The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-05-27
COPPER|N CASE OF WAR
UNCLESAM HAS PLENTY
PRODUCES MORE OF THE RED
METAL THAN OTHER couN
TRIES OF WORLD COMBINED


per resources of the United States
With an output SURPRISING that of al
the rest of the world combined Amer.
lea was quick to draw the gaze Of
envous eyes as soon as hostilitieS
broke out. The urgent need for the
valuable metal in the manufacture OF
munitions was Immediately apparent
and the stampede by European ma
lions to Increase their depleted stores
not only pointed to a harvest of dol
lars for the product but also acceniu-
ated the fortunate position Uncle Sam
was In for the day when his armies
should be called forth to battle, says
the New York Sun.
Copper First contraband.
Problems of food and powder them
selves gave way before the demand
for copper when the clouds gathered
in the skies last summer. The metal
was one Of the first to be placed OF.
the contraband list, and thus was its
Importance revealed to the laymnr.
AS soon as England exercised her
prerogatives as empress of the seas
and chased the commerce Of the Tue
tonic allies into sheltered harbors
Germany was put face to face with
serious question which needed a quick
efficient answer before the war could
be successfully prosecuted. American
"copper" bound for Hamburg, was
seized without loss of time and defect
ed into British ports. One of the ear
lest diplomatic knots of the great con-
fiict conferred about such seizures, Sol
the western miners protested vigorous
" against the elimination of one of
their best customers, as Germany sure
~ would have proved herself to be.
How Germany Obtained Copper.
AS soon as her source of supply was
cut off Germany set about remedying
the situation. Even as her peor-
poured their gold trinkets into the
governments Golfers to relieve
financial strain so did they scurry to
their kitchens to dig UP pots, pans,
kettles and every conceivable copper
container to aid the fatherlard. I'm
suspected stores were discovered In
doorknobs and pianos, and 1t was de-
clared that If worse came to worse
telegraph and trolley wires could be
requisitioned Only few months ago
emissaries of the Teutons were sa'
to be collecting the lesser coinage of
Bulgaria and other small nations.
Such were the straits to which tn
Kaisers people We're reduced by the
exigencies of war-desperation which
the American people will never know
as long as the western miners pour
forth their rich yield,
Uncle Sam Supreme.
Along with its supremacy in corn.
tobacco, coal, petroleum, pig iron and
steel, the United States leads the en-
tire world In the production of copper.
The statistics prepared year ago by
the Geological Survey showed yield
of 1,224,484,09S pounds to 974,248.042
pounds for all other competitors cor--
bined The closest rival of Uncle
Sam in the way of copper contributor
is the shrewd nation of the Pacific that
jingoes would have him believe is his
natural enemy. Although far out
distanced by the great republic, Japan |
is the second largest producer OF the
metal, with 161,376,72O pounds to It's
credit during the last year for which
statistics are available. Spain and
Portugal come next with 1870, 1915 .
pounds, Mexico third with 16.402,SS0 |
and Australia fourth with 104,277,5S0. I
Product of Other Countries.
Nearly every nation of the world has Z
a certain amount of the valuable metaf
to contribute to the general stores, but
the quantity in each case is limited
and amounts to little more than is
needed for home consumption. Chile
has shown yield of S8,1S4,O0O pounds,
and Canada, where the great veins OF /
the United States peter out, 76,975S32 |
pounds Russia comes next with a.
735.740 pounds, followed by Peru with |
56.65S.220. Germany itself stands sec
ond place among the copper producing
nations of Europe with 55,7763SO |
pounds, far outrivalling any of her
enemies, Russia excepted.
Norway shows a yield Of f9,4Oo4SO
hounds and little Servia 14,109440
mounds. Then comes Austria with s.,
377,4S0. Bolivia with S,157020, Cuba
with 7495,64O, Cape Colony with T.
275,1SO. Namaqualand with 5.5115OO'
Italy with 3,527,S6O, Venezuela with O.
SC5. $50. Sweden with 2,2O4,60O, Turkey
with 1902 800, England with 661SSO'
Hungary with about the same amount
and Argentina with 22O,46O.
Available Supply.
Germany with her own production
of 55,776,3S0. combined with that Of
Austria's s.377,4S0 Hungary's G6f3So
and Turkeys 1,1O2, 800. has an annual
output Of about 65.91754O pounds on /
which to draw for the manufacture of
war munitions. At her disposal as
well are the resources of Norway and
Sweedn. which are 19400,4SO and q
204. 600 respectively. while ltaly's s.
Iyin TIL