The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-01-28
COPPER SHORTAGE
WORRIES GERMANY
SHOP FITTINGS TO MAKE CAR
FRIDGE socKETs--LEAo AND
OTHER METALS SHORT.

A correspondent of the Daily Chron-
icle at Basel. Switzerland, IN an aru-
Gle on the diminishing supplies Of
copper, aluminium, petrol saltpefe,
nitrates and rubber in Germany says
without suggesting that the war
will resolve itself into an ammunition
supply duel, in which the allies would
easily win, one can conclude that the
German fnlnine In war materials Will
play an important part in the destin-
les of Europe. II the kruppa are op~
Eliged to make use OF kitchen utensils
and old cartridge sockets after four
months of war, what viii happen II
peace remains hidden for another two
or three years?
AS proof Of the scarcity Of various
materials in Germany the correspond
emit gives the current prices for some
Of them. Copper before the war cost
from 125 to 1913 shillings ($31.25 to $S2)
for 100 Kilograms and is now from
Il7O to 200 shlllings ($42.50 to $500, Al.
Iuminum, which was 100 shillings ($40)
| for 100 Kilograms before the war, now
,osts from 2S0 to 800 shillings $50 to
$S1.2O,
And" he adds, only very small
quantities can be bought privately
leven at the maximum prices.
A Zurich Journal announces, the ar
ticle says, that copper for bullet and
she'll manufacture is SO scarce that the
herman soldiers get rewards in the
following scale for objects found on
the battlefield; shillings and six
pence for kilogram Of cartridge SOC.
'lets, one shilling for shell and ont
and one-half pence for each cartridge
Merchants Make Donations.
All the cartridges used for rifles
and quick firing guns have copper
sockets. The tremendous quantity
used in the last four months has caus
I'd the issuance of an order to German
soldiers to guard against any excess
I've use of ammunition, some of tn
means taken to secure supplies Of cop
per in Germany are related in the ar
ticle. In large towns patriotic mer
, chants are Offering the army the cop
per fittings on shop fronts, plates, Pill
lars and supports; quarters o
the cartridges supplied to the pole
) have been Communicated by the Mill
!, tary; kitchen utensils have been re
: Questioned throughout Belgium an
Ihouseholders are being urged to Civ
or sell to the army everything mao
+ of copper
! One Of the mi,itary branches harde
= hit by the scarcity of aluminium
II that of manufacturing zeppelins, II
e which huge sheets of the metal are II
). CURED. The ban on the expectation
:. aluminium by Switzerland is said
u have caused the abandonment of Il
j. Zeppelin factories at Schaffhausen al
: Firedrichshafen.
lC Petrol, the correspondent says,
! now all but unobtainable for civilian
$ and the army transportation has {
q ready been affected, trains being us
n in many cases where automobiles We
formerly employed in moving trool
b Chile no longer exports nitrates
c Germany and the manufacture Of G
q plosives is consequently crippled 7
same is true Of copper pyrltes used
making sulphuric acid. Small suppl
are obtained from Austria and Sici
but less than a quarter Of what Is
, quired by reason Of the increased d
mand is obtained from these source!
Lead Also Is Scalcs.
vc Lead is another scarce commodii
IN the article says, and it Is prophesi
es that within month or so steel too W
or be lacking Many business men
IL Germany are complaining Of the ma
Of mum prices recently fixed by the go
~ eminent saying that the scale
Or prices is killing the few industries Il
alive. Realization of the shortage
II these necessities in war making
t, just becoming general in Germa
l. and is causing no little doubt as to
h, ultimate conclusion of the war; a
tc cording to the correspondent.