Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-17
WEALTH IN MINERALS
Utah's Vast Riches Exist in
Diversified Form.
GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER
Coal and Iron Ore Also Said to Exist
in Large Deposits.
MUCH STILL TO BE DEVELOPED
State the Center of the Largest and
Probably the Richest Mineral
District Yet Discovered.
MUCH STILL TO BE DEVELOPED
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
al CORRESPONDENCE Of The Star anG

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and thu
| Chicago Record Herald.
SALT LAKE CITY, October 8, 1909.
| The mineral wealth of Utah is beyond
computation, and is probably more diver
| sified than that of any other state In the
/ Union although the deposits are yet al
the beginning Of their development and
both surprises and disappointments may
| be in store.
Salt Lake City is the center of the larg-
| est and probably the richest mineral dis
| trict yet discovered, including western
| Colorado, western Wyoming. all Of Idaho,
| all of Utah and northern Nevada For
| 500 miles in every direction mining is 60
| ing on: gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc
| and other precious and useful metals are
being produced in increasing quantities.
which must contribute to the wealth and
the business of the Mormon capital to a
greater extent every year. Salt Lake
City is about midway between Denver
and San Francisco. and the transporta-
| ton rates govern he direction In when
| the ores reach the smelters. Streams OF
ore are flowing constantly to Salt Lake,
and streams of machinery and supplies
are returning to the mining camps ana
other places where wealth is being pro-
| duced. while the profits and the dividends
are deposited in Salt Lake banks, and
those who are SO fortunate as to receive
them are coming here to make their
homes building handsome houses and in
vesting in city property.
The boomers declare that a billion dol
lars worth of ore is now in sight in the
mines contributory to Salt Lake City. in
Guiding $62J.UOO,0OO in the properties be-
longing to the Utah Copper Company.
$50 900, coo in the Cactus mine, $50. OOO,OUO
in, he ont
the Honorine mine, and millions more In
other permanent producers.
Mined in Open Cuts.
". .Lingrin of the United States geo.
logical survey. who keeps a close watch
on Utah mining industries. says:
1.-The most interesting event in Utah re-
Gently was the opening of the Utah Cop
per Company's mines at Bingham. where
the ore is mined in open cuts. The rock
is loosened and broken by blasting.
scooped up with steam shovels and hauled
by rail about fifteen miles to Garfield,
where it is concentrated. This Is done on
an enormous scale and will increase the
copper output considerably.
1.-The total output of copper In Utah in
1905 was 80, 100000 pounds. In 1907 1t was
$4,000 coo pounds, in 1908 it was 7S.OOO.OOO,
and for 1909 it will certainly be quite as
large and probably much larger.
ham carries an average Of one ounce of
silver and $1.15 in gold per ton.
1.-The mint bureau estimates the gold
production of Utah for 1908 at So. $50 200.
production at .S72 fine ounces, against
II .4O6, 900 fine ounces In 1907.
1.-THE production of gold, silver and lead
In Utah was considerably reduced In 1908
autumn and the closing Of three smelters
by decree of the federal court in smoke
damage suits. Many of the mines were
entirely closed for lack of funds, and new
developments were pretty generally ar
rested for the same reason. During this
time, however, many of the mining camps
were active, and important deposits of
lead and silver ore were opened In some
of the old properties. The Tintic district
at the close of 1908 had nearly regained
duced from that of 1907. Several new
mines were opened during the year In
other parts of the state. and some new
shippers appeared. OF the gold producers
the mines in the Camp Floyd district
have been increasing their output and
the prospects are encouraging.
THE mining industry generally has got
back to- normal conditions, and while the
1907. the indications are favorable for a
considerable increase both OF gold and
silver and a still larger increase Of cop
per-"
Vast Beds of Coal.
But what is more to be desired than
gold or silver or precious stones are the
vast beds Of coal, which are filled with
every grade from sub-bituminous to the
finest anthracite. According to a report
to the United States geological survey by
Il. w. Parker and NJ. r. Campbell. the
coal specialists of the government, the
original supply of coal In Utah, SO far
as has been discovered. aggregates Is. 100
square miles. containing 106, ass, OOO 600
short tons, which will last 100000 years
at the present rate of mining. Besides
this area there are 200 square miles of
workable beds of coal in other parts of
the state, which have never been tested,
and are likely to raise the total consider
ably as soon as their contents are known.
The first production of coal in Utah
was reported In the census of 1870. when
$500 short tons were mined for local con-
sumption. In 1880 the census reported
l4,14S tons: in 1890 the production had
increased to 3lS $50 tons; in 1900 to 1,147,-
OPT tons, and in 1905 to 1.S46. 1872 tons.
which is falling off of little more
than ) per cent In quantity from the
previous year because of the industrial
depression; but it was sold for So. 119. 33S.
which was an advance of S1.51 per ton
in 1907 to SLIGO in 1908, or total of
$3.50. $50.
Practically all the mines in Utah are
operated on an eight-hour day basis, un-
der agreements with the United Mine
Workers Of America. and they employ an
average of 2.264 men.
The value of the coal cannot be over
estimated. The demand for it at present
| Is practically limited to the railways and
the smelters. but 1t represents an energy
| that is capable Of turning the wheels OF
all the Industries that may ever be intro
duced into the state, without reference
| to the water power that is lying dormant
and is capable of developing as much
energy as the coal.
There is no evidence that I can dts
cover OF a water-power trust In this
| state although many, and. perhaps, all,
| Of the most desirable sites have been To-
Gated upon. Only 64.00O-horsepower has
| yet been developed throughout the state,
and that is used for operating street
| cars and for electric lights. Very little,
II any. power has yet been applied to
manufacturing purposes. The large num-
| Der OF the locations are apparently held
| by spectators. who have formed COM
panies for their development. but have
| not made any practical use of them as
yet There is no evidence of coalusion
among the locaters. On the contrary.