Weekly journal-miner., 1908-12-30
TRADE CONDITIONS
 GOOD FOR SALE or COPPER
,From Fridays DaIly)

Large producers and consumers of copper express satisfaction with trade prospects. says the Boston Financial News. The American Brass Co re ports that this years consumption or copper by tha, company will reach 75,OO0,OO0 pounds. If business contin' ucs to improve througn the first quar- fer of 1909 at the same rate as has marked the last quarter of the current year. the company will require 100000 900 pounds of copper in the next twelve months.
 Makers of 96 per cent of the nation al production of sheet, rod and wire brass state that for the current year the aggregate production will be re corded as l5o.0O0,ooo pounds. Their plants are working GO per cent of tho productive capacity. When asked Tor an expression of the views of the cop per market, the chairman of the board of directors of the principal association of copper and brass manufacturing corporations working in community of interest with mines that produce 45O ,000, ,0O0 pounds of copper per an nun. under current operation, said;
 "There is little buying for account of the big consumers in the local cop per market. As a general thing the mills ths, work up two.thirds of the national production of copper buy early in the month to cover wants well ahead, so that in late years there arc about two to three weeks in the domes' tie copper market when no large sales sre recorded to consumers. nave just returned from a trip through 2o of the larger cities of North America. I found trade looking better toward product, that will be wanted in the spring aud summer than I had reason to expect when starting out from this city. Our agents in Chicago, St. Lotus and nine other important distributing cities have closed witoin two weeks business to the amount of s3,00O,OOO, which is almos, twenty.six per cent more than was entered on our order books in the corresponding period of las. year.
 "AImost everybody in the copp~r consuming business seems to be sailing very close to the wind as to stocks or the metal. Conservative buying has become chronic with ssrtais manufac- turers and distributors. At present shis city. Boston and Philadelphia are xkout the dullest big cities on the con tinept, as to the buying copper and brass goods, The central west ssd the southwest are making the best show ing.
 "Our associates in working up cop per snd brass own between SIS, 100000 and se0, ,OUo, 900 in shares Tn copper, ysad and z5sc mines, smeltery and eise' trolytie works. As makers of copper p>oducss and as minors of the mctsls wsich we work up we give it as our opinion that the statistical position of copper is consolidating. The biggest producer of lake copper is out of ths market for several weeks, having sold every insot 1t could turn out; that m |Aerest is ballish on copper, and expects to get r5 cents for the next contracts Other lake copper producers are firm at l4h and I4M ee~ts. We bought 4,O0O,00 pounds of electrolytic cop 1! per yesterday at lttE- cents. Two pro | ducers declined our proffer of tha \ price, and will not sell at less thar t14h cents. Prime casting copper fol ! spot wants is scarce. Prices range \ from H to l4h cents. None of th'
 prices quoted by speculative agencie
 are based upon the possession of cop
 DOT, exaspt few tons of stun worke' up from old junk. "