The Portland daily press., 1866-01-11
Copper.

"
It not impossible that we shall find 1t pref
liable, for some years to come, to develop
the more useiui portion OF our mineral wealth
10 some approximate proportion to our pro-
ducJion OF silver and gold. What are called
the precious metals have but conventional
value. and are Of limited application in the
arts. The gold and silver are acceptable, but
the iron and copper have positive worth and
are of inestimabie value in the true wealth of
nation. As we have had occasion to re-
maxi before. Chill, with all her DISADVANTAGES
Of want of skill, energetic enterprise and Ia
bor, furnishes nearly one hafs of the conner
now demanded in the markets of the world
The Spanish blockade has consequently raised
Its Price to a very high figufe. 1t would have
beea fortunate thing If our own mines were
now fully ready to supply the demand at this
enhanced vaIue, -re +,r.,--f.+. .-.-.- ..
We are told that besides owning consider
able portion of the mineral lands about Lake
superior, Session men control forty-five out of
'o the ninety-four mines already organized or in
working Condition. Toward the successful de-
velopment of these mines over $13,0OO.OOO
have already been devoted, about one third of
which was contributed from Boston. The
amount already returned in dividends from
the entire investment is S5,600,O0O. The de-
veiopment OF our copper mines must of course
be SLOW, but there seems to be every probability
that money inve tied in genuine working com
panies, for legitimate purposes, will ultimately
pay good per cent. At present the price Of
copper per pound is the same as that of good
ordinary cotton, and fora year to come tha
relative value of the two articles will hardly
change. L-.s ..,......
The United States may as well command
the copper as the cotton markets of the world .
and she will always have an immense demand
for home consumption. Here, then, is an op-
pani+ol To
OF an increasing and perfectly legitimate traf-
fc. Our mines must be developed by skill en-
tsrprise and labor, and while every honorable
capitalist must regard with disfayor the mad
schemes of SPECTATORS, and the stock gam
bling operations which are frauds and cheats
noon the community, the actual working of
the mines offers an inviting field for invest
Eent. In the hands of competent and expe-
rienced men, who are thoroughly conversant
with every detail OF the business, with the ex-
ercise OF care, foresight and close calculation,
there Is no reason why the wealth which now
lies dormant in the earth. in the conner
regions, should not afford good returns and re-
munerative occupation to a large nonulation
1t is only alta comparatively recent nar;od
that the copper mines have been wroupht ~
any extent, and yet in the year 1860 the vi ~
ue Of the ore mine was $3,316,516 CAPITAL
from some source will control this vast inter.
est now opening to the country. IL Boston
has already nearly one half OF all the invest
ments made throughout the country, judicious
management viii enable her to m'intain a
leading position in the future development of
this great source ofnational wealth.
We take the above from the Boston Jour
nal, aad will add that several enterprising
men of this city are about commencing oper-
atoms on Copper Lode in Canada, on the
Grand Trunk road, near Lenoxville., The
ode has been worked since last May with as