Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-01-04
THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1917.
Mining Business Flourish.
Big Increase In Production
Over 1915.

Over 1910.
Ten mines in Arizona paid 1884,
Co., 900 in dividends during the past
year. Adding Utah, Montana, Ne
vada and Idaho dividends to those OF
Arizona we have total of 100000
600 in dividends paid out out OF the
mines of these five western states in
a single year.
These are some of the impressive
facts brought out by the report OF the
Geological Survey to Secretary Lane
just made. Never BEFORE" said
Mr.. Lane, has so large draft been
made on the natural resources OF our
country as during this year, and
never before have the metals been ex-
tracted from these ores with less
waste or utilized to better advantage
in advancing the general prosperity
of the country. Even as written in
the plain figures of 1916 production
the wonderful record of our mines
sets forth a degree of national indus
trial independence only hoped for a
few years ago.
Again copper stands out as the
best illustration of how American
mines can meet world demand.
The output of nearly 2 billion pounds
of the red metal is double that OF ten
years ago and its value is twice that
of the copper produced in 1915. Add
to this the facts that in value copper
now contends with iron for first place
among the metals and that together
the amount of these two metals pro-
duced last year had value OF more
than one billion dollars and we have
a measure of what this country can
contribute in useful metals.
'The output of zinc from domestic
ores increased last year $4,000 tons,
which makes a new record for that
metal, the total value of spelter from
United States ore being $50 million
dollars. Lead also shows large in.
crease, the IS million dollar output
being gain of more than 80 per
cent.
with all this activity in metal
production the coal mines have had
to meet heavy demand, so that the
bituminous coal output has now pass
ed the half-billion ton mark, an in
crease of 124 per cent over the pre-
vious year. Coke production increas.
ed 80 per cent and it is gratifying to
note that by-product coke made the
largest gain, which means a corros-
bonding gain in benzol and other val
liable by-products.
again the oil wells have given a
new record for petroleum yield, the
estimate of marketed production of
crude petroleum for 1916 being 292
million barrels, or II million barrels
more than in 1915.
Another mineral product which
furnishes an index of business con-
ditions is cement, the 1916 produc-
ton of which is estimated to be five
million barrels in excess of the out
put of the previous year, while the
shipments were even greater, aggre-
eating 4,5OO, 900 barrels, with the
outlook reported as good for the new
year.
THE reports received from the
Surveys western offices contain most
significant mining records. Every
Western state shows large increase
in yield of metals. Arizona leading
with a gain of 100 million dollars
over last year, while Utah and Mon
tana togethsr report another 100 mil
dollar gain. Alaska also had its best
year, contributing total value of
more than $50, 100000 this year, or
ozer so per cent in excess of any pre-
vious year.
THESE advance statements not
only show that 1915 marks a new ad-
vance for the mineral industry of the
country, but this remarkable increase
promises to be approximately % per
cent over the 1915 production, SO
that we may expect the final figures
to show total of three billion dol
lars"