Show DOING IMPORTANT WORK field administrative work of the department part ment of the interior Is this summer wrestling with problems that mean millions to tha public scattered through the public land states are some twenty stations from which petroleum and mining engineers of the geological survey supervise the development of lands of the united states and of its wards the indians conservation of mineral resources wise development and use of natures heritage maclum ultimate recovery of mineral deposits under safe mining and producing conditions are the goal for which these servants of the nation are striving saving values many times the amount of the cost of their work each montney report of supervisory operation tells some story of essential values saved and demonstrates conservation in actual operation the system of regular periodic mine inspection Is a prolific source of suggestions gest ions for better mining and milling practices that not only lead to more complete production at reduced cost but also tend toward better working conditions and increased safety for employees A current monthly report includes an estimated saving of five million cubic feet of gas per day valued at 75 a year through the extinguishing of flares and collection of residue gas from gasoline plants thereby increasing the life of gas field reserves in another locality the storing of surplus gas in a partially depleted field has driven back the water encroaching on the producing area carefully controlled engineering operations erat ions in numerous oil fields have resulted in eliminating water troubles developing production in neglected sands plugging old wells that have ceased to bo profitable and become a menace to surrounding areas and m bringing out information on underground conditions capable of wide application m increasing ultimate production plans worked out tor unit operation and re pressuring will add largely to more complete extraction ot oil while the number of men engaged in supervisory activities Is small their task Is stupendous during the current year minerals recovered from the earth under supervision of the departments engineers will be valued at upwards of and the returns in rental and royalty will amount to between 15 and 20 million dollars |