Great Falls tribune., 1889-12-14
ABOUT COPPER.
GREAT FALLS NOW CONCERNED IN
THIS INDUSTRY.
Bright Prospects for Copper Mines and
Smslters ~ Consumption Tncreas-
ing - Good Profits
Realized.

Great Falls has become as interested in
copper as IN cattle Or wool. The Boston
& Montana smelter will in itself associate
the city in mems minds with the great
copper producing regions Of the United
States. as we'll as those of the world at
large.
The number of great copper mines is
small. 1t is so small that the French
syndicate was able, with the large capital
at its command, to obtain entire control
of the worlds product. Montana, Mich
igan, Arizona and Chilli are the largest
American producers of this mineral,
which is found also in Spain and Eng
land.
A leading commercial authority says
that copper is attracting more attention
than at any time since the French COM
bination went under After the break
which followed that event consumers
were for time slow to buy, waiting for
the market to settle. Stocks, on the
other hand, were nothing short of enor.
nous. The American market gradually
worked down to basis of Tic. per pound
for Lake Superior ingot, while sales were
made to some extent a month or more
ago under that quotation. At this point
consumers began to take stocks without
every description are in greater request
than ever before in the history of the
world. The remarkable development Of
electrical appliances, for one thing, is
resulting almost daily IN newer and
broader uses for the metal. The best
opinion is, accordingly, that leaving out
Of account the stocks of copper held BY
bankers since the failure of the syndicate,
the production of the mines of the world
is rather under the current demand.
Prices, therefore, have naturally ad
vanced both here and in Europe. Against
lie. per pound for lake ingot in October,
sales have been made at 13c. Casting
brands, following the usual rule, have
likewise advanced to 12c. Under these
circumstances spectators are bidding
against consumers. The London market
is rather weaker than the domestic, but in
Europe, as well as here, consumption il
large.
PROSPECTS OF GOOD PRICES.
Recent returns show moderate de
crease in the visible supply Of the metal
in England and France and afloat to those
countries. The October receipts and de-
liveries were both much greater than the
average for the past year. Increasing
arrivals from all sources of production
are indicated. The American mining
companies, so far as can be learned, have
no considerable stocks on hand. The
treasurer of one important mine declined
bids of 13c for delivery late in the winter.
From all appearances, however, consld
cradle proportion of the stocks on hand
when the combination dissolved has been
worked off, and the prospect for some
improvement on the lie basis, even if the
73c quotation does not hold, is thought II
be excellent.
PRODUCTION INCREASING.
Under the prevailing conditions ths
mineral companies naturally push theii
output. Notwithstanding the fall in the
market, the production of the twelve
principal Lake Superior companies dur
ing the past ten months OF the year lee:'
amounted to 1896 tons of mineral
against $3.50 tons in 1888. There i
some talk, on the strength of the advance
IN the market, of resumption of work at
one or two mines that are now idle
Probably, however, further appreciation
will be necessary to make this course
profitable. But the companies which are
now producing copper have no reason Z
find fault with the current returns.
Will be remembered that the price whici
was guaranteed by the French operators
was only 13c per pound, in addition t.
which there was allowed share IN any
price received above that figure; lhs
certain. Practically. therefore, the pro
dmcars IN the present conditions of tn,
market are doing very nearly as well q
at the time of the highly artificial condi
tions which we're made by the "rlng