The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-09-22
TEXAS
Is Rich In The Minerals Of
The World

Washington, ID. c., Sept. 1S-Texas,
the largest of all the States in area
and fifth in the number of inhabi-
tants, ranks nineteenth in the value
of its mineral production, according
to report made public today by the
United States Geological Survey. In
each Of the last two years Texas ad-
vanced two numbers in the rank of
mineral-producing States. In the per.
centage of its increase in 1913 over
1912 Texas was exceeded by only one
other State-its northern neighbor,
Oklahoma-which, on account of the
sharp advance in the price Of petrol.
cum, showed a gain in value of min.
eral products of nearly so per cent,
while Texas showed an increase in
value Of 3S.9 per cent-from S22,797.-
OILS in 1912 to $91 $3.50, $40 in 1913.
In Oklahoma the increase in 1919
was due to the advance in the price OF
one substance; in Texas increases
were made in the output of all the
products which contributed materially
to the total value, but especially, as
in Oklahoma, in the production of pc
troleum. Texas ranks second in the
production of asphalt and third in the
production of quicksilver. Since the
sensational strike at Beaumont in
1901, petroleum has had first place in
the mineral products of the State, and
Texas now ranks fourth among all
the States in the quantity of all pc
troleum produced and seventh with
respect to the value of the product
The production increased from u l, ,735,
057 barrels, valued at $S,S52,713, in
1912, to 15,099,47S barrels, valued al
$14,675,599, in 1918. The possibilities
for oil development are widely scat
tered over Texas, and the chances foi
further extension are therefore excel
lent.
Second in Importance among the
mineral products of Texas, reckoned
by the value of output, is coal, in
Guiding Ignite or brown coal, the com
bined production of which amounted
in 1913 to 2,429,144 short tons, valued
at S4,2SS,920, against 2,1SS,612 short
tons, valued at $3,655,744, in 1912
Texas is the only State in the Unior
that produces considerable quantitie!
| OF both bituminous coal and true lig
mite, or brown coal.
The only other mineral product!
of Texas which contribute as mucf
as $1000,000 to the total values are
asphalt, cement, clay and natural gas
The manufacture of Portland cemen
! in Texas is an industry barely five
years old at the end of 1913. The val
lie of the cement produced in Texa!
in 1913 was $2,663,o63. an increase o
over 100000, from $2,062,124 in 1912
Raw materials for the manufacture o
cement are abundantly distributed
throughout the State. The presen
operations are confined to four plants
two near Dallas and one each at Sal
Antonio and Ell Paso.
The value of the natural gas pre-
duced also showed a substantial in
| crease amounting to S2073S23 il
1913, against $1,4O5,O77 in 1912. TIL
asphalt produced in Texas, which i
principally residue obtained from tn
heavy asphaltic oils, amounted t
l122,026 short tons in 1913, valued a
81, l,970,354. In addition to this smal
quantity of natural asphalt was pre-
duced.
The only mineral products of an
Importance which did not show an il
crease in value in 1913 over 1912 wer
gypsum and salt. The decrease in tn
salt porduction was due to the de
struction by fire of one of the sal
making establishments.
Other mineral products of the Stat
are limestone, granite, copper. gems
small amount of gold, iron ore, leat
lime, mineral waters, qicksilve
sand and gravel, sand-lime brick, 81
yer, sulphur and zinc.