Bisbee daily review., 1916-12-10
BIG LEDGE TO MAKE
 ORE SHIPMENTS TO SHELTER THIS WEEK
New Copper Company Will Start Producing on Basis of 200 Ton Per Day With 700 Ton Prospects in Spring.

MA Elk, ArlZ., Dec. J-IH ne DIE Ledge Copper Company will inaug urate regular shipments to the smelt- CT here Dec. 10 to l5, and Ernest Le Due, president. and Charles Batre, vice president, will be present to wit ness this very interesting and import ant event in the career of the new copper company. Mir. Le Due left Duluth Tuesday evening for the prop erty. Mir Batre left Duluth a few days later. The stockholders of the Big Ledge Copper Company naturally are expectant and pleased.
 Messrs Le Due and Batre will sure ly experience great satisfaction to see the ore moving from the mines to the shelter, for they have done the heavy work financing both the Big Ledge Copper and the Great Western Smelt- ing Corporation, which latter treats the Big Ledge ore and sells the smelt- CT product. They have done this, but they have not succeeded without havs ing worked hard and success should therefore be doubly sweet. Their work was made all the more difficult because of butters-in, and knockers bold and unashamed.
 As a matter of fact, these two men, so lately thrown together in large copper enterprise have displayed class of the most superb order. It is shown in the mine development. in the financing. and the energy and ten acity characterizing everything bear ing on bringing the property to pro- ducing stage. To this may be added foresight in the tying up of supplies of all kinds which are not easy to ob- tain right now-coke for example and which may not be easy to obtain in the open market later on. The management of Big Ledge has been independent and courageous as men nust be that enter the arena of large operations requiring much money. The management of Big Ledge is much pleased with the metal selling contract which was announced last week The contract is between the United States Metals and Refining company of New York and the Great Western Shelter Corporation. which latter was organized and financed by Messrs Le Due and Batre to treat the Big Ledge ores. The former agrees to purchase for a period of five years a minimum of 300 tons of blister cooper Der month. The shelter. however. will produce and ship matte until May 1 next. after which the product will be blister copper The price of the copper metal will be fixed by the av- craze of the quotations in the Engi- neering and Mining Journal from month to month. which is the usual way to arrive at selling prices under contract. The Big Ledge Company will start producing this month on a basis of 200 tons per day. which is the caDacity of the present unit. A sec ond unit of 300 tons. with complete converter system, will be ready to 20 in operation May 1 next. That will enable the production of 700 tons day next spring. and third unit Of 800 tons per day will be made ready for operation before this time next year. That will enable total ore pro duction of 1900 tons per day.
 It is distinctly satisfying for stock holders that the present ore develop ments of the Henrietta and Butternut properties is so far ahead of require ments for a long time to come that the management feels no concern. With all winter to prosecute develop ment in known ore zones. the ship ments of 200 tons per day until May I when the production will be increased to 700 tons per day. will scarcely be missed.
 Less is known by the public about