Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-16
Copper Price. and electrical rrorre.

Copper Prices and Electrical Progress
One of the principal claims in behalf of
present high prices of copper put forward
by those who have engineered the rise of
the past year Is that the consumption of
the metal has become very much heavier
by the introduction of electricity for a
large variety of purposes. That the de-
mapd for copper wire for telegraph and
telephone lines, for dynamos. motors
lightning and the transmission of power
has very greatly increased, cannot he
doubted. Even the most careless observer
OF progress during the past few years must
have been struck with that fact. Rnt
when the point is reached of securing some
numerical expression of this new source of
consumption-when the effort is made to
ascertain, even roughly, how many pounds
OF the metal 60 annually into these new
channels, then everything fails us. Fig
ures could be reached only by an elaborate
investigation, freely and generally aided
by those who draw copper wire. The
quantity used in this country NAV lie 90
100000 pounds, and may possibly be con-
slderably more, though it is not likely TO
be less. We have been unable to secure
data from electrical companies which
might throw some light on the rate at
which this new business is developing so
for as the quantity Of metal used is con-
cerned.
Some idea of the development in this
country in a single year may be obtained
from the figures submitted in President
Dunean's address before the National
Electric Light Association. In February
last there were 1000 isolated electric
lighting plants and central stations in the
United States, which operated $4,000 arc
lights and l,750,0S0 incandescence lights.
Since then there have been added 1861
new isolated plants and stations, operating
3o,2ol arc lights and 392944 incandes-
cence lights. A complete record is kept
OF these, and shows that now there are
3,3ol plants and stations, operating every
night 1872 800 arc and 1880 incandes-
cence lights. There are also 459, 495 horse
power OF steam engines devoted to electric
lighting. The capital invested in the
electric lighting companies during the past
| half year has been increased to the extent
| OF S42,2l0, 100. In February there were in
this country "a electric railways, with l3s
miles OF track, operating 223 motor cars.
and utilizing 4,1S0 horsepower for STA
tionary engines. Forty-nine new roads
are now being built, having a total of lS9
miles of track, and to use pa motor cars.
There are also several motor factories.
some of them employing as many as 200
men.
Progressing with such leaps and bounds.
1t is not surprising that those who have
| undertaken to control the most important
raw material entering in the construction
of apparatus and lines should be sanguine
| concerning the aid which the new uses of
electricity are liable to give them. Indi-
rectiy, the call for copper from new
source, with its promise of rapid increase.
is subject of great interest to consumers
of rolled and cast brass and copper in all
Its forms. In view of their requirements
| alone, the enormous production has al
ready been stimulated by prices undoubt-
eddy above any possible legitimate values.
The question naturally arises, Will the de-
mand for electrical purposes increase so
rapidly and so largely that it will enable
the spectators to exact tribute, not alone
from everyone who builds, operates or
uses telephone, the electric light or
plant for electrical transmission of power
or conveyance of goods or passengers but
also from every consumer of copper or
brass? Has the high price of the metal
already had the tendency to obstruct or to
check the progress of electricity Iron
Age.