The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-12-11
BUREAU OF MINES
EFFECTS SAVINGS
BY the Promotion of the Manu-
facture of Radium and
Of Gasoline.

d , III
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL SIanufac-
ture of radium worth more than
million dollars; a saving OF more
than s2o.o0O.OOO worth Of natural
gas in the Blackwell field OF Ok1ano-
ma; manufacture Of gasoline at a
cost of six cents a gallon: develop
ment of an electrical furnace which
promises to wipe out losses OF S1O,-
100000 a year in the melting Of
brass, and the saving OF many lives
through the promotion OF scientific
mining methods are among the
achievements Of the federal bureau of
mines outlined IN the annual report
of the director. Van II. Manning.
The manufacture of radium was
accomplished in cooperation with.
the National Radium Institute which.
furnished capital Of 100000 neces-
sary to develop an economical meth
Cd Of extracting the precious metal
from the carnotlte ores of the West.
Eight and one-half grams Of radium
were produced at a cost of less than
| $4,000 per gram, which in open
/, market would have cost between
100000 and $4,000 a gram. The
Igreater part of the product was
turned over to two great hospitals
gLO1T USE LI1G
| from which its Is estimated there are
$4,000 deaths each year in the United
States.
The institute supplied the ore,
plant and machinery and the bureau
Of mines spent $4,000 developing
the process. For its part, the govern
ment received at least 100000
worth of radium which will be used
for scientific purposes. The method
evolved has been patented for the
government and may be used free
by anyone within the United States.
The saving OF $4,000 900 worth
Iof natural gas in the Blackwell field
was accomplished by use Of the bu-
Teau's new method OF drilling wells.
It includes process Of sealing the
gas IN its original reservoir until
marketing time. Oil operators In
Kansas and other states have adopt
ed the method.
The new process of manufacturing
gasoline was evolved with the Ritz
to take the waste gas oil of Ca1iforn-
itwhtch is worth two cents a gallon
and make from 1t gasoline at a cost OF
six cents gallon. The report an
nounces that the Rfttman process Is
a commercial success and that the
bureau Is ready ''to give to the pub
Lie a commercial cracking process,
free Of royalty which will make avail
liable for internal combustion engines
large quantities of otherwise una
vailable fractions of petroleum.
In the District of Columbia. by ad-
syising the government In purchases
LOT coal the bureau erected a saving
OF $4,000 and the report estimates
hi a
Throughout the government service
the annual saving would total $375.-
| 900 a year. The entire country, the
i.report says, could save millions annu-
ally by GLOWING tile same methods.
IN studies for recovering metal
wastes IN brass melting. the bureau
l.las developed an electric furnace
which gives promise of eliminating
wastes of $40, 100000 year at the
l5present rate Of great production and
high prices. 49
IN its work of safety for miners,
1.-the bureau has approved types of
electric miners lamps which are be-
ling installed at the rate OF 100000
a year and will eliminate the cause
OF many fatal explosions.
The iron mines Of Minnesota. the
report says, may in the future obtain
i3power for their operation from fuel
taken from the nearby peat bogs in
stead of transporting coal a thousand
miles.
IN California, investigation showed
a large number Of deep gold miners
affected with hook worm. Measures
were installed which are expected to
stamp out the disease In few years.
Investigation also was made Of min
ers consumption In the Joplin, Mo-,
district and recommendations were
made which promise to lengthen the
lives9of workers there.