El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-22
HIGH PRICE Of COPPER HAS
ADDED To Il PASO'S VEAL TIL
Great Activity in Mines of FL Paso District in Arizona
New Mexico, West Texas and Mexico, Is Reflected in
Ell Paso, Logical Center and Distributing Point
for Southwestern Mines and Miners

, Tucson, developed immensely rich ore
| during the summer and operations con-
/ tinue in that district
] in the Tombstone district the Bunker
! Fill company. a Phelps-Dodge property.
/ has been operating. Bisbee, the states
! largest camp, is booming, with the
| Copper Queen, the properties Of the
: Shattuck-Arizona company. the Higgins
Leasing company, and others in full
Douglas. the smelling center OF q
! large area in Arizona. is enjoying a
boom, as result of the return TO nor
NAL conditions in the copper camps.
New Camp Is Model.
During 1915 the Phelps-Dodge peo-
! pie began the development OF the new
( camp at Tyrone, y. NJ A model camp
! is being laid out and q city of several
/ thousand people VIII result from the
activities Of the company. Here, as in
! several other camps, the fuel oil engine
has been installed because of the high
/ price of coal Two 1900 horsepower
( engines have been installed at the mine
! In the Dawson coal fields the mines
/ have been worked continuously during
! the past year, and some other coal
mined. In this connection it was re-
: Gently reported that the Phelps-Dodge
people are figuring on entering the
White Oaks district. The report was
| based on alleged Investigations by the
company Of certain coal properties
( The rumOr was responsible for a con-
I siderable, boom in coal claims.
In West Texas there also has been
| mining activity, and hopes are enter
! tanned that development work will
start soon on numerous copper prop
/ critics east Of FL Paso.
Organ Mountain District Active.
In the Organ mountain district, near
/ Las Cruces, there is some activity. The
/ lessees of the Memphis mine are ship
! ping copper ore Development work is
going on in the Torpedo mines Some
copper ore is being shipped from the
Excelsior mine and some zinc and cop
per from the Merrimac- The Big Three
is preparing 10 ship ore, and ore is
being taken from the ModOc, where ex-
tension work is being done. The indi
cations are that the Organ mountain
group Of mines will make large dis
trict and because OF its close proX-
unity to FL Paso, will be of direct
benefit 10 the city.
Much Ore Received from Mexico.
Despite the unsettled conditions IN
Mexico and the fact that few of the
mining properties were in operation,
there was good movement of metals
out OF the republic during the year
1915. mostly to be smelted in FL PasO-
In the volume of the movement through
this port lead ore led, with SO S49 tons,
valued at s219.5O7 A total of 1894
tons Of zinc ore, valued at Sl,06S,449.
was brought IN The movement OF
copper ore was Is. 120 tons. valued at
$3.50. 4S7. and Of copper matte, 1889 tons,
valued at SIO6,726 During the same
period 1.100,9S2 pounds of copper pigs
and bars valued at Sl4S,O55, were i'm
ported for domestic consumption. and
530,74S pounds OF lead bullion. valued
at S1O,071.
The movements Of the precious
metals was large Imports Of gold
bullion reached in value Sl.24S.627, and
gold ore. Sl46,552- The movement or
silver bullion was s2,71s,s50, and silver
ore. sS07,1S1.
Future Bright in FL Paso Territory.
The future Of the mining industry
in FL Paso's territory is wonderfully
bright No one can predict with any
degree Of accuracy what the future
viii be- Tt is only known that there
is room for large development in the
southwestern states. and that northern
Mexico, UNNECESSARILY rich in minerals,
has only begun TO develop. The present
high price of metals is resulting in
much development work in New Mexico
and Arizona and many properties that
could not be worked at a profit when
prices were low, are now being de-
VelOped. This has resulted IN bringing
prosperity TO many sections that had
seen no development in many years
There is nothing on the horizon TO in
dictate that prices viii slump. with the
European war still at its height and
the domestic markets still active. Nor
is il believed that the close OF the
great conflict will result IN any de-
preston, for the rehabilitation period
viii carry with it a demand for metals.
probably as great as that occasioned
by the war.
The future Of mining in the South
west depends TO a large extent upon
mining methods and transportation.
Cheaper mining will result in the de-
velopment Of low grade properties, and
the enlargement of transportation IA
cilities viii make possible the market
ing of ores in many mines that are
now lying idle for lack of railroad IA
cilities. Some very valuable claims are
located in almost inaccessible places N
the mountains Of the Southwest
Power Problem Being solved
The use OF the Diesel engine is being
employed more and more in this terri
tory to solve the question Of power.
For instance, the Phelps-Dodge com
pany has installed two 1000 horsepower
fuel oil engines at its mines in Ty-
rome There, as in numerous other
camps, the cost of Transporting coal
fuel engine, with. its cheaper fuel. high
" desirable Doubtless the utilization
Of large reclamation projects for the
generation of electricity will bring
cheap power TO many mining proper
ties, resulting in large development
now held back by the prohibitive cost
Of motive power.
Undoubtedly. much Of the future de-
velOpment Of the mining industry in FL
PaSo's territory hinges on the lowering
OF the cost Of producing and market
ing, and those who have given thought
70 the subject are of the opinion that
FL PasO business men could do no bet
ter than to devote their energies to
the solution of the problems Of pro-
duction and transportation. working
hand in hand with the mining inter
ests.
Northern Mexico MarveIOusIy Rich.
Northern Mexico. which is directly
tributary TO FL Paso. is declared by
mining men to be the richest in min
erals Of any section OF the world. Under
the most adverse conditions many large
properties have been making their I
owners rich In Mexico the lack Of
transportation facilities is one OF the
drawbacks to development. yet many
properties have been paying where the
hauling of ore overland many miles is
necessary to reach a railroad.
The future of mining in Mexico Is
considered wonderfully bright. How
quickly the development will come viii
depend upon political conditions in the
republic Until peace is restored there
can be no development Some day
peace Will be restored and then, IL the
Mexican government adopts a liberal
Continued on Next PaReD