Weekly journal-miner., 1915-02-03
COPPER MINERS FACE
 PLEASING PROSPECT

BISBEE, Jan. N-Develophents 1T
 the copper world during the weel past have come think and fast anC
 have been more than promising fo1 better times during the remainder ot
 the year. Since the first of the year
 in fact, the constant strides forward | of the red metal and of mines and
 mining conditions in the United States
 and especially in this district and state, have been more than gratify ing, and have pointed out a road to striking increases in mine operations
 From general survey of the mar
 ket and demand for copper and from
 summary of events of the past
 week especially, two certain facts seem more than justified. First, re-
 turn to the old wage scale is appar-
 ently at hand, and second, a time when production, and with 1t mum bers of employees, will be materially increased is just.a a small distance be- hind the first increase in daily wages.
 Old Dominion, at Globe, Phelps Dodge interest, Miami and Inspira- ton, at Miami, have all announced that on the one condition that cop per remains above the thirteen cent average for the month of January they will make effective on the first day of February, the wage scale which was in general use at the time of the outbreak of the war and of curtailment These are the only mines in the state which have an nounced their intention of increasing wages.
 However, it is highly probable that the wage scale in the Copper Queen, Calumet and Arizona and Shattuck will be increased at the same time. This is fair surmise if not a fore gone conclusion since in the past none of the Warren District mines have Jagged in meeting the wage scale as the sliding scale of copper price was justified. Official state ment of proposed increase was lack ing yesterday, but according to the statement of General Manager French of the Copper Queen inter ests at Douglas, wage increase is un- der discussion and may. be reported favorably. Mir. French states that the copper situation looks brighter and that he Is sure wage re-adjust- ment will follow in the wake of cop per re-adjustment.
 Increases of forces in the local mines as we'll as in other mines of the state and southwest are farther away now than the re-adjustment of wages. That the price of copper is kept up in somewhat the same man ner as is the price of wheat, by con servation Of output and by keeping the supply on the market at a low point, is the statement of operators While the demand has increased some in the past few weeks, it has not been so great as to warrant larg- CT production, especially by the To- cal plants which have been storing some of their output ever since the curtailment However, as the de- mand increases and the supply visi- ble is eaten up, small increases may1 be made, and time when large ad- ditions to the working forces may be made is even now thought to be in sight.
 January is the first month since August when the price of copper will average above thirteen cents i Opening the month the price ranged from 12.25 to 12.50. On January 6, i however, the price went to 13, and l the next day it was quoted at from 1925 to 1850. Since that time cop per has steadily risen, until early in ,he week past IA was reached, and Friday 14.25 to l4.50 was quoted. In lications are that prices will remain 1t their present level, and a margin s guaranteed which will make the av- erage for the month at considerably over 13 cents.