The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-02-25

EFFORT TO SUSTAIN PRICES


~EEPgELIc SPECIAL.
Joplin. Mo, Feb. ci.-The Missouri amt
Kansas Zinc Miners Association. w4i.h
las done so mucn TO nliiniaiu tn. prices
of zinc ore and fight the sm,ltor trust. is
! strengthening its organization. preparatory
To- engaging in AN actiy" fight against al
| ',torts Oh the part of the s~nI-lters To- asaiu
I control the prices Of ore. The aSsOc.Iti.u,
| vhtl'- considering = proposition to build it,
own Sneltars. to haud!. all Of the zil. ore
reduced in the Missouri Kansas district.
j. also actively engaged in eNEoTtiu. ore
"a order to prevent ii surplus and Il spu---
guent rU- III prices. Meanwhile, II i taking
| stops 10 get all zinc miners. ilrr.. and
small. into the association. All members
pledge themselves not to sell their or be-
lgw tn. associations weekly schedule ~
prices. Every one Is assessed at tn" rate
Of - cents for every ton OF ore ne pro-
dGces. and 4 large fund is to be raised ~
buy up the surplus ore. III :he event tha
s~rnel,er refuse 10 pay the regular schedule
Of prices.
Following is an address issued by The as
sociation to-day TO the Missouri and kau-JS
ore producers:
Zinc Miners Address.
This association has been in existence
but little over a year. and below We Civ,
q f.w facts and figures. that are worthy tine
careful consideration of all producers. m"n'-
Ears OF not. of all land ana lsGs" owners
and the public generally.
While the association has had the moral
support OF the great majority of the above
classes. Il mas not received the financial
support it Is fairly entitled 10, md which
is absolutely essential 10 accomplish It's
purposes. One reason for this il that many
properties have changed hands. and ths
newcomers. being ignorant of the necessity
for cooperation. have failed to join our
alliance. Another reason Is thai many or
TIE Old operators and producers have.
through Iukewarmness and indifference.
contributed nothing 20 the >"ppoft or our
stances have seliishly relied "u our ability
TO carry through our measures. without any
prCuniary sacrifice on their part, willing to
reap where they have not sown." and al
owing others to carry tn" burden, which
should be shared by al alike. 1t would 10
well for all like these to consider what tho
result would be should the willing horse
refuse to pull any longer. The assistance
asked for by the ASSOCIATION Is tliHinE .l
on the other hand. Il our work N"r" ahtH-
doned. the consequent loss to the district.
a; a conservative estimate. would be in the
hundreds OF thousands of dollars
1T may bc asked what need the asSoria-
rIon has for money. On: current expense
Office rent. Serretary'S salary and St"nus-
raoaer. telephone. lights. stationery. print
ing. postage. etc, foot up a conSlderihle
sum. outside of these. We may at special
timNs find i; necessary to export either ore
or metal to relieve our home market and
maintain prices.
Furthermore. the building Of q smel.er
has not been Abandoned. but would become
"A very lively proposition If our treasury
were in proper shape. The association might
30 much to increase the uses of zinc. thus
creating "A fresh demand for a possibly |
larger production Of ore
THE Beard of Directors have not been
idle the past few months. but have met
often and carefully considered the sitIa- |
non and .ui.ayOrei 10 work out several
plans that promised to De Of great benefit
10 us. and which it would ne impoliiiC 20
make public in advance. Among other acts
was the expectation of about I1u0 tons OF
metal in December and January. resulting |
in immediate and decided Improvement |
in the metal and ore markets. This ship
mcrt inauEuratci an export movement that
Ip 10 da'" amounts to about 5000 tons ~ |
metal. and has temporarily relieved our
market If its surplus.
During the week that the action was
taken for this expectation. the average /
price of ore in the district was 50. ~. while !
spelter i'm St. Louis was quoted al NM per |
lea. During the following week. when # be-
came known that this shipment was to be |
made. the price IF Spcltcr advanced 20 81 fD. ]
while tn. average price of ore responded |
crease OF $50 per ton. Through the action ,
Of the board and the exporting of this !
metal. the district was benefited TO the ~
tent OF slS.JH for each weeks production. |
movement on the second day Of December. |
lS%9. has maintained the price of SHELTER |
since then at $40 to Si.,j per 1c1. while the |
producers have received the direct benefit |
ore: During the year 1SS. without the as |
so"iatlon:- the average price of zinc ore |
was ssa2, per ton. During the year lsqa. 4
through the effective work Of the a~ssocia-