Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-21
COPPER METAL
AND MARKET
--e-------.-------Y-
Well Known Producer Views the
Future With Much
Optimism.
THE COSTS HAVE INCREASED.
rs Compared to What They Were Sew
cral Years Ago--Uncer-
tplnty Hurts.

n. l.. Amster. president of the Bos-
ten & Corbin company. shannon and
Arizona Commercial, has made q study
of the copper situation. and, in spite
Of apprehension and pessimism that
prevail. he takes rather optimistic
view.
During the past few days I have
taken pains to interview some of the
largest producing and consuming in
terests in the copper trade in an
cndeavor to inform myself accurately
concerning the copper situation" says
MIR. Amster. las o result of my in
vestlgations, l am led to the conviction
that, at the present time, while the
consumption Of copper has slackened
up bit. the decrease is fully compen-
stated by the declining production.
Butte and Arizona two of the greatest
copper camps in this country. are
toGay considerably behind their output
figures OF year ago
There seems to be more appre-
hension regarding the stability OF the
copper industry than is warranted by
the facts. 1t cannot be denied that
copper is accommodating in a small way
in the hands of the producer, but this
situation is met by the poverty of sup
plies in the hands of the manufacture
en- The accumulation of surplus
stocks, concerning which so much is
heard, is no more than would ordin-
arily be carried by the consuming in
terests. but today. instead of the con-
suniers carrying their stocks, the pro-
dueers Themselves are CARRYING them.
The greatest bugbear that exists to-
day is the uncertainty which exists in
the minds of the copper buyers as to
whether or not. having made n good
sized purchase Of copper. the produce
ing interests will protect them by re-
fusing to make sales at low prices
later on. The copper consumers are
today more anxious to see a stable
market az $ cents, Mt 20 cents, or
even at % cents, than they are to see
luctuating market from 20 cents
down to l cents and back again. One
of the largest consumers in this coun-
trty told me Yesterday that he was
perfectly willing to buy copper In
large quantities at 20 cents pound.
or even at higher figures, providing
the producers would stand together
| and not later on demoralige the whole
| situation by naming lower figure 10
| some one else.
There are several important fac
| tors IN the copper situation which are
not generally reekoned with In the
Ai'' Pt'N'' ~ 10 SVStlilS anywhere from
/ cent to cents a pound more to
| m1ket copper than 1t did five or six
| VI IRIS ago and furthermore the great
| producing mines of today are steadily
| exhausting their underground supplies
| their raw material as II were. and the
| producers of the metal are today
| Justly entitled to demand at least )
| cents pound more for the red metal
than was the case 8 or 10 years ago.
| The copper situation is not going
| to the dogs by any means, and while
monetary conditions may for the time
being operate to lessen the ability Ia
finance new construction. this situation
| viii be rectihed in course of time and
the consumption now deferred by rea-
so of high money rates viii come into
| the market with rush"