worlds
output OF gold from 1850 to 1890
averaged $1OO,O0O,OOO per annu n
Since then the miners pick has
upturned the precious ore in fresh
localities. In 1893 the yearly out
put of gold reached s15O,OOO,OOO.
In 1894 it reached 1851 100000. Ir
1898 it reached 100000.
But for the past few years the
Increase has been even more rapid
still
In 1906 the amount Of gold taken
rom the mines aggregated $4OO,-
100000. In 1907 1t totaled $40
100000. In 1908 it reached 1929
100000.
During the past ten years it Is
estimated that the total output OF
gold has reached $3,4OO,OOO,sOO.
This is almost one-fifth OF the
total amount Of gold which has beer
mined since the discovery of Amer
ica in 1892.
To be precise, it is estimated that
the value of the yellow metal which
Aas been coined during the past foul
centuries is about 13,OOO,OOO.OOO.
Gold is the most carefully con.
>erved of all the precious metals
But notwithstanding this fact, it is
estimated that about $2.OOO. 900 900
Of this total amount is lost to com.
merco, making the grand aggregate
about 1,000,00O,00O.
Something like two thirds of the
worlds stock OF gold exists in the
form OF coin.
This is valued at $7,O0O,OOO,OOO.
But OF this amount, only $4,000
100000 is reported to be in circu-
.ation and fully $4,OOO,OOO, 900 is
lying idle in banks and in public
treasures.
In the distribution by countries
The United States heads the list. the
hgures being: the United States. 81
6l3,OOO,OOO; Germany $1,O44,OOO,-
900; France, 6,O0O,OOO; the
United Kingdom, 1855, OOO,OOO; Au-
Hungary, 100000; Italy
sos, 0OO,000; Australia, $159,OOO,-
900; Egypt. 0,OOO,OO0; Argent
ma, $l4O,OOO,0Oe; Turkey. $132,-
100000; India, SIP, 100000; ia
pan, $96, 100000; and Brazil, $751;
100000.
The total amount OF gold reported
10 be in this country ten years ago
vas 1925, 100000.
This most interesting exhibit will
erve to explain in large measure
the prosperous times which have
succeeded the panic of 1898. The
increased output of goli has expand
ed the circulation medium and al
most doubled the per capita.
Fully one-fourth OF the total
amount of gold in existence at the
present time is supposed to have
come from the mines OF the United
States.
But just now this country occu-
pies the second place in the list OF
he worlds gold producers
South Africa comes first, ayerag-
ing $150,OOO,OOO per annum; the
United States second, averaging
OO,OOO,0O0 per annum; Australia
third, averaging $SO,OOO,OOO per an
num; Russia fourth, averaging $685.
100000 per annum; and Mexico fifth
averaging $2O,OOO,OOO per annum.
II is estimated that the total
amount of silver money in existence
is about s3,5OO.OOO,OOO, or half the
total amount Of gold.