Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-05
State Policy of ConserOatio,
and Depeiobmenf

Considerations of public welfare dictate
| that the State shall assume more direct
control of the economic development OF
IT'S resources.
Industrial development is intimately
connected with the abundance of fuel and
cheap power; and while steam power used
by manufacturing establishments has in
creased by leaps and bounds. yet the use
of water power has declined.
OF all States In the Union. Pennsylvania
ranks first in the production of coal, coke,
iron and steel, cement, glass. and leather.
railroad cars and some manufactured
articles. 1t holds second place in various
products. including textiles and electrical
machinery, and in tobacco manufacturing.
To long maintain supremacy In these lines
our natural resources must be conserved
In no way Is the waste of natural re-
sources better illustrated than by coke
manufacture in beehive ovens. Pennsyl-
vania, in the year 1912 had 1887 active
beehive ovens, which produced but 5s7
short tons of coke per oven. For every
100 tons 0of bituminous coal used these
ovens produced only &C tons of coke.
They destroyed "a tons of every 100 tons.
On the other hand, by-product ovens
yield 1873 tons of coke from 100 tons of
coal, and they do more. They produce
gas, tar and ammonia as by-products
In the year 1919 the 1442 by-product ovens
iAA pIOuuGGu 1908 tons of
coke per oven. Moreover, and this Is the
point OF the matter, these l442 ovens pro-
duGed approximately k2,3OQOOO worth
or by-products in addition to 1874 6i9
short tons OF coke. The value of bv-
products was about four-tenths OF the
value OF the by-product coke II the coke
made in beehive ovens In the wear 1910
had been made in by-product ovens 4,OT7.
765 tons OF coal and about S37 500 600 worth
OF by-produets would have been saved.
The effect OF forest depletion upon aha
lumber industry is well known. Fortu-
nately, timber Is different from coal
Enough timber can be grown 70 meet the
states needs; but coal once burned ia
gone forever. Pennsylvania's Investments
money.
Inasmueh as the total value OF iron ana
steel produced annually in Pennsylvania
Is enormous. the State Government and
all persons concerned with economic de-
yelopment should be interested in the de-
hVery OF iron ore 70 the great steel centres
az the lowest possible cost The rail-
road systems are excellent, but must ex-
pand TO Keep pace with the State's
progress, The most important point
where the transportation system neads
strengthening Is that between Lake Fsrta
and the Ohio River, where spproximateiv
b0,0oO,00o tons OF iron ore coal, ana eoka
move annually between the Lake ana ths
Pittsburgh and Mahoning Valley dlstriets
FittsourEh'a supremacy In the iron ana
steel trade Is TO be maintained only bv
cheap ore.
The act approved June q. 1913, provides
tor tne construction. operation and main
tenanee oy the Commonwealth of q canal
Or waterway between Lake Erie ana ne
ohio River. The sum Of sl5o 900 was an
propriated 20 defray the expenses of ~
Canal Board In making the surveys ana
plans and preparing for construction. srbe
miiie per ton-nile rate. including tollr.
~ estimated Tor this proposed Waterway
ieoaa attractive e compared vita a. ~.
lstlps rake ol about mills per lon-m.Ie
QEeF railroads Irom hake H7fs = pIss-
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