The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-04-08
Mineral Production Of the United States
in 1876 and 1918

Panama. Pacific International Exposition
includes a graphic representation o.
the output Of the various mineral pro-
ducts OF the country, based on the
production per capita during the cen
tennial year, 1876, and at the present
time. Bituminous coal ia represented
by block Of coal weighing 1000
pounds, the per capita production in
1876, and another weighing 10000
pounds, the per capita production in
1918. The anthracite blocks, on the
other hand, indicate relatively small
gain, from /, ,l40 to 1880 pounds.
The per capita production Of coke
has increased from 1874 pounds in 1876
to 700 pounds in 1918. Atthe earlier
period no other than beehive coke was
manufactured in the United States,
but since then the interesting feature
OF coke manufacture has been the de-
velopment Of the returt oven, by which
valuable constituents OF the coal other
than coke are recovered. The exhibit
at San Francisco shows the quantity Of
coal consumed in retort ovens in this
country in 1918, and the quantity Of
coal tar, benzo!, and sulphate Of ammo
MIA recovered as by'products. The
quantity OF gas recovered and used is
also properly shown.
The production Of petroleum in the
United States shows an increase which
is fairly comparable with that OF betu-
minous coal. The per capita output
in 1876 is represented By half barrel
Of oil containing % gallons; the output
in 1918 is represented by a hogshead
containing l0S gallons.
The per capita production Of copper,
which in lats years has been so sig
nifcantly influenced by the develop
mcnt Of electric'power transmission,
has increased from l pound in 1876 to
IS pounds in 1918, and this is illus
trated by iDgots Of copper OF the two
weights.
The per capita production OF lead
has increased from pounds in 1876
to 9 pounds in 1918, and the output
OF zinc from little less than / pound
to pounds.
The quantity Of iron ore produced
shows an increase from 3l4 pounds
per capita in 1876 to 1,434 pounds in
1918, and the quantity Of pig iron OBJ
tanned from it has increased from $50
10 III pounds.
Since the Centennial Exposition an
entirely new industry in mining and
metalurgy has been developed through
the production Of aluminium. No alu-
minum was produced on a commercial
scale in 1876, but a cube weighing Il
ounces represents the per capita pro-
ducton in 1918.
The actual production Of gold and
silver in 1918 is a little more than
twice as much as it was in 1876, but
as the population has also nearly
doubled, the per capita output OF bolh
metals has kept nearly eveG with the
increasing population. In 1876 the
per capita production Of gold was II
grains; in 1918 it was 81 grains. The
production Of silver in 1918 was $50
grains per capita; in 1876 it was 288
grains.
In 1876 the fetal production oil Port
land cemert in the United States was
less than 100000 barrels. In 1913 it
was over 100000 barrels, The
total per capita output Of cement in
1876 was l6 pounds. In 1918 it was
$50 bounds; equivalent to nearly four
Of the bags in which we ase accus.
toned to see Portland cement trans
ported.
1t is only since the beginning Of she
present century that the production Of
sulphur in the United states has had
any significant Influence on the trade,
but the domestic product has now vir'
tually suppianted Sicilian sulphur il
the markets Of this country. In 187t
the per capita production Of sulphur il
the United States was 140 grains. OF
less than one-third Of an ounce. II
1918 it was $4,000 grains, or 7
pounds. The production oI pyrite,
manufacture Of sulphuric used in the
acid, has increased from / ounce pei
capita in 1876 10 us ounces in 1918
In 1876 the United States Produced nc
silphuric acid, except from pyrite and
imported sulphur. The .ulphuric acid
recovered as a by produc, at the smelt
ers OF the United States in 1918 wa.
Is pounds per capita.