Natural Resources of the United States

Preface

. The intention of this volume is to give the American people a concise narrative of the natural resources of their own country, in all their numerous forms. Only four classes of these treasures have been written upon — the precious metals, coal, iron, and petroleum. The present view is designed to be comprehensive and sufficiently full on each resource ; it proposes to give an account only of the materials found in Nature, and on which are based the in dustry and the physical comfort of the people. " The original source of wealth is the bounty of God in Nature." It is not within the scope of this vol ume to give information in respect to the using of these sources of wealth, such as of the means of transportation or of manufacturing, and yet it has occasionally related incidents connected with such beginnings — the latter being a class of information that would interest the intelligent reader.

The question arises, Is it possible, in a book of 523 pages, to give a satisfactory account of these resources? In the volumes published on the precious Preface. metals, and on coal and iron, more than nine tenths of their pages are taken up in giving details of the means of transportation, and of mining companies and their operations. Such information is valuable to the practical miner or railway manager, but is of little interest or profit to the general reader. On the contrary, that these treasures are stored in the earth to confer blessings upon the people of the United States, not only at the present time, but for generations to come, is a truth recognized and ap preciated by every intelligent man and woman in the land, as in this bounty of Nature they all have an interest. These resources are remarkable for their vast ness ; but equally striking has been that providen tial care which provided, under such peculiar cir cumstances, a Christian people — lovers of liberty, civil and religious — to occupy this goodly land, and, by their energy and industry, bring into practical use these varied treasures.

(See History of the American People) It is a common error, at first thought, to reckon gold and silver as the most important source of the wealth of the Nation; though they are far tran scended in value by the coal and the iron, while the latter two are fully as far surpassed in worth by the fertile soil, the rainfall, and the sunshine. It is not strange that these errors exist, since the attention of the American people has never been directed to a comprehensive and a comparative view of all the Preface. V varied and immense resources with which the Crea tor has endowed their land. In this volume, full out lines are given of these treasures, in their numerous forms, their amount and characteristics, in order that the intelligent reader may have a definite view of the whole. In preparing this work the author was greatly encouraged by the unusual interest manifested in his effort to lay before the American people a summary of their native wealth.

For instance, thirty-one Gov ernors, of the thirty-two invited, responded liberally to the request for information in respect to the vari ous resources of each one's State or Territory ; in a similar manner was he aided by the Interior Depart ment at Washington. Special thanks are due to Prof. David T. Day, of that department, in furnish ing the author, in advance of their publication, a summary of the output, etc., of the year 1886: the latter will be found in the tabulated column for that year at the end of the volume. The Governors sent in all ninety-four volumes, ranging in size from 1,180 pages down to a dozen or more, in pamphlets, besides a number of manuscript letters from officials supplying deficiencies. In addition were numerous letters and items on the subject from other authentic sources.

Due credit is given in the body of the work to the au thorities consulted. The author hopes that, by means of the facilities thus afforded, he has been able to put in form an ac count of the subject so fully as to meet the wants of VI Preface. t the general reader and student. He has endeavored to cover the entire field, as these resources do not in crease, and only diminish as the people utilize them : in consequence, when once described and located, the work needs no further extension, except in case of new discoveries, when an account of such will be promptly inserted. That the reader may have a conception of the continuous progress of the Nation's development, or rather its practical use from year to year of its resources, there is prepared at the end of the volume a tabulated summary of the output of the mines, etc., for three years, so that from this table a pro rata estimate can be made of the Nation's future material progress.

The intention is to add to this tabulated summary from year to year, as new matter or information demands. The volume has a complete index, which is so essential to the conven ience of the reader or student. Attention is occasionally directed to the immense value of the natural resources of the United States, when compared with those of other countries. Truth is not a braggart, and it is proper that the fact in this relation should be known, that the Ameri can people, especially the younger portion, may ap preciate more fully the natural advantages of their own country. J. H. P. New York City, November ij, iSSj. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction i A panoramic view, 2 ; Utility of these mountains, 4. I. COAST-LINE 5 Maritime nations, 5 ; Comparison of coast-lines, 6 ; United States Geodetic Survey, 7.

