Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-01-16
States Grain Exceeds in Value Pro-
duotion of Greatest Mineral.
COAL MAN HAS THE GOODS
Mined Fuels Are Closest of Corn's
Competitors for Lead.
SOME CHANGE IN PETROLEUM
Crude OIL to the Amount of One Hum
dred and Thirty Millions OUT
put for Year-DOIIRrs in
--. -
sandbanlSs.

From the office OF the United States
geological survey has just been issued a
tabulated statement giving in great detail
figures on the mineral production of the
country for the year 1905
The table shows that the price per ounce
OF silver declined from 81 cents in 1906
to 66 cents In 1907 and to SO cents In 1908.
Total production of silver during 1908
amounted to 50, 440sOO troy ounces, having
value Of S2s,05O6OO. OF gold the produce
tlon was 4,57434O troy ounces having a
value Of S94,56O,OOO
Thus the total value Of gold and silver
for 1905 was $122 10000. For the same year,
by government figures, the corn crop OF
Nebraska was worth, ION the farm" $lOi,
941,0OO. Fed into hogs and cattle, the corn
crop of this state undoubtedly exceeded
the value of the gold and silver production
Of the year. From another angle, compari-
son with Nebraska products makes the
gold and silver piles look quite modest,
for in 1908 the value of the live stock in
Nebraska was $685. 955,53O. Stuff that gilt
ters is not the real wealth, after ali.
Copper production for 1908 more than
equaled gold and silver together. The pro-
duction totaled 942,570,721 pounds, having a
market value of 1924, 49, 1886. Nebraska corn
and wheat for the year had a value of
$l26, 500, 40 and yet certain spectators and
stock boomers succeeded in conveying the
impression that copper was incompatible
for investment about that time.
Iron Ore ana Corn.
Iron ore. with about all sources of supply
In careful financial hands, reached the
high-water mark in 1907, when 5l,72O,619
long tons were produced, with a value of
$131,996,147 For 1908 the production was
35,sSS 1886 TONS with a value of $S1, ,S45, ,T24
being S7,453,974 less than the value OF the
1908 corn crop of Nebraska Pig iron makes
a heavy noise. but corn smothers It.
Production of lead and zinc is falling Off
as production OF farm crops grows. From
365. 1866 short tons in 1907, with a value of
$Ss, ,7o7, $685. lead fell off to SlO762 tons In
1903, with value of $26,1O4,OOS.
From 22S,745 short tons produced in 1907,
with value OF $26, 40l, $40, zinc fell off to
1919 tons in 1908, with a value of ST.
$50, 4O6.
Thus lead and zinc production for the
whole country, during 1908, just about
equaled the value Of the hay and spring
wheat crops of this state, which together
footed up in value close to $44OOO,OOO.
Coal the Real King.
Owners of the mines containing precious
metals throw on a lot of dog" where they
are known and win considerable reverence
from the unthinking. The coal mine own
ers are the real thing though, when hefty
sums OF money are being named. OF bltu-
minous coal SS2,57S,s4 short tons were dug
out in 1908, having a value of 1914 1876 IS.
OF Pennsylvania anthracite 4347.1O2 long
tons were put above ground, with a value
to the producers Of S15s, 17S,S49 The two
sums total S532, BAIT. Before the ccal is
burned into ashes 1t probably costs the
consumers nearly twice as much. The
years production of coal comes nigh y
close to equaling the total value Of all the
crops, live stock and manufactured
products of Nebraska, indicating that If
King Corn wanted to visit King Coal he
would have to make the first obesianee.
OIL and Clay Products.
Now we come to Jondee Rockefeller's
little preserve. The oil wells produced
petroleum in 1908 to the amount of 1852, 479
barrels of forty-two gallons each. The
value is set down at s129, 7O5,25s. This prob
ably refers to the crude oil. for If the man
without a digestion and sensitive con-
science cannot pick up more than $3.50, 900 900
or so in a year he will have to take a back
seat for the citizens drawing income from
clay products
In this latter class OF minerals the pre-
duction had a value OF S1s3. 1852 for 1908.
showing/a "A considerable reduction from the
previous year. Adding the value Of cement,
lime, sand-lime brick, slate and stone, the
total value OF structural materials pro-
duced was s161 ,757, 145 for 1908, against $685.
7l9 for 1907. This vast difference may
possibly be accounted for by the greatly
| tnnr Of an hufl
poses; and there is no more striking way
Of showing the forward movement of steel
construction and the widespread use Of
steel in hundred new ways than to set
these totals against one another.
All the building materials comprised in
the valuation Of SsO5,s5S7ls fell S4s5S2, ,7s9
short Of equanng the value OF the grain
crops and live stock OF Nebraska for the
same year.
Millions for Mineral WRter.
Mineral water production reached a
value Of S7.2SI.26 in 1908. based on reported
sales OF 56.1OS,S2O gallons. This Is better
than 100000 gallons in excess Of sales for
1907, but the price of water fell with pro-
duction, contrary to experience in other
things at this particular time. for the
! smaller quantity OF we.er sold in 1907
brought $A234 more than thH increased
sparkling aqua of 1908
Production OF alum was less in 1908 than
in any year since 1904. the amount being
II. 10000 pounds, with value at Pittsburg
OF S2,4S4.6OO In the days OF hand compost
tion in newspaper composing rooms the
printers used about three-quarters the
quantity now produced according to a
veteran comp"
Spring wheat is a small crop In Ne
brsslSa, but its value each year Is Just
about the value OF the alum crop of the
whole country.
sDeItH More Than Jewels.
Precious stones produced in the United
States 10 not cut any great figure In the
total of our mineral wealth. In 1907 they
were valued az S7&,OOO which included