MINERAL RESOURCES OF UNITED STATES 7 



ores of tho lilureka district in Nevada, tlie practical cessation 

 of working of once exceedingly productive quicksilver miners 

 of California, are a few instances which could be multiplied. 

 Yet thus far we have again and again witnessed the rapid rush 

 into prominence of new districts. Thus Cripple Creek in 

 Colorado recorded its first shipment of gold in 1891, the amount 

 being estimated at $2,000. Two years later it was $2,000,000, 

 in 1897 it crossed the $10,000,000 mark, and in 1900 had risen 

 to $18,000,000. Butte in Montana was a silver camp of some 

 importance twenty years ago, when copper was discovered 

 and the district suddenly loomed up with exports by the ship 

 cargo of 30 per cent ores to the astounded smelters of Swansea, 

 Wales. When Leadville's great reserves of oxidized silver 

 lead ores began to show signs of exhaustion, the Coeur d'Alene 

 county, Idaho, rose to more than fill the gap. 



Again and again we have faced the possibility that our 

 petroleum supply would ultimately fail us; yet as the derricks 

 fell into ruins in one field they rose like magic in others, the 

 most startling recent instance being the opening of the Cali- 

 fornia, Texas and Kansas fields. Some uneasiness has been 

 felt as to the future of the lake iron ore supply. The Mar- 

 quette district was in full development when the Menominee 

 was opened out. Then came in rapid succession the Gogebic, 

 and the Vermilion ranges, and finally, as the climax of all the 

 Mesaba range. Again and again the prediction was made 

 that the old Marquette range would show evidences of ex- 

 haustion, and yet year after year new mines have taken the 

 place of old ones. New reserves are being opened up in all 

 the districts until this generation may well dismiss any fears 

 of future supplies, even taking into consideration that the 

 demands are rapidly increasing year after year. 



As for our resources of coal, the most important of our 

 minerals, we are not likely to have a coal exhaustion commis- 

 sion, like that of our British friends, for centuries to come. 



Our record of feverish activity is one of which we have 

 every reason to be proud, but it must be acknowledged that 

 it has been accompanied by serious abuses. In the rush to 

 get rich we have deliberately followed the principle that it 

 pays to waste. Within certain limits that may be economically 



