The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-26
COPPER REFINING
PRODUCES OvER'28
PER CENT.
Industry in New York Has Made Great
Advance-Lead and Zinc Smelling
and Refining.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-According to
statistics, issued by the Census Bureau lo5
establishments were reported as engaged in
the combined industry of copper. lead, and
zinc smelling and refining. Their combined
capital was $i64, 349, O36. They employed
1888 wage-earners. paid $2O,05s, 200 in wages
consumed materials costing 1882, 72s. 4SO, and
manufactured products to the value of
$451, 1898, asa.
Al the census of 1900 the lead smelling
and refining industry was the most impor-
| tant of the three branches, and opper
was second; but at the census of 1905 the
positions were reversed. At the later cen
sus the copper industry supplied 1873 per
cent. of the capital, 47.5 per cent. of the
wage-earners, and 53.3 per cent. of the
value of products, while the lead industry
furnished 3S.S per cent. of the capital. 28.2
per cent. of the wage-earners, and Az per
cent. of the value of products. That the
I growth of the copper industry has been
greater than the growth of the lead Is
partially due to an increase in the practise
of smelling the dry ores of the precious
metals with copper instead of lead ores.
Copper smelling and refining was the
principal industry OF 40 establishments, the
| combined CdDlIHl Ol WulCu was SfV,oS1,"H
These establishments furnished employ
ment to ~, 1852 wage-earners, paid $1O,S27,04S
in wages. consumed materials costing 1885,
736. 1856, and manufactured products TO the
value Of $240, $50, PIG.
/ When compared with the figures for the
census of 1900 those for 1905 show a de-
\ crease of 14.9 per cent. in the number or es-
| Establishments, but an increase of 44S per
cent. In capital, Of 1876 per cent in wage
earners, of 26.9 per cent. in wages, OF 81
per cent. in cost Of materials, and OF 4o'S
per cent. in the value Of products.
AT the census of 1905 the product OF
smelling was valued at $SS,5d4'eSo anu tnat
Of refining at s1i9, 711,2A.
New Jersey is the largest producer OF re-
fined copper, and between 1900 and 1905 it
Increased its. production of the total for
the country. OF the COZ, sos, 113 pounds OF
ingots, wire, bars, etc, reported in 1860
New Jersey produced 2S.S per cent, while
of the 9S3, 500, FOL pounds reported In l901
it produced 35.6 per cent. The refining in
dustry In New York also made a great al"
vance. so that the States of New Jersey
and New York reported for 1905 nearly
two-thirds of the refined copper product
OF the country. Michigan was third and
Maryland fourth. a
Lead smelling and refining was the lead
ing industry Of 90 Establishments. the az
gregate capital Of which was $6S,S $40.
These establishments employed 1873 wage
earners, paid 1874, 691 in wages, consumed
materials costing s16S, $3.50 and manufac-
tured products valued at $1S5, 1926, $50.
The products of the lead smelling and re-
hning industry consisted of 1888, 060, 1856
pounds of lead, valued at $50, 357, 00l; of
2,574, $40 ounces of gold, valued at $52, 1884,,
Aac. aad 80 10 ZOO oQ7 orppoc NJ allNAP Nyalupd
at Sal, 425, ia. AS compared with the corre-
spending figures for 1900, those for 1905
show an increase in quantity of 1872 per
cent. for lead, of "a per cent. for gold,
and of 81 per cent. for silver. In value
lead increased a6 per cent. and gold IL
per cent, but silver decreased 1t per cent.
That the development OF the precious
metals did not keep pace with that Of lead
Is not due TO a decrease in the precious
metal values of the argentiferous lead ores
treated, but results from the large increase
In the quantity Of dry gold and silver ores
treated by the copper smelters. This in
crease in the consumption of dry ores by
the copper smelters has been ut the ex-
pense OF the lead smelters
Zinc smelling at the census OF 1906 was
carried on In 81 establishments, tire COM
bined capital of which was $23, 701, $50. These
establishment employed 6,52S wage-earn-
ers, paid 1856, 466 In wages, consumed ma
terials costing $17, OBS, AIS, n MANUFACTURED
products valued at $24,7 200. At the cen
sus of 1900 the same number of establish
ments was reported. Between 1900 and
1905. however, capital increased $40 per
cent; average number OF wage-eaFners,
BAL per cent; total wages. 6S.7 per cent,
cost of materials. 2S.2 per cent, and value
of products. 36.3 per cent.
Tho nradi1ots of fha vino cfaalfipp in
dustry were, roughly, 325, O0O, 900 pounds Of
spelter, valued at SIG, 600. 900; 1900, 900 pounds
of sheet zinc, valued at 5000, 900: III, 0Oo,O 900
pounds Of zinc oxide, valued at $1,000, 600,
and 155, 000. 900 pounds of s%ulphuric acid,
valued at $57s,OOo AS compared with the
corresponding figures for 1900, these all rep
resent substantial increases. The percent
age Of increase in value varied from 1876
for sheet zinc to 1913 for zinc oxide, While
the percentage of increase in quantity
varied from S1.4 for sulphuric' acid to 56.4
for zinc oxide