II. Coal 10 The value of coal, 10; The Carboniferous age, 11 ; The peculiar vegetation, 12 ; Comparison of forests and temperature, 14 ; Reference to geology, 17 ; The great basins, 18 ; The internal movements, 18. III. Minor Coal-Fields 21 Virginia and North Carolina coals, 22 ; Piedmont and Dan River, 23 ; Virginia anthracite, 23 ; Deep and New River, 25. IV. The Alleghany Anthracite Coal-Field . . .27 The anthracite area, 27 ; The parallel movement, 28 ; Pennsylvania anthracite, 2g ; Discovery of this coal, 29 ; Incidents, 31 ; The speculators, 32 ; The Schuylkill coal-field, 33 ; The Mammoth seam, 35 ; The Middle coal-field, 36; Wyoming and Laclcawanna, 37 ; The outlook, 39 ; The enterprise, 39 ; The great Eastern valley, 40. Contents. VIII PAGE V. Semi-Bituminous Coal-Fields 42 The basins from Blossburg to Broad Top, 43 ; Johnstown, 45 ; The Cumberland coal-field, 46.

VI. The Alleghany Bituminous Coal-Field . . .48 The lower bed of the Ohio, 48 ; Rivers and valleys, 50 ; The great basin drained, 51 ; The Pittsburg coal-field and seam, 52 ; Horizontal seams — Monongahela Valley, 54 ; Coal beneath the Pittsburg seam, 55 ; The characteristic change, 56 ; The two questions, 57 ; Excellence of the coke, 58 ; West Virginia coal-field, 59 ; Albertite, a vein of asphaltum, 60 ; Eastern Kentucky coal-field, 60 ; also Tennessee, 61 ; Alabama, 62 ; Georgia, 63 ; Ohio, 64. VII. The Central Coal-Field 66 Block-coal, 66 ; How utilized, 68 ; Illinois coal-field : its block-coal, 69 ; Western Kentucky coal-field, 70 ; Michigan, 71 ; Iowa, 72 ; Missouri, 73 ; Kansas, 74 ; Nebraska, 75 ; Arkansas, 76 ; Texas ; Indian Territory, 77 ; Extent of the pure Carboniferous coal, 78.

VIII. Lignite, or Brown Coal 80 The marsh-basin — the plain, 81 ; Ferns and carbon, 82 ; Characteristics and extent of lignites, 83 ; Dakota ; Montana, 83 ; Wyoming lignites, 84 ; Idaho asphalt, 87 ; Colorado, 88 ; Ujah, 89 ; New Mexico and Arizona lignites, 90. IX. Pacific Coal-Fields 92 Diablo coal-field, 93 ; Coos Bay, 94 ; Seattle, 95 ; Bellingham Bay, 95 ; The coast outcrop, 96 ; Alaska coal-field, 97. X. COAL-FIELDS OF THE DOMINION 98 Coal of the Northwest, 98 ; Nova Scotia coal-field, 99 ; Albertite, 99 ; Pictou mines, 100 ; Sydney mines, 101. Contents. IX PAGE XI. The Coal of Europe compared with that of the United States 102 Coal areas, 102 ; A special comparison, 103 ; Horizontal seams and the dip, 105 ; How long will the coal last-? 106. XII. Petroleum 108 Origin of petroleum, 109 ; Petroleum, where found, 110 ; Rocky Mountain oil, 112; Wyoming oil, 112 ; California, 113; Asphaltum, 114.

XIII. Natural Gas 115 Utilizing the gas, 116 ; Are the stores of gas exhaustible? 117 ; Where it is found, 118. XIV. Iron-Ores 120 Theories as to the origin of iron, 120 ; Names of iron-ores, 121 ; New England iron-ores, 122 ; The great iron-ore belt, 123 ; Iron-ores: New York, 125 ; New Jersey, 126; Pennsylvania, 126 ; Virginia, 127 ; North Carolina, 128 ; South Carolina, 129 ; East Tennessee, 129 ; Alabama, 131 ; Georgia, 131 ; Kentucky — Ironton, 132 ; West Virginia, 133 ; Johnstown, 134 ; Chestnut Ridge, 135 ; Ohio — Mahoning Valley, 136 ; Michigan, 136 ; Wisconsin, 138 ; Minnesota, 138 : Missouri, 139 ; Iron Mountain, 140 ; Pilot Knob, 141 ; Texas, 142 ; Arkansas, 142 ; New Mexico, 143. XV. Iron in the Rocky Mountains 144 Iron-ores : Colorado, 144 ; Utah, 144 ; Wyoming, 145 ; California, 146 ; Oregon, 147 ; Washington Territory, 147.

