MICHIGAN ACADEMY OP SCIENCE. 19 



ures, that is to say of flue work in fitting material, is therefore a means 

 of increasing the wealth of the State. 



In the second place I would call attention to the resources of which 

 there is a continuous and transitory supply in contrast to those of which 

 there is a stock in the use of which we are drawing on an original sup- 

 ply or the accumulation of generations. The farmer's windmill in using 

 wind power is using a resource of the former class, while the use of coal 

 is drawing on a resene. 



Farm products so far as they are due to air, water, sunshine and hard 

 work and but mint the golden sunshine into golden grain, which is con- 

 verted into golden coin, are a development of resources continuously sup- 

 plied. But there is also a little ash or mineral matter which if not 

 replaced by manure or fertilizer is a draft upon the capital of the com- 

 monwealth. 



Most important perhaps of these resources in this state is the water 

 power, which is indeed largely used, but of which there are thousands of 

 horse power going to waste in our streams. Any permanent, substantial 

 dams which may help us to utilize this, as it is proposed that the power of 

 the Huron shall be utilized, will be a permanent gain to the resources 

 of the state. So again topographic maps which may help us to recognize 

 this, or the work which Mr. Horton is superintending in gaining accurate 

 knowledge of the wealth of water power, so much of which is as yet 

 unutilized, is a direct provision for the day of exhausted coal. 



Thirdly and of most interest to our theme are the resources which are 

 wasting away in the use. As we gaze on a piece of soft coal across the 

 cleavage we shall see dozens of alternating bright and dull bands in an 

 inch. Each of these may represent an annual or semi-annual change of 

 climate and a ton of coal may represent GO tons of wood. Thus in using 

 coal we are dissipating in a few years the accumulations of generations 

 heaped up millions of years ago. 



Now of these reserve accumulations, there is, and I cannot emphasize 

 the fact too strongly, there is never an inexhaustible supply. People a 

 scant half century ago used to talk of the inexhaustible supplies of pine 

 in the Saginaw. There is now hardly a stick standing. Men prate of 

 inexhaustible mines. The bottom of perhaps the greatest mine in the 

 world, the Calumet & Hecla. on its conglomerate is much too visible. Of 

 course sometimes the supplies are in a way practically inexhaustible. 

 The salt of Michigan, if the present rate of production of two billion 

 pounds a year is not too greatly exceeded, probably might last some 

 two million years. Yet the consumption will increase, we know not how 

 much, and a much less time and amount would threaten the collapse of 

 Detroit beneath Lake Erie. 



They talked only a few decades ago of inexhaustible supplies of iron 

 ore, and yet now a pretty well posted man says there is in sight but 30 

 or 40 years supply of ore — that is now merchantable I presume he means. 

 I would double that and say that at the present rate of consumption of 

 some 23,000,000 tons a year there is probably enough (for, in fact, I 

 think the steel trust alone owns over a billion tons of ore in Michigan 

 and Minnesota) for 80 years' consumption. Still that is not a very long 

 time, in the life of a nation. 



One thing must be noted in regard to this matter of exhaustion. It is 

 rare that a resource supposed to be inexhaustible comes so sharply and 



