The midyear review of mining con
ditions reported to the secretary of
the interior on July 1 by the dVector
of the United States geological survey
la well supported by the preliminary
reports for the year. The geological
survey is making public its usual esti
mate of mining production for 1915 in
tte form of a separate statement for
each of the more Important mineral
products.
A r*.vlew of these statements con
firms Secretary Lane's comment of
last July to the effect that the mining
revival 1b in full swing. In the west
ern states alone the metal production
9hows an increase in value of more
n $180,000,000 over the corespond
ing figure for 1914, and the year's
increase in output for the principal
metals measured in value is more than
$260,000,000. Moreover it Is not un
reasonable to expect that when the
full returns for all mineral products
are compiled they will show that 1915
was the country’s most productive year
in the mining industry. The total may
even reach two and one half million
dollars.
In the response to bettered condi
tions the production figures for copper,
iron and zinc show the iargest increase
Copper Beats A11 , Records.
Tlie copper mines passed all records
for previous years, the 1915 output
having a value of $236,000,000, or 83,
000,000 more than the value of the
production for 1914. The statistics
and estimates received place the out
put of blister and lake copper at
1.366.500.000 pounds or more than 120.
000,000 pounds in excess of the largest
previous production and eighteen per
cent above last year's figures Only
twice in the history of copper mining
has there been a larger increase in
<t entity of metal produced.
L®rge Increase 'n Iron.
The total shipments of iron ore from
the mines in the United States in
1915 are estimated to have exceeded
55,000,000 gross ton3, an increase over
1914 of more than 3S per cent. Based
on the same price as received in 1914
this represents an Increase in total
tiue of about $27,645,000. The in
crease in pig iron is estimated at
6.500.000 tons, with a total increase in
value of pig Iron production of more
than $120,000,000.
Z'nc Record8 Also Broken.
The output of zinc (spelter) made
from domestic ores was larger than
ever before being about 425,000 tons
worth $120,000,000 as compared with
343,418 tons In 1914, un increase
ubout 82,000 tons or nearly 25 per cent
In quantity and of $85,000,000 in value
Production was increased during the
latter half of the year, as the produc
tion during the first half was at the
rate of 415,000 tons annually and at
the rate of 438,OuO tons during the last
half.
The output of refined pig lead from
domestic ores was about 515,000 tons
worth about $48,500,000 as compared
with 512,794 tons In 1914, an Increase
of only 2,500 tons In quantity but of
$8,500,000 or 20 per cent in value. The
production of ant menial lead was
20,550 tons as compared with 16,668
tons In 1914, an Increase of 3,882 tons
or 23 per cent In quantity and an
Increase In value of nearly $2,000,000
G°ld and SilvBr Increases
The annual prelim,nary estimates on
the production of gold and silver In
th» United States, made Jointly by
the United States geological survey
and the bureau of the mint, ure not
yet complete, but early figures based
on reports from the mines indicate an
increase In mine production over that
of 1914 of over *7,000,000 In gold
principally from Colorado, California
Alaska, Montana, and Idaho and an
Increase In mine production of sllvei
of fully 4,000,000 ounces, chiefly from
.Montana, Utah and Arizona. This In
crease In gold production may bring
1915 up to the record year of 1909
when the gold output of this country
was nearly *100,000.000.
Quicksilver also has had Its besi
year In 1915. The quantity Increased
25 per cent over 1914, but the value
of tne^utpuf m re than d mblcd owlnt
to the much higher prices. The esti !
mated' ductlon was 20,681 flasks of
75 pounds each, valued at the average
price for the year—the highest for the '
past 40 years—at *1,768,226. In value,
this domestic production was the
highest since 1880 and In quantity the
largest since 1912
TUNGSTEN AND
One of the most spectacular ad
vances In commodity prices occasioned
by the war has been In tungsten, both
metal and ore. This has been due to
the extraordinary demand for tungsten
steel—an essential constituent In mak
ing high speed tool steel. The manu
facture of Immense quantities of mili
tary material has required greatly in
creased quantities of tool steel, and
consequently corresponding quantities
of tungsten; hence the advance in price
for it.
