The Alaska daily empire., 1915-09-13
COPPER SITUATION
 INDICATES ANOTHER
 PURCHASING PERIOD

BOSTON. Aug. SO.-Sales of cleo trolytic copper in large volume at IS cents would seem to confirm the cor rectness of the trade position which the largest selling interests have ta- ken since the last big buying move nent culmlnated in June. In that month record-breaklng contracts were taken, the price advancing as high as 2OM cents.
 In the meantime some of the smal. Ter producers were unwilling or Il. nancially unable to await the return of another buying movement and were constrained to lower their offering prices in an effort to attract pur- chasers.
 The large sellers. however, know ing that no more copper could be sold at l6 cents than at IS cents, stood firmly by their conviction that in view of the unusual demand for the metal the world over and notwith- standing the heavier output, IS cents was fair price and that sooner or later war material manufacturers would come into the market at this level.
 Last week there was evidence that manufacturers were getting very low in copper. Some of them were asking shippers to anticipate septem- ber deliveries by making part ship. ment at once. This was a pretty sure indication that another buying wave was near at hand.
 There is admittedly a larger pro. duction of copper in this country than ever before and some holders of the copper shares have been nervous Jest the outpouring of copper would be more than sufficient to take care of the present sub-normal peace de- mand" and the requirements of the war material makers. The answer to this may lie in the possibility of some reduction in the output if any of the big producers conclude that there is likely to be an embarrassing overproduction.
 It will be remembered that little over year ago practically all of the large producers of copper cut theil output 50 per cent. in view of the paralysis of the manufacturing indus try by reason of the war. As soor as 1t was discovered that there was to be an enormous war demand fol copper the word went forth to put production immediately back to nor mal Thus did the producers keep the price from going to fabulously higt figures.
 Furthermore. when last spring ther, developed a terrific demand from tn, manufacturers who had taken bis war orders. and 1t looked as thougf there would not be enough copper tc go around the producers speeded uT the output to the limit and in contras with a 800 per cent. advance the price in spelter copper did not rise ovel 2Oh cents, or an advance Of less thar 30 per cent, over the average pric, of the last 10 years.
 In ordinary lines of manufactur, the copper requirements today ar, much less than normal and the sit uation which the big producers or, watching very closely ls whether tn, huge demand will be sufficient (, compensate for the absence of Ger many as our biggest export customer and the sub-normal demand in ordin ary avenues of consumption.
 If the production becomes topheav, and there is danger of O large sur plus it is not unlikely that some O the large producers will consider sucl steps with respect to the output @, will maintain a fair equilibrium be tween the supply and demand.-(Bos ton News Bureau.)