The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-09-18
SHANNON COMPANY
SHUTS DOWN MINES
AND SHELTER
Formal Announcement to this Effect is
Made This Week by General Mana
ger Bennie-Failure to Market Cop
per Output is Direct Cause.

Since the beginning of the European
war which brought about an immedi
ate slump in the copper market in this
country, it. has been reported from
time to time that the Shannon Copper
company would be compelled to close
down it's mines and smelter. On
! Thursday of this week General Mana
ger Bennie made official announce
J lment of the fact The mines of the
Shannon company at Metcalf will be
closed down on Saturday, September
I19. The Copper Belle mines belong
ing to this company in Cochise 'coun'
ty, were closed on the 18th inst, and
the reduction works in Clifton will
cease operations some day next week.
AS result of this shut down be-
employees will be thrown out of en-
lployment here and at Metcalf.
In an interview with representa-
tive of the Copper Era this week. Mr..
Bennie said: EG
The Company regrets exceedingly
the necessity which compels this ac-
ton When it became apparent that
the European war situation had be-
come so acute that active hostilities
could not be averted, and with the
knowledge of the effect of such on
the copper market of the world, our
directors, in common with all of the
copper companies, very carefully con-
lsidered the matter of continuation of
operations then effective, curtailment
of output, or closing down. The con-
illusions arrived at were that it. would
be more advantageous for our employ
ees to keep everything. running for
time, rather than curtail produc-
tion and reduce forces proportion
ately, as the directors foresaw that
this trouble was likely to last for. a
considerable time, and they thought
that continued operations on the same
scale, even if only for limited time,
would permit the Company's employ
ees to have an opportunity of seeking
locations elsewhere which would not
have been the case had the forces been
cut production curtailed, or an i'm
mediate shutdown taken place.
e'The Company has not sold any
copper since July Both. We have
operated since that time with
slender hope that conditions might i'm
prove Although the general mining
and reduction operations of the Com
pany will be closed down by the end
of this month, it is our intention to
continue for a time the experiments
in connection with teaching of low
grade copper ores and ta1l1nSS Win
which we have been working for some
months. 1t does not now seem prob
able that we will have sufficiently i'm
proved conditions to warrant resump-
ton of smelling operations for sever
al months, but our mines and reduc-
ton works are being left in such
shape as will enable us to start up at
any time upon a few days notice, and
it is our intention to do this just as
soon as we can consistently do So"
Mr. Bennie further stated that the
general offices in Clifton would be
with small force and
that the Shannon store would continue
to do business. On and after next
week the total number of Shannon
will not total more than
twenty-five &C. ......
When asked for an opinion as to
when the Shannon would resume oper-
ations Mr.. Bennie stated that he ex-
pected to see the Shannon again
operating sometime between the first
of January and the first ofApril, 1915.
He is of the opinion that the European
war will have been concluded before
the first of the year:
8 Old employees of the company who.
desire to remain in Clifton will be
offered the use of the Company resi-
dences free of rental charge.