The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-10-01
CONDITIONS IN COEUR D'ALENES GOOD
COMPARED WITH ALL OTHER PLACES
LARGE pAYRoLLs DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES
METAL MARKET SATISFACTORY
WORSE.

The curtailment Of the production Of
lead has evidently not accomplished
the desired result in strengthening the
price Of the metal as evidenced by the
recent drop In the market price. Nei-
ther has the demand improved at the
present low price. for the market con-
tinues to be reported weak and inac-
tive. The lead market clearly reflects
the commercial condition Of the coun-
try at large, and the continued low
price is due to lack Of building and
manufacturing operations that con-
sumo lead. So far as is known there
Is no disposition among Occur d'Alene
operators to further reduce the output
or suspend operations, but It is no Sc
cret that the price of lead is peril
ously near the danger line. An ad-
vance in silver would greatly help the
situation. but the expected upward
movement has not materialized nor Is
there any immediate indications that
1t will. But at the present price the
silver value in the lead ores of the dis
trict is most important factor par
ticularly in mines like the Caledonia,
the ore Of which runs very high in
silver.
Spelter, which made a sudden squirt
upward few weeks ago, due to an
anticipated demand from England,
dropped back to $5.12h during the
to CT Of
increased foreign demand which must
be supplied from this country, and
upon that seems to depend the main
tenance of the present quotation
Although there is understood to be
a slight increase in exports. 1t Is not
enough to affect the copper market
and the situation remains unchanged.
Conditions Not Bad in Coeur d'Alenes.
In spite of the unsatisfactory con-
dition of the market for all metals
produced in the Coeur d'Alene district,
the business situation here is not bad,
particularly when compared with that
which prevails in other sections OF the
country and in other mining districts.
With practically complete suspen-
sion Of copper mining, with one of the
big lead mines closed and others run
ming with reduced forces or on reduc-
ed time, the monthly payrolls still
make enormous disbursements and
money is easier in the Occur d'Alenes
than in any other part of the west.
And this is not by any means the only
source which places money In circula-
tfon. The many development compan-
les operating in various parts OF the
district in the aggregate employ
large number Of men and make big
addition to the monthly payroll Ana
there is no cessation in this line OF
mining They are looking to the
future and the condition Of the metal
market does not directly AFFECT them.
The general business depression makes
It more difficult to secure capital IN
large sums for development purposes
but assessment companies apparently
have no great difficulty in providing
funds to carry on the work.
People Are Optimistic.
There has never been time when
the unbounded faith of the people IN
the unlimited mineral wealth OF the
Coeur d'Alene district was more clear
" manifested than at this time. the
curtailment Of output is taken to be
only temporary and in no sense de-
presses the spirit of the people. They
know that in this great country there
can be no long obstruction to COM
merce and Industrial activity, and
they know that when the tide turns
the great mining industry Of the Occur
d'Alenes will be the first to feel the
influence Of restored confidence and
business expansion.