The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-15

all lands. Thus we may say was de-
progressive citizenry
"The other element necessary TO make
America great is material resources
the earth and the fullness thereof. | do
not discount the wealth OF our forests,
which have contributed 80 largely to
our foreign and domestic trade since
colonial days, nor do disregard the
bounty of our soil, which enables us in
these days OF waste and war to feed
the peoples OF Europe as well as our
selves. vet | believe the mineral wealth
of the United States is in largest meas
ure the foundation of the marvellous
growth OF the last few decades Indus
trial America think to what degree
the industries OF America are based on
our ores and mineral fuels, or figure, ii
YOU will, the percentage OF railroad ton
mage that originates at the mine.
Not only is our country a world lead
Ell in the output OF such essential min
erals as coal, petroleum, copper, zine,
IRON lead. phosphate and in three OF
these il exceeds all other countries put
together-but as far as such things can
be measured or estimated we are blest
in the possession Of the largest reserves
of many of the more imnortant OF these
minerals. No other country can, in any
sense, compare with the United States
in the degree OF industrial independence
afforded by the possession OF these min
eral resources. The raw material is at
hand to enable us to win and maintain
supremacy as manufacturing nation.
fyXr al Fax fNn
clause the catalogue OF our mineral
resources i not the complete list Of
minerals 81 sential to modern ciyliza-
ton: few items are missing others
are present apparently only IN INSULT
cient quantities, and the quality or To-
cality of the deposits Of still other min
erals may be unfavoable TO present day
utilization. Thus II happens that the
nation is not wholly independent in its
minerals industry, and no problem bet
ter deserves the attention of the Amer
lean mining engineers than this, How
can we FIJI these gaps and thus make
America more truly INDEPENDENT
"The catalogue Of the products of our
mines. duarrics, and wells is long The
list of what we lack j. short. We are
wholly dependent on other countries for
only four principal items tin and nick
a. potash and nitrate Among the min
erals 81 which the United States has a
deficient supply are manganese, plati-
mum. gems. and asbestos Still other
minerals IL has heretofore been more
profitable 10 buy abroad than TO pro
duce at home, such as chrome ore ba
ytes. flint pebbles, magnesite mica and
graphite.
"rhese deficiencies create problems re-
lating to three different types or classes
Of minerals In the first class tin and
nickel only seem 10 present hopeless
outlook: and az a matter Of fact the
whole world u poor IN tin. Especially
+ this scarcity felt IN certain Of the
countries nov az war, where the short
age due 10 cessation of imports is in
tensi6ed by the increased use Of tin in
canning army supplies. But We can look
10 South America for tin ore and make
its importation n foundation for proht'
able commerce with bolivia. For nitrate
we can continue 20 rely upon Chile, but
we should develop our independence ~
respect to this mineral nv the manufac-
turc of nitratcs from atmospheric nitro
pen Opportunities for cheap hydroelec-
trio Development win invite eapital as
soon as Congress win legislatc. For pot
ash the outlook j. less certain; thus
far only one potash-rich brine has been
found that of the Searles lake deposits.
IN California where potash occurs IN
even greater quantity thar THAT ~ first
estimated hv the Geological survey but
the problpm 81 81 commercial cNtrar-
tion has not Vet been fully solved By
the chemical engineer.
aThe deficiencies 81 the SECOND class.
like manganese and platinum. are slim
Mating 10 the grologist and the engineer,
the one 10 discover the other 60 devel.
on The reeeut find IN southern Nevada
81 rich platinum bearing gold ore CONF
stitufps \ notable addition - the worlds
pupplv ~ this too rare metal
aThe third class ~ minerals, those
which Il has paid better 20 buy from
foreign producers. prohsbly furnishes the
largest incentive for tie effort q secure
uaiueralogical Independence. Here espe-
cisllr can the geologist cnd engineer co
operate. Alagns~ite mica and graphite
for example. are common minerals 1T
which large deposits have been found "
this eonntry. Yrt W to the present time
they have been large items ~ import
from Austria. Canada. and India
aAs 81 encouraging instance ~ minrr-
aioaieal indepeudrnce. Fer may recall
that aulr shout tru years ago this rpun-
try imported ts Sulphur from sicily.
uheraas now. 81 uasoH If tie work ~
one ervinecr the lu,ted stafes ieads
tbs world m ths minTnc ~ snlrhur Can
80. further sue0as ~ expected IN she
rtiIigafarn 81 m.inrFrI resources hitherto
rrsetsaativ untBnehri
erie Substitution ~ certain minrrals
II sauassffe r-er fur thozf huuqhf M
fs-.frb rarIets rIl hTine us faef a.
re-. art a. rrah'rm ~ stariarfirn-
ffrr p~ir r. nrf thf Irst e0fi ~
fhr ass.afa.ir-rfr -rF.sf'rleF HhIs b RI
raaF frrr 81 frar err ifsss 80 uaar
lace 81 rIrsfe an1 FL
sorr far rtiIf tis n1nst5isi srrf e.
f.s-~ h r=tHFH firHaFests
49, a4awasv rrH f-alnts uut7 thar
ar r--&eff r. trrV ta~ttaesf ~ slisFs
superiority
a7a.s nrtiara frr suefesfHi snaeavo-
- 49, amrfasn enrirsar saens vrrr
irirlt