Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-14
COPPER AND ITS MANY USES.
Electric Age of Today Wholly Depend
ent Upon Metal.
ne Spokesman-Review.

From the Spokane Spokesman Review.
Spokane is fast becoming a center OF
copper mining, and in the last half dozen
years the copper camps near here in south
ern British Columbia and in part of north
ern Idaho have reached a size to rival the
silver lead camps.
Iron, copper and zinc have been the es-
sential elements in the creation of the in
dustrial and transportation condition Of the
present age. as we'll as the mechanical ap-
planes which form so important factors
in ministering to the necessities comforts
and conveniences of the present day life.
The taking away of gold and silver would
reduce the finances of the world to chaos.
Iron and copper, however. are the main pill
lars of the metallic structure, while zinc,
In addition to many other virtues, pos
sesses the unique quality of being the only
electrically negative metal, and without it
copper, for electrical purposes, would be
often useless.
The of copper are inumerable and
great Industries are dependent upon it
which afford direct employment to several
thousands of persons, most of whom are
skilled workmen, and annually add in
wages not less than $1,000 600 to the wealth
of the world. The stone ages of humanity
were followed by the bronze age In which
copper and tin were the only metals used.
The age of iron followed that of bronze
the steel age of the latter half of the nine
teenth century being but higher devel-
opment of the iron age.
While iron and steel are maintaining
their own position and gaining ground. an
other metal has arisen to claim al least
portion of the honors of the twentieth GEN.
fury, and copper Is the foundation of the
electrical age, Just as 1t was the funda-
mental metal of the age bronze.
OF the many uses of copper its application
in the many electrical devices is the most
important In the hands of FrankllA and
Volta electricity was little more than a
boc
of the prime factors of life, and the uses
that we consider multifarious and the in
stallations that we deem immense are but
the precursors of greater things of which
we may sometimes dream, and from which
unsubstantial fabric the flash of genius and
the. fires of labor will bring forth the per-
feet fruit.
a full enumeration of the electrical uses
of copper would require volumes The metal
Is an integral factor in all electrical install
lauons. And as the use of electricity Is
daily increasing it necessitates a CORE
spending increase in the of copper.
Next to the electrical use of copper it is
extensively employed in engineering; every
engine has its brass oil cups; brass and
copper tubing is used in many boilers and
brass, gun metal. bronze and composition
copper bearings are a necessity. Within
the past few years the practice has been
renewed of sheathing the hulls of ships
with copper for the purpose of keeping the
bottoms clean.
lecture. as roofing for buildings and in
cornices. Bronze gates and doors for
churches and public buildings are uses that
annually Increase the consumption of cop
per- The domestic uses Of copper are in
Vulnerable. We have brass beds and furni-
ture. copper lamps and various kinds Of
fixtures, from parlor to kitchen, in con-
stantly increasing form.
Within the last few years copper has
been used In roofing passenger coaches on
railroads. and the ideal passenger car of
the future will have a steel frame covered
with copper-in fact. the 800 cars being
built TO equip the subway railroad of New
York city will be SO constructed
In battle ships and their equipment the
use of copper is beyond estimate and is
ever increasing. And so on through the
experience of daily life, in the arts. the
sciences, in war and in peace; in unitarian
purposes and in mere ornament the use of
copper is constantly broadening, making
the market outlook for copper brighter
than for several years past