, 1922-01-22
Coal Would Last 10000
Years of Present Rate of
Depletion, Report
By w. II. KITS
dining Engineer. Cnsp-

In archaeological research we and
that he nation thai mined and used
the mineral products. were the people
who took a lead snzonx their con.
temporaries. for the simple reason
that they could attain an advantage in
c~ivilizstion without resorting to use
OF minerals. The Egyptians were far
In advance OF the other nations OF
their time and has shown us
that this fact is due entirely to mining
Development during that age. and
warrants h statement that mining
has been the greatest factor In eierat-
Ing mankind to the stage OF clviiiza.
ton he has attained today.
Should NJ ACCESS TO minerpls be de-
MED US today. we would be completely
reverted to sAvaEery within 100 years
Where would we be without our rail.
roads. telegraph Ind telephone lines.
automobiles. or method OF transports
ton except TO walk or ride a horse?
What would ne do without all that
stands between us and the savage who
stih uses his bow and arrows tipped
with Ain or bone7 Without a scien.
ttfcany developed use OF mineral prod.
ucts there can DO no civilization.
The people OF wyoming arc not be-
hind those OF other states in civllxa.
ton. bat they have not developed the
mineral that have, for vast
lain exposed to tho elements. This
lack Of development Is not due to lack
of discovery but has progressed won.
derfuily considering tho immense
handicap under which # has been
held Wyoming has wealth OF miner.
ais second to mono of her sister states
nnd these great storehouses of nature
have been sadly neglected and are an
nually wasting away.
Lying between n adjoining the
two great mineral producing states OF
Montana on h north and Colorado to
the srssh IL Wyoming with ssrata cor.
relating through the three states.
Montana ard Colorado have developed
their minerals on a largo scale but in
Wyoming in years gone by, when laws
were lax. unprincipled men organized
mining companies, even though they
did not own nor hold one square foot
OF Wyoming wealth. They sold stock
or shares and became men Of wealth
Mt tho expense OF the confidence Of
friend. stranger. and the succeeding
generation In the mineral development
Of this great state.
Another factor to consider is the
typo and purpose Of men who have
como to the state. A leading factor is
the stockman and well did he do when
he came here. but mining was nothing
to aim. Then came tho oil man, IN
tent on drilling into wyoming's great
wealth. instead OF digging in with n
pick and shovel. He has wei served
his purpose in providing us with oil
and gas. the cheapest OF fuels for man.
ufacturing and smelling.
Today Wyomign comes into her
own. Her mineral wealth is so vast
that her citizens alone an never de.
velop them. Today Wyoming has
laws sscond to none in the United
States ana you WIN be fully protected
thereby.
Early Mining History.
Gold. usually first In mention among
metals. but not first In value, was dis
covered near South Pass, wyo., in
1912. Just seven years before h
great California excitement, by n man
from Georgia. whose name is lost to
US. While endeavoring to return to
safety. he was. moro than likely.
killed by Indians. He disappeared and
the verdict in those times was 'kfled
by Indians"
The next action toward development
that Is worthy OF mention was a party
of 40 mon who went to the head OF the
S~weetwater river in 1855. These men
did not accomplish any development
worthy OF note. but the fact that they
did their best is the factor in mind.
Next comes the organization OF
Lincoln Mining District" at South
Pass City. wyo.. on Nov. IL. 1856
With W. II. Shoemaker as president
and John A James a secretary. This
start towar development is one that
viii remain as a vital date In Wyoming
and with It should be placed the year
1912. the discovery OF gold Just so
years ago.
Since then Wyoming steadily In.
creased in minerals production to ap-
p~roximately $40. ooo. 100000 in 1918.
This date Is here used because of
heavy fiuctuation in values between
1915 and 1921. These values are ex.