Show 11 r COAL MINING NOW BIG INDUSTRY IN UTAH Subject Is Discussed by Government Official After Western Trip Decidedly more hope is in everybody's everybody's every every- body's mind in the West than was observable observable ob ob- ob- ob three months ago Is the opinIon opinion opinion ion expressed by Dr E. E A. A Holbrook I assistant director of the United States bureau of mines upon his return from froma a a. tour of ot ft estern Western experiment stations After ACtOr r attending the dedication of the new Reno fleno station and the meeting of sUP superintendents at Berkeley Dr Holbrook Hol- Hol brook spent several weeks studying Western estern conditions and he was especially especially espe cape daIly Impressed by the spirit of of optimism optimism which prevailed generally by the Increasing Importance of coal in the Western Vestern mining world and by the effects of the leasing law of ot February 25 25 1920 says the Mining Congress Journal Three months ago the price of metal was down but those of materials and labor were not note nolo Dr Holbrook said Now that labor and materials have begun to fall there Is more hope In everybody's mind I got that Impression impression impression sion from more than one source The increased and still increasing development el of coal mining in the West Vest is ono one of the outstanding features of ot the last few years ears as Dr Holbrook sees it lIe He recalled t that when he toured the West fifteen years ago everybody was waa talking In terms of IE SALT LAKE metals and added but now they are more intent everywhere on coal than fh the you ou would West susPect was possible for tor ne lie pointed out that whereas ten n years as ago le tle traveler through Utah would neVer hear of coal now there was considerable Inc Interest interest In- In terest c st taken in coal mining He lIe yen ven the suggestion that the number of men engaged in mining coal in Colorado Colorado Col Col- orado orado New v Mexico Io 1 Montana tana WashIngton Wash Wash- ington and anti Nevada would compare fa- fa with the number engaged In metal mining Idaho Nevada Arizona and Orf Oregon on were never considered as coal ing states yet ret they have deposits f everywhere In their territory and are Interested in the development of their con coals Is he said Plants which formerly used fuel oil including those which dismantled costly cost cost- ly coal-burning coal equipment have In many Instances returned to the use of coQ col Dr Holbrook said having come to the conclusion that cheap fuel oil could not be depended upon as a certainty certainty any longer Wood also I is not available as It once was Dr Holbrook exhibited a copy of or a letter tetter in which the secretary se of the treasury had called attention to Increased in increased increased In- In creased development of coal mining under the leasin glaw The secretary pointed out that late in 1920 coal prospecting applications covering acres had been received also thirty-nine thirty applications for leasing permits covering acres and that on two leases miners were at work But on oi February 1 the number of applications applications ap ap- ap- ap for Cor coal prospecting permits had grown to As the population and industries of oC the Western estern states Increase applications applications for coal leases will become more and more numerous Dr Holbrook said With leases already granted and those which shortly will be granted grant grant- ed the Western states will soon be mining coal to the value of several million dollars per annum and the I amount will increase very rapidly Dr Holbrook found that the leasing act was a very popular measure in the West and that the belief that it would have a very beneficial effect was gen gen- I eral crab The thought that it would r re result result re- re sult suIt in the real development of those minerals on public lands prevailed everywhere |