The copper era., 1904-01-07

Tx ANOTHER column of this paper will be found the annual reVle" oI the American copper trade, by that eminent authority, Horace J. stevens, of Jouehton. Michigan. As the ERA urrdicted last week, the CIifton-Mo- renci district takes second place m Arizona. hut by margin of only l5OO OOO pounds. Had il not been Tor the strike this district would have been in the lead. as it was last year. MT. Stevens puts the output oi the Copper queen at 37.3OO,oOo pouhus and the Calumet and Arizona at 23,- ] GOO GOO. giving the Bisbee district total output of G. 50J, ,000 pounds. The Arizona Copper company is credited with 3O, O,OO0. 900 pounds, the Detroit Copper Mining company with 2O,Ooo,- GOO and the shannon Copper company with II OOJ O00 total of 6l,OOO,OOO pounds: the old Dominion at Globe with 5000, ,O0O and the United Verde nt 3OOOO 600 pounds. According to the estimate Arizona i7 given third place. being less than 5O,OOJ,OOO bounds short of NJ Michigan. The ERA made the statement a year ago that in five years Arizona would lead m the output of copper and from pres cnt indications the time limit is ample. Arizona will push Michigan close for second place this year. In fact the principal increase in the United States comes from Arizona, which within the past few years has attracted the attention of mining men every where. In this connection it is quite remarkable that the Clifton Moreno district which is the oldest producer as well as leading in output, has at tracted so little attention, whil money by the millions has been pour ing into other sections. Perhaps is well that this district should nc experience boom, which alway lcaV~e .-~-~oI condition in il wake. Rooms are frequently th means of developing good mine a----=.ssa-.=s,, :, ire = V-iffIOn- Mo rencl district can stand upon it's recor, as an outputter. Ii has nothing [ fear from the most rigid investigation and It can also point to the fact tha II has never known failure in legitimate way, that is where a com Pany was backed with suIiicien means to develop it's property ant erect its plant. It is also a wei known fact that properties here ar, held at reasonable figures In som, sections property has sold for hun drcds of thousands of dollars without pound of ore In sight Nature has been most kind in this section. as the ore outcropS upon the surface, and the inner has the veins to guide him in developing property. With intelligent management few mistakes can ba made. He is not gropng in the dark as Is the ease in some sections. where IL Is necessary to sink expensive shafts to great depths. and then hunt for his orc hy cross-cuts, drifts. etc In this section it is also a fact that nearly all mines can be opened by tunnels thus cheapeuing the cost ot taking out the ore. While it is a fact that the district as whole is a low grade proposition, it is also true that the ore is found in such large bodies that It can be mined and treated for much less than in any other district. As whole there is no better field anywhere for the investment of capi tal than in the Clifton -Morenci dis trict, and the time must soon come when 1t will lead all others in mining activity, as well as in the output of copper.