XVI. Observations on Iron 148 Spiegeleisen, 149 ; The change in iron, 149 ; The Bessemer process, 150; Manganese, 153; Discoveries of Manganese-ores, 154 ; Manganese on the Pacific slope, 156 ; Spiegel-iron and ferro-manganese, 157; Duties due to future generations, 158. Contents. X PAGE XVII. Gold 160 Characteristics of gold, 160 ; Gold on the Atlantic slope, 161 ; North Carolina, 162 ; South Carolina and Georgia, 163 ; California gold, 164 ; The migration — inroads of foreigners, 165 ; The location, 166 ; Beach-mining, 167 ; Placer-mining, 168 ; Quartz-mining, 169 ; The Outlook, 170 ; Gold : Idaho, 170 ; Montana, 171 ; Oregon, 172 ; Washington Territory, 172 ; Wyoming, 172 ; Utah and Colorado, 173 ; Arizona and New Mexico, 174 ; Alaska, 175. XVIII. Silver 176 Nevada silver, 177 ; The Comstock Lode, 177 ; Sutro Tunnel, 179 ; Liberal mining laws, 179 ; Leadville silver-mines, 180; Arizona and New Mexico, 181 ; Old mines reopened, 182 ; Tombstone, 183; Lake Valley, 184; Other mines of silver, 186 ; Utah, 187 ; Idaho, 187 ; Wyoming, 187 ; Pacific coast silver, 188.

XIX. Quicksilver, or Mercury 189 New Almaden, 189 ; The operation — how conducted, 190 ; The effect on gold-mining, 191. ' XX. Copper 193 Universality of copper, 194; Atlantic slope copper, 194; North Carolina, 196 ; Tennessee — Georgia, 197 ; Lake Superior copper, 197 ; The copper-fever, 198 ; The mound-builders as miners, 199 ; Process of mining, 201 ; The two mines, 202 ; Isle Royale, 203 ; Wisconsin — Missouri, 204 ; Texas, 205 ; Copper in the Territories, 205 ; Wyoming, 205 ; Dakota, 206 ; Montana, 207 ; Idaho, 208 ; New Mexico, 208 ; Arizona, 209; Pacific slope copper, 209 ; Oregon, 210. XXI. Lead 211 Lead on the Atlantic slope, 211; Western lead-fields, 213; Lead-mining, 213; Mound-builders and lead, 214; Missouri and Kansas, 215 ; New Mexico and Arizona, 217 ; Rocky Mountain lead, 217 ; Colorado and Utah, 218 ; Montana and Idaho, 218 ; Demands for lead, 220.

Contents. XI PAGE XXII. Zinc 221 The great zinc deposit, 222 ; Pennsylvania zinc, 223 ; Tennessee zinc, 223 ; Western zinc, 223. XXIII. Tin . 226 Tin, when discovered, 227 ; Tin in the United States, 227 ; Virginia, 228 ; Tin in the Black Hills, 229 ; Placer-tin, 231 ; The Etta mine, 232 ; Tin : how extracted, 233 ; Wyoming tin, 234 ; Idaho and Montana tin, 235. XXIV. Minor Metals 236 Chromium, or chrome, 236 ; Platinum, 238 ; Iridosmine, 239 Iridium, 240 ; Nickel and cobalt, 241 ; Their deposits, 243 Antimony, 245 ; On Pacific slope, 246 ; Bismuth, 247 ; Arsenic, 249; Alum, 249; Aluminum, 251; Deposit of alum-rock, 252 ; Mica, where found, 253 ; North Carolina, 255 Rocky Mountain mica, 256 ; California, 257 ; Asbestos, 257. XXV. Precious Stones 259 Diamonds, 260 ; Miscellaneous stones, 261 ; Emerald and beryl, 261 ; Hiddenite, 262 ; Topaz, 262 ; Sapphire and rubies, 262 Garnets, 263 ; Tourmaline and obsidian, 263 ; Amethyst, 264 Agate and chalcedony, 265 ; Serpentine (jeweler's), 265 ; Jade, opal, and jasper, 266 ; Jet, 267.