Before the war high speed tool steel
was worth about 75 cent per pound.
tungsten about 00 cents per pound,
uid tungston ore about $6 per unit. A
present high speed tool sxsel fetches
about $3 per pound, tungsten about
$5 per pound and tungsten ore about
$50 per unit. Even at the enhanced
prices supplies are scarce.
The fabulous price for tungsten ore
has stimulated prospecting for it
throughout North America and South
America. This ore is not known to
occur in large deposits. The annual
iroduction of concentrated ore in the
United States previous to the war was
only ubout 1,400 tons. However, this
ore has now become so voluabie that j
the discovery of a deposit that affords ■
a single carload is the finding o£ a
fortune. A ton of ore assaying 60 per
cent tungsten trioxide—the standard
commercial grade—at $50 per unit Is
worth $3,000; a carload of 40 tons
would be $130,000. So precious is this
ore that the assay offices are being
scoured for specimens. Brokers do
not sneer at trade in one pound lots
The purchasing age*nt of the Crucible
Steel Company is very grateful if
somebody can give him 100 pounds.—
Engineering and Mining Journal.
What six books would you select
to "give anyone an education?" It Is
an aged query not satisfactorily an
swered. Dr. Eliot has made a selec
tion for a 'five foot book shelf" that
has been much discussed. Now comes
Rabbi Leon Harrison of Temple Israel,
St. Louis, who narrows the five foot
shelf down to just six boks, the read
ing of which, he says, “would give
anyone an education. These are the six:
Flammarlon's "Wonders of the
Heavens.”
Gelkle's "Primer of Geology."
Taylor’s "Primitive Culture."
Herbert Spencer's "Study of Soclal
ogy." $
Lacky's “History of European
Morals.”
Clarke’s "The Ten Great Religions
fc 1 1 111 “I
of the World."
How easy It Is to "get an education.'
to be sure! Robbl Harrison points
out that these six books could be read
in six months, if half an hour each
evening were devoted to them. There
is a story of a man who advertised to
teach the French language in six les
sons. His recipe, sent to those who
applied, was simple: "Divide the
French language into six parts. Learn
one part at each lesson."
We do not believe that the average
person, with no preparation, could
master these six books in six months
at one half hour per evening. We do
not believe that if he did he would
"have an education." The conception
varies with the point of view. There
are those who think a knowledge of
ALASKA NOTES
The money for license Issued by the
clerk of the court within the Incor
porated towns of the Fourth division
for the month of November, has been
turned over to the various municipali
ties. The little town of Tanana, on
the Yukon river, received the sum
of $1,126 and Fairbanks, the largest
town, received $56 as Its share. The
months of November and December
are usually the poorest of the year for
license moneys.
Peter Anderson, of Seward, feels
that he has a just grievance against
the Seattle fish brokers. He recently
took 79 barrels of salt salmon to Seat
tle, but the fish dealers declared that
the fish were not packed right and
refused to listen .to any proposition
until they had been repacked and grad
ed by a professional who used 1800
pounds of salt, thus adding to the cost.
%
j After going to tho expense of having
hia fish graded and resalted the best
offer he could get after visiting sev
I eral dealers was $13 per barrel from
a broker who wanted five per cent
commission. When it came to closing
the deal tho broker wanted Anderson
j to wait for returns until the fish had
, been stopped and also said that he could
not afford to handel the fish unless
he received an additional $300 bonus.
After figuring up the original cost of
barrels and salt at Seward, the cost
of wharfage at both ends, freight, re
packing, resalting 6 per cent commls
slon and a bonus, Anderson has de
cided that packing salmon is a luxury
only to be enjoyed by the financially
independent. Tho demand of the com
mission man for a bonus is the Seattle
method of putting small dealers out
of the market
The Seward Commercial Club, co
opoiating with the Anchorage Cham
ber of Commerce, has sent messages
to Col. W. P. Richardson of tho Alas
ka road commission, Delegate Wlck
ersham and the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce, urging that the sum of
twenty five hundred dollars be made
available for repairing the mall trail
between Seward and Anchorage and
for its upkeep. The road is reported
as being dangerous to life in some
places.
