The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-07-16
COPPER.

mously increased production of copper
from the mines of the United States,
and it is believed that the amount
turned out this year will reach the large
figure of 10000, 900 pounds, or twice the
production of five years ago. In the
meantime the price has risen materially,
instead of falling, as vas prophesied'
The reason for this increase of price Is
said to be not entirely owing to the in
creased demand, which is very large,
but to the l~essening of the stock on
hand abroad. This had accumulated
greatly in Great Britain and other Eu-
ropeanJcountries until recently, owing
to tho dizziness OF business but the
sudden briskness of all kinds of trade
has caused a demand to spring up
everywhere, making heavy drafts on the
stock on hand, and corresponding in
crease in price. The outlook for the
owners of copper mines, therefore, bids
fair to be good for some time to come,
for the old uses for copper are extend
ing, while new uses are springing up,
and it seems likely, according to the
general rule in such matters, that with
the greatly increased production the
metal will be more generally utilized
than ever.
Copper is one of the most ancient Of
metals, and the copper age preceded the
iron age. Primitive people made use
of implements of copper before the use
of iron became known to them. From
the combination of such excellent quail
tiles as toughness, malleability, ductil-
ity and resistance to oxidation, and also
from its great power of conducting both
heat and electricity, copper is II of
the most useful of metals, and the emu
meration of the many purposes for
which it is used would require "a long
catalogue. Next to silver, copper is
the best metallic conductor or electrici-
ty, and this property alone, with the
wonderfully increasing applications of
electricity fer lighting, motive power,
and other purposes, promises to create
a great demand for copper. Although
it is hardly possible to get at the figures
yet it is said that the demand for cop
per wire for use in telegraphY, telephony
and electric lighting is already enor
nous and far beyond expectation.
Copper is produced nearly all over the
world in great quantities. Chill and
the United States are the greatest pro-
ducers. The census bulletin No. 264
shows the production in the United
States east of the Tooth meridian in the
census year 1880. The total amount of
ingot copper WAS 81, 6 40 pounds, and
of this the Lake Superior region of the
state of Michigan produced 45, $50, 2G2
pounds, or 9O.4S per ceut. of the entire
product. This entite production would
make a cube of pure copper with an
edge of 45t feet, or, spread out in a
sheet one inch thick, would cover %. 10
acres. Next to Michigan in production
come the mines of Orange county in
Vermont, with 2,647, S04 pounds, then
Ashe comfy in North Carolina, with
!, 646. 900 pounds. The new mines of
Hancock county, Me, from which so
much is expected, produced only 80, 0SU
pounds.
All the ratios between production,
wages, capital, number of mines, &c,
are SO controlled by the figures from the
| Calumet and Ilecla mine in Houghton
county, Michigan, that no general re-
suits could be drawn from the tables
given in the census bulletin, which
would be greatly changed, and, IN some
cases, reversed, If that mine were not
included in the consideration. Under
the various conditions, the average
price realized by the mines was II 4G
cents a pound. The net income Of the
copper mines of the eastern district of
the United States is calculated at nearly
So, 10000, Assuming this to be paid
annually, and taking 3 per cent. as the
ruling rate of interest, the value of the
real estate as reported, S24, ST., 126,
would Indicate an average expectation
of a productive life of II years for the
copper mines on it. an expectation
which it Is believed that their average
condition justitics. The tables show
that 1t requires G25 cents capital to
produce n pound of copper q year OF
this, ia per cent. represents the land,
though the original outlay may have
been much less, lS 80 per cent. of it
invested in the plant" and AL per
cent. of it Is required for wages ad-
vanced and supplies carried in the
ordinary course of business. These
averages apply to the industry as a
whole, and, of course, vary greatly for
different mines. Labor obtains about
one third of the value of the product,
and nearly one sixth is expended in the
necessary mine supplies. The value Of
the yearly product is nearly % per cent.
of the total capital. The production of
the extreme western states and terri
tories, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho and
California, is not included in the table,
but, as far as received, the production
for the census year is G.244, 702 pounds.
or 1892 per cent. of the production of
the eastern district. Eleven new mines
in Maine, Maryland and New Hamp-
shire report the employment of 462
men, the payment of S3l, 905 for wages,
and 81 $50 for material consumed. They
have spent S65S, 47O for machinery,
dead work, &c. but have produced no
ingot copper. 1t is likely that the pro-
duction of next year will be largely
increased from the copper from the rich
new mines in New Mexico and Arizona
which have just begun to be developed.
Boston Herald.