XXVI. Clays 268 Fire-clay, 268 ; Kaolin, 270 ; Mississippi Valley clays, 271 ; Rocky Mountain, 272 ; Porcelain, 273 ; Glass materials, 273 ; Lime and cement, 274. XXVII, Building-Stone 276 Characteristics and uses of stone, 276 ; Marble, 277 ; Sandstones, 278 ; Localities of building-stones, 279 ; Granite of five States, 280 ; Rocky Mountain granite, 281 ; Pacific slope, 282 ; Building-stones whose base is lime, 283 ; Sandstone and brown-stone, 286 ; Blue-stone, 237 ; Sandstones of the valley, 287 ; The amount used, 288 ; Slates, 289. Contents. PAGE XXVIII. Marbles of Finer Grade 29x Vermont marbles, 291 ; Southern, 292 ; Serpentine, 292 ; East Tennessee, 293 ; Georgia, Iowa, and Missouri marbles, 294 ; Other marbles, 295. XXIX. Abrasive Materials 297 Corundum and emery, 297 ; Buhr-stones, 298 ; Grindstones, 300 ; Michigan stone, 301 ; Whetstones, 302 ; Lithographic stone, 303.

XXX. Graphite, or Plumbago 304 Uses to which applied, 304 ; Where found, 305 ; Ticonderoga mine, 306 ; Florida cedar, 307. XXXI. Salt 308 Where found, 308 ; New York, Warsaw, Ithaca, 308 ; Onondaga district, 309 ; West Virginia and Ohio, 310 ; Michigan, 311 ; Great Valley, 311 ; Louisiana, 312 ; Rocky Mountains, 313 ; Texas, 314 ; Utah and Arizona, 314 ; Oregon and Idaho, 315 ; Nevada rock-salt, 315 ; California salt, 316 ; Bromine, 317 ; Borax, where obtained, 318 ; Saltpeter, 321 ; Sulphur, 322 ; On Pacific slope, 323 ; Alaska, 324 ; Sulphuric acid, 324. XXXII. Mineral or Medicinal Springs 325 New England springs, 325 ; New York springs : Saratoga, 326 ; Clifton, Avon, Richfield, Lebanon, 327 ; Pennsylvania springs, 328 ; Cresson, Gettysburg, Fayette, 329 ; West Virginia, 329 ; Blue Lick, 330 ; Wisconsin : Bethesda and Clysmic, 330 ; Dakota and Arkansas Hot Springs, 331 ; Pagosa, 331 ; Manitou — Colorado Springs, 332 ; Glenwood and California, 333 ; Gilroy Hot Springs, 334.

XXXIII. Health-Resorts 336 East of the Alleghanies, 337 ; Florida and Covington, 338 ; Aiken, 339 ; Asheville, 340 ; Walden Ridge, 341 ; A dry and cold climate, 341 ; Altitude and sunshine, 342 ; Utah health- Contents. XIII PAGE resorts, 344 ; Asthma, 344 ; A balmy climate near the Pacific, 344 ; Yellowstone Park, 346. XXXIV. Rainfall — Ocean-Currents 348 The means to an end, 349 ; Currents of water and of air, 350 ; Origin of the Gulf Stream, 351 ; Effect on climate, 354 ; The compensation, 354 ; Sources of rainfall in the Mississippi Valley, 356 ; Trade-winds deflected northward, 357 ; The Gulf a source of rainfall, 358 ; Course of Arctic winds, 360 ; Comparison of river-valleys, 362 ; also of plains, 363 ; Comparison of continents, 364 ; Direction of mountains, 365 ; The absence of deserts, 366 ; The Great American Desert, 367 ; The Andes and the Rockies, 368.

XXXV. Climate of the Northwest 369 Origin of the Japan current, 369 ; Its beneficial effects, 371 ; The coast climate, 372 ; The region benefited, 372 ; Comparisons of temperature, 374 ; The interior climate, 376. XXXVI. The Mississippi Valley 378 The value of the valley, 378 ; The rapid settlement, 379 ; Rainfall and temperature, 380 ; On Atlantic and Pacific slopes, 381 ; Average rainfall in Europe compared with that of the territorial center of the United States, 382 ; The soil of the high plains, 384 ; Mistakes of explorers, 384 ; The native grass resource, 387 ; The discovery, 387. XXXVII. Irrigation 389 Deficiency of rain supplied, 390 ; The canals, 391 ; The effects produced, 392 ; Suggestions of the Interior Department, 394. XXXVIII. The Food Area— Wheat Belt 395 The Northern wheat belt, 396 ; Wheat : its adaptability, 396 ; The effect of sunlight, 397 ; Its long continuance, 398 ; Wheat in the Great Valley, 398 ; Large or small farms, 399 ; Indian corn, 400 ; Extent of crops compared, 401 ; Rice-culture, 403 ; Sugar area, 404.