NOTICE.
Order your caking cards for the New
I Itm+r at the Nugget ofltoe.
arithmetic and a legible handwriting
suffice. James J. Hill has said that
a college education is not particularly
important—and personal instances can
be cited to support that idea; but they
don't prove it.
"Education" is a slippery term. Web
ster defines It as "the sum of the qual
ities acquired through individual in
struction and social training," which
is not satisfactory. Eeing "educated"'
Toes not depend entirely on what you
absorb.
13. . .Standard Oil Co
13.Ca eaten* Cold Storaw*
!4....J. J. 3esnnn Oo., office
13 .. Hnadiioiirt-ra 3ak»or
11 . . . . The Lobby
14 . ....Pioneers Iglo*
11.. . Fire Departmeni
11.. ... ....... .Discovery Salooi
12.. .... ..Turkey's Cigar 3tor. !
12 ..Third Ave anil Lane* Way j
Engine House, Phone Main 97 .
whistles, water.J, Are out i
MtiETlhC NOTICE.
THE NOW£ BARTENDER’S ONION
Local -S6F. r*. I. I* of A (Affiliated
with the A F. of !„! meets every first
.-•unday in each month it 11 a. m
At.. .**ICH<'L8< >N. If ee
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§ STEAM LAUNDRY 2
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iJ the up-to-date laundry. Row i • H
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JJ dry work our specialty. Give u» a
M a trial and be convinced ,.
I H M
X Prompt Delivery
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CARLETON & COMPANY \
; General Hardware & ;
! MINING SUPPLIES ;
! 310 Front St. Phone .'lain I I
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: AND BAKERY \
Rcoommand :ts clean and whole
i [ some bread and peetry of ell «'
/ kind*. ]■
We cater to family trade
'I Order* f*r entertainment* * ’
i[ promptly fillea
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EVERYTHING '
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FIRST-CLASS !
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Proprietors <|
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Purchasing \our <;
goods at 3’
F. J, KRIGEK SIGRE J
Wittenberg :
Minao^r.
Our Big Sale i* 3;
always on
W^^WMVAiWWiWA*y
<■»•*• a^ a *-• • • ■•
! Chas. W. Reed I
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! Machinist 6 Blacksmith ;
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• Hollers. Hii^e ana Pi|>e .
j l7itt irjjc*
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: No. 5 Pront St. j
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Proprietor* r
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PHONE MAIN 112 ,,
LEWIS HUNTER RVE AN 0 \
;; ATHERTON EOL RBON
Oirrct from Bonded Warehouee i1
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,i RAINIER DRAUGHT BEER J
| rjn.«f Brenda of Winee. Liquor* 1
and Cijar* t
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NIGHT AND DAY THE NUGGET IS PUTTING FORTH ITS BEST EFFORTS TOWARDS THE UP
BUILDING OF NOME AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESOURCES OF SEWARD PENINSULA
Concerted Efforts Will Get Results
WE INVITE THE MINER. PROSPECTOR AND ALL OTHERS TO INFORM THE NUGGET CONCERN
ING THEIR EFFORTS AND UNDERTAKINGS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIDDEN WEALTH OF
THIS SECTION
—-— LET THE WORLD KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING SO THAT OTHERS MAY BE ABLE TO SHARE IN
YOUR KNOWLEDGE IT WILL ALSO STIMULATE OTHERS TO SEEK AND OPEN NEW FIELDS FOR
DAILY NUGGET EXPLOITATION.
$» 00 per month EVERY HOUSEHOLDER; EVERY CABIN OWNER IN THE CITY SHOULD ALSO SEE THE WISDOM
OF HAVING THE HOME TOWN PAPER DELIVERED AT THEIR DOOR DAILY AND THEREBY ASSIST THE
. paper IN HELPING TO DEVELOP THE VIRGIN RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY
WEEKLY NUGGET Concerted Action Will Not Only Help The Country,
_____ But Will Also Help us all Individually