Bisbee daily review., 1910-08-04
LOW PRICES BRING ABOUT
 CURTA|LMENT
Production of Copper Last Year Showed an Increase of 230,000,900 Pounds Over Year Previous.

Reports from the various copper mining centers indicate that the low price of copper is resulting in a sur taiment of production, particularly in the list of smaller properties and those yet in the development stage. In the list Of properties in need of further financing before becoming regular producers there is an evident disposition to cut expenditures to the very lowest fugures consistent with securing proper results.
 Among the old producers there are not a few that find it difficult to earn better than a new dollar in the ex- penditure of an old one with the re- suit that their operations are being restricted and expenditures confined to those having a direct bearing upon production That the situation has become intensified during the past month does not admf of doubt, and it is good opinion that the unsatis- factory position of the industry will be reflected in a falling off in the figures of production for July as com pared with the month previous.
 The closing down of a copper mine is a costly undertak ng. considering that proper care must be given the surface plants and underground work ings, to say nothing of the parting of a working organization the building up of what may represent the efforts of years to the end of well directed energy and economy The wisdom of operating fully developed mines at a loss, however is open to serious question, as working capital thus ex- pended s apt to be found difficult to replace.
 Production Of copper last year showed an increase of 2sO. .OOO. 900 pounds equal to 19 per cent. com pared with the year previous. The output for the first half of the current year shows an increase of about 15,- 100000 pounds over that for the same period of 1909 this notwithstanding declining prices for the metal. Were production confined to such sources as| are capable of paying dividends on a 12 1-2 cent metal market it sI doubtful if the monthly figures ofI production reported by the Copper Producers Association would greatly exceed 100 100000 pounds. figures within the present rate of consump- ton.
 Making due allowance for the var
 
 copper, it is evident that the worlds requirements Os this commodity can not be marked at a fair profit at a selling price of less than F 1-2 cents. and it is for this excellent reason that We see no likehoOd Of a lower price prevailing for any extended period. Nor do we believe the situation in this respect will be changed win starting of production at such mines as Chino Ray Consolidated and Miami. all of which are expected to market their copper at a cost well within nine cents per pound.
 The growing consumption of copper the past few years bears testimony to the many new and varied uses be- ing found for th.s metal. a fact due to it's low selling price. We no longer hear of any experimental work with a view to finding a less expensive substitute for copper while on the otherd hand it is constantly supplant- ing other material in new fields thus laying more stable foundation for the industry and the best basis for the belief of ultimate higher prices.
 An instance of the new use of cop per may be found in the manufacture of automobiles, which. according to Benjamin Briscoe president of the United States Motor Company, which