Contents. PAGE XXXIX. Fibers — Miscellanies 4°6 Cotton area, 406 ; Grades of cotton, 407 ; Hemp, jute, ramie, flax, 407 ; Tobacco, 409 ; Potato, 410 ; Peanut, 410 ; Hops, 411 ; Broom-corn and peppermint, 412. XL. Timber 4!3 Extent of forests, 414 ; Pacific slope trees, 416 ; Specimens collected, 417 ; Middle belt of trees, 418 ; Chestnut, hickory, oaks, ash, walnut, 419 ; Northern belt of trees, 420 ; Southern belt of trees, 422 ; Varieties of trees, 423 ; Southern pines, 424 ; Tennessee and Kentucky forests, 426 ; Tan-bark, 426 ; Canaigre, 427. XLI. Grasses 429 Varieties of grasses, 430 ; Timothy, white and red clover, 430 ; Grasses amid the pines, 431 ; Blue-grass, 432 ; Buffalo-grass, 433 ; Other native grasses, 434 ; Alfalfa, 437. XLII. Orchard-Fruits 439 The apple belt, 440 ; Johnny Appleseed, 441 ; The peach, 443 ; The peach in the West, 444 ; Pears, plums, cherries, quinces, 445 ; The orange, 446 ; Its localities, 447 ; Louisiana orange, 448 ; California orange, 449 ; Minor sub-tropical fruits, 450.

XLIII. The Grape— The Garden-Fruits 452 The special grape belt, 453 ; Locations of vineyards, 455 ; Raisins, 456 ; Wines, 457 ; Small fruits, 457 ; Berries for birds of passage, 458 ; Northern wild berries, 459 ; Lawton blackberry, 460 ; The strawberry, 460 ; The melon, 461 ; Effects of fast trains, 462 ; Fruits can be improved, 462. XLIV. Fertilizers 464 Marl, 465 ; Animal remains, 465 ; Extent of marl area, 466 ; Phosphate-rock, 467 ; South and North Carolina and Florida phosphates, 469 ; Maryland and Delaware marls, 469 ; New Contents. XV PAGE Jersey marls, 470 ; Gypsum, 470 ; Where found — Alabaster, 472 ; Michigan gypsum, 472 ; The workings in mines, 474 ; Rocky Mountain gypsum, 474 ; Pacific coast gypsum, 475 ; Importance of fertilizers, 476. XLV. Ocean Resources 478 Our ocean-fishing area, 479 ; Discovery of cod, 479 ; Mackerel, 480 ; Utility of ice, 480 ; Fishing localities, 481 ; The shad, 482 ; Fish of the South Atlarjtic, 483 ; Pacific fisheries, 485 ; The barracuda and ocean-pickerel, 485 ; The salmon, 486 ; Puget Sound and Alaska, 487 ; Fish in the Great Lakes, 488 ; Fish-culture, 489 ; Oysters and clams, 490 ; Lobsters, 491 ; Oysters in Long Island Sound, 492 ; In Chesapeake Bay, 493 ; In the Gulf, 495 ; Oysters and clams in the Northwest, 495 ; Green-turtle fishing, 496 ; Sponge-fishing, 496.

XLVI. Fur-bearing Seals— Wild Game 498 Efforts to preserve the seals, 499 ; Peculiarities of this seal, 500 ; Wild game, 502 ; Wild animals and birds, 503 ; The turkey, 503 ; Canvas-back duck, 504 ; Migrations, 505 ; Game-food in Virginia and Minnesota, 506. XLVII. Resource in Water-Power— in Land . . . .508 The Merrimac and the Connecticut, 509 ; Other water-powers, 509 ; The Tennessee, 510 ; A continent of cheap lands, 511 ; Mistakes as to the soil, etc., of the Great Plains, 511 ; Rainfall: its gradual increase, 512 ; Cause of the increase, 513 ; How homesteads are obtained, 515 ; Land-grants and railways, 516 ; Results of the homestead law, 518. XLVIII. Tabulated Summary j2I The original source of wealth is the bounty of God in Nature. Dr. Francis Wayland. The material prosperity of the United States is based upon the development of the resources with which they are so richly en dowed.

Nature spontaneously furnishes the matter of which all com modities are made. McCULLOCH. Nature does more than supply materials ; she also supplies powers. John Stuart Mill. THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES.