The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-12-14

urai gas worth $4,000. 600. "a sum
many times greater than n total
cost OF an tho work done by the bu-
rcnH during the tour years OF its OK
istcnce. This was done by introduce
Ing better methods In the drilling for
petroleum aud gas. This waste OF
gas stopped totaled $50. 00o. 600 cubic
feet per day. equivalent in heating
value 20 1900 tom 81 coal per day.
In preventing the escape at this
enormous quantity OF gas, says Dl-
| rector Holmes. another saving was
made. the vahle 81 which cannot be
estimated-ttae elimination of danger
TO human life from ths escape OF this
gas into the atmosphere Or.
! Holmes estimates the loss 10 this
country each year Ia the Developments
! Of the oil fields 10 be not less than
$50, Gee, 900. and that "a large part OF
this loss b. p~revcntable The fact
that the principal oil-producing areas
Of the country are nov believed Co be
we'll defined, says Or Holmes. and
the fact that the next few years viii
see a constantly diminishing Instead
lof an increasing production. unite in
making imperative the need OF ex-
tended inquiries"
Director Holmes also calls atten-
ton to the discovery of e process bs
the chemists ct the burcau whereby
radium, which Is much sought for its
supposed curative qualities. can be
produced at onc-third of its present
cost. with radium noV selling nc
$4,000 a gram. its reduction IA
price To- t40.00O will. D. Ia said. result
IN many hospitals throughout TIM
country being able Ca purchase r.
supply. The process devised los the
bureaus chemists has already been
tested with success in the plant ct
the National Radigm institute. which
H. under the supervision Of the tech
nicsl stan Of the bureau % mines
The buregu also claims that
through lie scientific method OF pur-
chasing coal by heat units
the federal government has saved
during The wear S20a. 0On and that the
various cities OF the country hat
have taken up this plan OF buying
coal have reported q saving last year
OF thousands Of dollars Director
Holmes places the present waste OF
mineral OF the country at
the sun of one million dollars "a day.
and declares That in a large measure
this waste b. unnccessarN. I'm one
respect az least says the director.
the consideration OF mineral waste
has a basis quite different from the
consideration of agricultural wastes.
our crops represent an annual proc
ductiun from "a REASONABLY permanent
soil. our forests NAV grow again
though 81 much longer period OF time
IS required and the soils thcmseives
may be reproduced from the subsod
and tho rock beneath But of our
mineral We have only the
one supply This supply il 10 "a con-
siderable extent destroyed by use.
ana AT the present increasing rate a.
which We arc using and wasting 10
our supply OF a number - these re-
sources viii be either exhausted ~
largely depleted while tho nation Is
yet in its youth.
Referring Go coal. Dr Holmes says
"A careful estimate indicates that 100
the mining Of 500. 0en 200 tons ~ coal
during the last calendar year there
was wasted or WAS Jeff underground
in unmiuahic condition 800 600. 00O
tons 81 coal A. Il result Of careful
preliminary niduiri, u b. believed
that more than oue-half tlpo unU. 0Uo
TONS ot cDnD of this yearly waste is
-9rcvcntahle under existing economic
conditions But the bare statement
uf The enormous losses does not. per-
haps. express the most important
part Of the situation. which is that
the coal we are now using aud WAIST
ing represents the cream of our suu-
! plies. namely, the coal hat is the
best. is most easily and chcaplv
mined and is nearest the great cen
tiers OF industry
Referring 10 stll other wastes. Dr.
Holmes Saws "a preliminary lu-
/ qgiry as 90 the cuking Of coal .u bee
hive ovens has shown that the total
value of he bs products annually
lost in tins country through the use
OF srch ovens amounts 90 SIS 0D0. 600
Although the desirahility 81 develop
ing bs- produet Industries iu This
"ountrS has been recognized such
development has nov become IN
actual need
The bureau hte also a~certIIned
that thc sanHsi waste VI metals 30
brass furnace pf1ctcc amounts Coz
more fhnu 50. 5000. geo