Bisbee daily review., 1907-08-09
OPTIMISTIC IS THE VIEW .OF
 .AMsTER
Says Price of Copper Is Not So Important as a Stable Mar ket for the Metal Con- SunerS,

Boston-President N l.. Amster of the shannon. Arizona Commercial and Boston & Corbin properties, says:
 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 en- deavor- to inform myself accurately concerning the copper situation. As a result of my investigations I am led to the conviction that at the present ztime while the consumption of copper has slackened up bit, the decrease is fully compensated by the declining production. Butte and Bisbee, two of the greatest copper camps in this country. are today considerably be. hind their output figures of year ago.
 There seems to be more apprehen. zsion regarding the stability of the copper industry than is warranted 5y the facts. It cannot be denied tnai copper is accomplishing in a small way in the hands of the producer. but this situation is met by the poverty of supplies in the hand of the manu facturer. The accumulation of snr. plus stocks, concerning which SC much is heard is no more than would ordinarily be carried by the sonsum ing interests, but today, instead ui the consumers carrying their stocks the producers themselves are carry ing them. "The greatest bugbear that exists today is the uncertainty which eXists in the minds of the copper-buyers es 70 whether or not, haTing made 2 good-siZed purchase of copper, the producing interests will protect then by refusing to make safes a. tow prices later on The copper cOn5um CTS are today more anxious to sec a stable market at IS ceats, at z cents or even at p cents than they are to see a fluctuating maTke- iron 20 cents down to 15 cents and back again. One of the largest consumers in this country told me yesterday tha he was perfectly willing to buy cop per in large quantities at 20 cents pc3 pound or even at higher figures, DUO viding the producers wouIl stand 10 gether and not later on demorsliZe lh, whole situation by naming a lowe figure to some one else.
 There are several important fac tors in the copper situation which arr not generally reckoned with. In th' first place, it is costing 2nywhcr7 from l cent to 3 cents per pound nor to make copper than it did five or s', years ago and furthermore the grea producing mines of today are steadil. exhausting their underground sup plies, their raw material as it were and the producers Of the metal ar
 
 least , cents per pound more for Tn red. metal than was the case five o ten years ago.
 The great Calumet & Hecla each year making a hole in it's undel ground territory equal to about AS GOO 900 cubic feet. They have a jus right, as have all the other producer to seek compensation in the refine copper market for the exhaustion their underground assets
 Copper should not be considere as one of the base metals. It is in al gaarance. in. conductivity and ducti ity. second only to gold and silve and therefore 20 or even 25 cents pound for the metal is by no me2- too high for it. Copper plays mo important part il the word 8 ciFiliz tion. What would the business wor do for instance without the teiegraI or the telephone TT the t-aasmissic of power or intelligence by electTi ity?
 ''The copper situation is not g2iT to the dogs by any means and wnl monetary conditions may for the tin being operate to lessen the abllli to finance new construction, this s nation will be rectified in course time and the consumption now q ferred by reason of high money rat will come into the market with rush."