Semi-weekly herald., 1914-06-01
What Mining Means to
the Farming Sections
Gentlemen of the congress;

Gentlemen of the congress:
The San Juan mining country in
cludes 5000 square miles of mineral
lied territory as defined by the U. S.
geological survey.
OF this only 200 square miles is
developed and possibly 1000 square
miles prospected.
The output of the San Juan trian-
gle lying between Ouray, Telluride
and Silverton produced over $10,-
| 100000 last year an gold, silver,
lead, copper and zinc, this being
nearly one-third of the total output
of the state.
In this San Juan territory there
are about 5000 inhabitants. OF this
population 1000 live in a territory
decidedly tributary to the San Juan
basin. In order to show just what
influence this mining population has
on the industrial welfare of the San
Juan basin may be pardoned for
attempting to develop a dollar ra-
ito displaying the monetary value of
this influence.
| Based upon accurate figures cover
ing the expenses of feeding an aver
age number of men for period of
one year, | find that it costs SI1.00
per man per month for food supplies
including fresh beef, pork, mutton,
ham, bacon, fish poultry, eggs, butter,
potatoes, sugar, flour, condensed milk,
fresh milk, coffee, tea, canned fruit,
canned vegetables and fresh veget-
ables.
The majority of the min
ing population is not howev-
er benefited by close buy
ing in large quantities as the men
cited before and it is probable that
the average per capita figures will
be very close to $500 for food sup
plies.
The San Juan basin supplies 80
per cent of this amount or $685. 900
annually.
In addition to food supplies the
San Juan basin furnishes coal to this
population to an amount of over g.
800 cars of "a tons average, per year.
Quite true, the coal consumption has
been greatly reduced since the advent
of the hydro-electric power in the
district, but the amount of coal given
is nearly all used for cooking and
heating purposes. Almost every min
ing property of size being equipped
with electric power machinery.
The shipment to the Durango plant
of the A. S. & r. Co., of ores and
concentrates from Silverton, Telluride,
Rico and Ophir, not to mention the
La Platas directly affects the freight
revenues which contribute to the well
fare of the San Juan basin. The
smelling of this material means the
employment of men at the smelter
and under the present conditions it
is running on limited capacity only.
/ might mention the clothing used
by this population which absorbs in
it's manufacture part of the 1,700,-
900 pounds of wool shipped from the
H.,
The lumber industry of the basin is
directly dependent upon mining activ-
| ity. At the present time there is
lshipped into Silverton only so or 10
Icars of lumber, whereas in good years
as in 1906,1 1907 there were 1000 cars.
Most of this lumber comes from
the MilIwood on the Rio Grande
Southern.
Consider also the amount Of stock
feed bought by the mining popula-
ton. The horses, mules and cattle
will consume $4,000 worth of hay
and grain in year figured on an
average feeding period of only five
months.
A great many of the hides sold by
people living in the San Juan basin
find their way back to the mining
population in the shape Of shoes leath-
er, beltings for mill machinery, etc
In order to get this data into q
tangible statement may say that
this is at the present time over 81
$4,000 worth of supplies furnished
by the people of this basin to the
metal mining population. f.
l. (Cnntinued or,. m "a fuo =