Arizona republican., 1915-01-17

|only slightly above 10 per cent from the low.
 The metal mining world looks for ward therefore to 1915 with expecta- tions of a better average than in 1914 and of decidedly better condi- tions than obtained in the last half of the year. Spelter is an excep- ton, for the spelter producers hope l for a continuation of the last half situation, in which event spelter, or zinc, will advance to possibly 7cents a pound as against less than cents at the outbreak of hostilities and a high rate of production ,as against a greatly reduced scale in July
 1 The domestic production of silver again reached a high mark in 1914 The preliminary estimates of the l United States Geological Survey and the Bureau of the Mint indicate an output of 679297 700 fine ounces, val ued at $37,225,O00, but the final fig ures may be somewhat lower. This was again one of the greatest out ! puts SiHCC lllc uOilcSlIC silver began. according to H. D. Me- Caskey. of the United States Geologi- cal Survey. In 1912, 1913, and 1914 the highest record outputs of quan- tity have been made, but, owing to the varying yearly average prices for the metal, the value of the output has frequently in the last 25 years Inynoo6oA nf year.
 | Increases in mine production of silver were notable in Idaho, Califor- mia. and Arizona in 1914, and large decreases were recorded in Montana, 1 Utah, Nevada, and Colorado.
 1 Nevada retained first place in out put of silver in 1914, but early fig crease in production of over 0,000 ounces. The Tonopah, Nevada Hills, Nevada Wonder, Rochester, and other mines were active producers
 i Idaho ranked second in silver pro- duction in 1914, with an increase in production of about 3,000,00O ounces, making a record for the state. The | d'Alenes had a particularly produc- tive year.
 1 In Montana the silver output fell off more than 100000 ounces, owing chiefly to the curtailed copper yield resulting mainly from the European war but also in part from labor con- . ditions at Butte.
 Utah ranked fourth in output, but the yield declined The bulk of the silver produced was derived from silver bearing lead ores of the Tintic district, but Park City, Bingham and other districts contributed The yield from copper ores of the small CT mines decreased with the curtail- ment of the copper yield.
 Colorado ranked fifth in silver pro- duction with a decrease of over 40O,- 900 ounces, and Arizona ranked sixth with an increase of about the same |quantity and a record output
 Low metal prices and disorganized markets in the later part of 1914 es- pecially, and curtailment of copper
 output owing to the European war made the year a difficult one fol producers of silver But for the in lcreased yield of siliceous silver ore!
 at Tonopah and in Arizona and thu
 silver lead zinc ores especially a
 Butte and in the Occur d'Alenes, tn,
 silver yield would have been greatl,
 decreased; and but for the European
 war the domestic silver output would
 have broken all records in quantit.
 of output. at least
 Demand for silver from India an, China was disappointingly light il
 1914, and London stocks accumulated resulting in a poor market. New Yorl
 prices, reflecting these conditions
 were generally low. especially in tn
 latter half of the year. For fine ba . silver the price averaged 57.6 cent in January. 57.5 in February, 5S il
 March, 5S.5 in April and 5S1 in May
 In June it dropped to 56.5. in July t
 54.7. in August to 54.3, in Septembe to 53.3.in October to 50.7. and in Nev ember to 49.1 The average for Dec : ember was about 49.4 cents an therefore the general average for tn year was only about 54.8 cents. O the lowest since 1911.
 The imports of silver in 1914 wer