REPORT OP NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914, 59 



time to complete, accessions of importance may soon be expected to 

 reach the Museum with some regularity. 



It is gi^atifying to note that the public-spiritedness of mining and 

 metallurgical interests has relieved the Museum largely of the first 

 cost of the exhibits under way. This is especially significant since a 

 reasonably complete representation of all the industries in mind will 

 involve a very large expenditure, and outside contributions are 

 essential to its fulfillment. Starting with the mineral resources 

 economically most important, such as iron, clay, gold, silver, copper, 

 etc., and ranging thence downward through the minor ones of bis- 

 muth, cadmium, lithium, etc., at the other extreme, there are upward 

 of 50 bases for operations in mineral technology. The minor ones 

 may be provided for readily, but the important ones, as for example, 

 iron, in all their complexity of phase, offer innumerable problems for 

 solution ; and with the resources at hand patience must be shown in 

 contemplating the building up of what will ultimately be one of the 

 most important and unique museum demonstrations in the world. 



The exhibition space assigned to the division comprises the west 

 hall, the south west and w^est south ranges, and the southwest court, 

 all of which are adjoining and intercommunicating. One only of 

 these halls had been opened to the public by the close of the year. 

 This was the southwest court which presents a resume of the occur- 

 rence and mining of coal, reasonably complete except as to detail. 

 The chief units in the coal series have been briefly described in the 

 body of this report, and include models of the Consolidation Coal 

 Co.'s colliery at Fairmont, W. Va. ; the Pittsburgh Coal Co.'s colliery 

 at Willock, Pa. ; the Western Coal & Mining Co's colliery at Jenny 

 Lind, Ark.; the Takashima coal field in Japan; a by-product coke 

 plant according to the Koppers system ; non-bj^-product ovens of bee- 

 hive and rectangular types; and a bench of gas retorts. Isolated 

 individual models in other halls, belonging to other series being 

 assembled, are of the Fayal iron mine at Eveleth, Minn.; an old- 

 style blast furnace; a pot glass furnace, and a tank glass furnace. 



Exhibits in an advanced state of construction comprise sundry 

 detail models for addition to the coal series; detail modeling for the 

 series illustrating glass manufacture ; complete demonstrations of the 

 natural graphite industry, the artificial graphite industry, and the 

 abrasives industries, natural and artificial; the occurrence, mining, 

 metallurgy, and industrial adaptability of zinc; the manufacture of 

 lead pigments and alloys; the mining, technology, and uses of as- 

 phalt; the occurrence, mining, and technology of gypsum; the mica 

 industry, and the asbestos industry. Less advanced, but nevertheless 

 definitely under consideration, were complete series representing the 

 technology of lime, refractories, alkalies, and ornamental tile. 



