The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-01-21
MINING AND BUSINESS CONDITIONS HERE
ARE GOOD COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES
rioN-PRlcEs OF COPPER CONTINUE TO ADVANCE
LEAD QUITO OK NOT GOOD

IL
of the Coeur dAlenes have been ac-
customed, the past six months have
hoan ouiet in business way and in
active so far as mining operations are
concerned. But compared to the con-
dition that has prevailed during the
same period in all other sections OF
4ha country and which still prevail
business has been good and the min
ing industry has shown that 1t can
stand the test of prolonged and wide
snread business depression with less
curtailment and loss than in any 9TH
or district in the west, with the possi-
ble exception Of some camps where
gold is the chief product. That this is
true is verified by the observations of
many residents of this district who
have had occasion to visit other sec
tions of the country, by residents of
other sections of the country who have
had occasion to visit the Occur
d'Alenes, and by travelling statesmen
whose business takes them to all
sections and who are in position to
make comparisons Without excep-
tlon all assert that the Occur d'Alene
mining district has stood the stress OF
dull times in better form than any
other place on the map, and in fact
business is good here by comparison.
The Lesson Should Not Be Lost.
Certainly there could be no higher
testimonial to the strength and per-
manence of our great mineral re-
sources than this, and 1t should not
be without its lesson not only to the
people now here who have money tied
up in business sor mining enterprises
but it should particularly appeal to
outsiders who are seeking investments
in a mining district. Our mines nave
demonstrated that they can continue
to maintain large payrolls and pay
dividends under adverse conditions,
and provide large measure OF pros
perity to the business community
which is dependent upon them. From
this viewpoint the period of general
depression through which the country
is now passing may serve a usetul
purpose by forcing attention to our
comparative good fortune and make
us more satisfied with our lot and at
the same time induce Others to cast
their fortunes in this favored spot
Zinc Miners Have Their Inning.
It has only been few years ago
that the price Of zinc was a matter OF
no concern in the Coeur dAlene dls-
trict Today zinc has come to be
big factor in the mineral output ana
1t is not improbable that 1t will in time
rival lead for first place in the MN
eral production of the district. Al the
present time while lead is weak, there
is a strong market for zinc ana the
price is steadily advancing. Yester-
day it touched the $3.50 mark In New
York and the tendency is still up
ward. Under these circumstances the
zinc producers of the district are now
crowdng shipments to the limit inns
applies particularly to the Success ana
lllC wv
shippers of zinc ore. Reports from
the Frisco are to the effect that the
new milling process at that famous oiu
property is now turning out nhe
Shipping product and is in position tc
get the benefit of the rising zinc mar
ket Zinc has also come to be quite ai
important product Of lead properties al
which flotation plants have been IN
stalled Thus within a few years zih'
has come to be one of the manstaSS
Of the district, and its Importance
strikingly brought out just now on ac'
count of the curtailment of the lea'
output.
Copper Crawling Up.
The European war, coming at
time when the domestic market wa
none too active, proved disastrous =
the copper mining operations in IN
west, and so far as the Coeur dAlen
district is concerned put stop to IN
copper production altogether no"
ever, the steady advance in the pric
of that metal during the past leN
weeks is a matter Of intense interes
here, and inspires hope that the ue
mand win soon be sufficient to aosor
the normal production. At the pres
ent time the production of copper
the United States is only about 5o pe
cent nf normal, but the adjustment
the contraband difficulty with Engah
win open the way for largely increas
ed exports, and at the same time thei
is noted marked increase in the ao
mestic demand The outlook IS theft
fore quite favorable for return
normal production, which In TINS olS
trict would probably mean an lmmeu
ate resumption Of operations at u
National and possibly the SnoWstori
and also give a great impetus 70 az
velopment work in thn copper belt.
Lead Continues Low
There Is nothing m the lead situ'
tlon to give encoura Ganent for an ~