Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-05

proxfmately half billion tons every year,
while the yearly waste of coal, in connec-
ton with general mining operations and
mine fires. Is now almost quarter OF a
billion TONS In other words. we waste
half as much coal as we use. Careful
estimates made in the geological survey
Indicate that the annual waste of min
erals at the mines amounts to more than
sSoO'OOO,OCo or about a million dollars for
every working day of the year
The Americans have been the most
wasteful and profiigate people in history
In their utilization of the vast mineral
wealth OF the country. with the result
that the most essential of the mineral
resources are threatened with exhaustion
while the nation is yet in its swaddling
clothes. The bureau of mines will make
Investigations looking to the development
of more efficient methods of mining
which will tend to prevent a great part
of the waste and loss of the present sys-
TEN.
In coal mining 1t usually is more profit
able to the mine operator to take out only
about 90 per cent of the coal than II is
to take out So per cent of IL, because OF
the fact that in taking out only so per
cent the roof of the mine may be sup
ported by pillars of coal left for that
purpose When he attempts to remove
the pillars, which may constitute almost
half OF the coal in the mine, he is con-
fronted by problems of expense and risk
which oftentimes are so serious that their
solution is not undertaken. The differ
ence between the greater cost of clean
mining as compared to the lesser cost Of
wasteful ninind often may mean the Diff
ference between the profitable and I'M
profitable operation of the mine 1t will
be the province of the new bureau OF
mines to attempt to discover methods or
operation whereby 1T will be made prof
liable to the individual miner to take
out all or practically all of the coal. In
TINS way the service of the bureau will be
of great benefit not only to the mine OPP
orator, to whom 1t gives a greater profit
and a longer period of time in which to
work one mine; not only to the working
miner, to whom it gives much needed adj
ditional protection from disaster and
death, but also to the nation as a whole
in that II will work a great saving and
economy touching our national fuel bill,
which now approximates a billion and a
half dollars year.
Perhaps no other newly created bureau
in the history of the country has entered
upon its work with such general popular
approval as has been accorded to the bu-
reau Of mines. The demand for the en-
actment Of the law to create 1t was ma
tion-wide in it's scope. Mine disaster af-
ter mine disaster shocked the people or
the country. and time after time the peo-
pie read that the loss of life might hav
been prevented If only certain precautions
had been taken, or If certain life saw
ing devices had been at hand, or II some
thing or other had been done. Then they
read that in mines of other countries,
while all risk cannot be eliminated, ev-
cry precaution known TO science is taken.
And then they were Inundated to find
that only the United States, among all
the nations. had no machinery 70 rdiscov-
cry or application of scientific methods OF
So fety and economy to its mines.
The fuel-testing division of the geologi-
cal survey did much good work toward
the end to be desired, and today IL is
transferred to the new bureau to become
the nucleus of the organization which is
to undertake the task of looking after our
mines and the department OF agriculture
locks after our farms.