The Arizona copper camp., 1916-11-25
(By D. r. McGarry, Los Angeles, j
Mining and Oil Bulletin for
November.)

Prosperity is favoring Arizona. That
fact impresses even one who makes
but short visit to our neighboring
state. Agricultural development In
southern Arizona is gradually assum-
ing an Importance worthy the large
area of opportunity. Over and above
reclamation projects, which are ac-
complishing much in Transforming vast
expanses of desert into gardens of hus-
bandry, the traveller can observe, on
the plateaus, the cabins and the clear
ings of homesteaders, who are ponder
ing the way for permanent productive
ness with a fervor that impresses con-
fidence in the farming possibilities of
the future
But for many more years-as in the
past many years-mining will continue
to charm and attract that capita
which seeks rapid and profitable re-
turn from its investment The high
prices for metals in the markets of tho
world have given added impetus to
mining enterprises. The reopening of
the Tombstone Consolidated Mines by
the Phelps Dodge company, is proving
a boon to the more or less dilapidatef
and somnolent county seat
Bisbee is a hive of industry, and ha'
the enterprise and progressive spirit of
a true American city. 1t has paved
streets, an electric car line which wind
through a canyon of stores. hotels and
homes. Upon the mountain sides,
thanking the sky line for four or five
miles, there can be seen, mine shat
after mine shaft-tail dump after tai
dump-the outward sign of the under
ground workings that must aggregate
hundreds of miles of shafts, tunnel
and drifts In Bisbee everybody seems
to be prosperous. The copper mine
owners are selling their product al
twenty-six to thirty cents per pound
The miners wages are scaled with the
prices of the metal-higher prices
mean higher wages. The merchants
find difficulty in obtaining sufficien'
quantities of goods to meet the create
demands. And today Bisbee and its
suburbs of Lowell and Warren (the
latter a modernized townsite on a
more level area) are all enjoying
bountiful season of productive activity.
Specializing on cards seems to be
supplanted, in a measure by specula-
ton in stocks. Per capita, and per
capita wealth-it is question If Wall
Street itself can produce more bulls" :
and "bears" than can be found roam
ing in the canyon, along the Divided
Fault.
The only drawback to unparalleled
prosperity in Arizona has been re-
moved and the forward speed Of the
development of the state during the
next few months will be as never be-
fore in it's history, according to a re
port of the Arizona State Bureau OF
Mines. The low price of silver nc
longer hangs over the market.
Silver occurs with so many ores In
the state of Arizona that the increased
price Of silver makes a decided In
crease in the production at many of
the mining camps, and reports are be-
ing received that shipments are stimu-
lated and further exploration greatly
encouraged.
Silver remained very low after the
war began and was the very last to re-
spond to the conditions that have
boosted the market for all of the other
metals. With the increase in silver
come greater returns. greater wages,
etc. and more material prosperity.
Silver had, in 1915, a record produc-
ton in Arizona, the output increasing
from 4,S77,994 ounces in 1914 to about
5.45S,OO0 ounces in 1915, or over "a
per cent, having a total value of about
s2,781,O00. With an increase In the
value of silver of almost 40 per cent, 1t
is readily seen what this means to the
states total production. The greater
part of the silver comes from the cop
per ores, although increased shipments
of silver-lead ores have also contri-
buted to the increase in silver produc-
ton.
The mines and smelters of Arizona
during 1915 have been working at
pressure so high that they are probably
making record productions OF al
metals. If they continue to work al
the present rate during the year, they
will make an output of over 6OO,OOO,OOe
hounds of copper, against about 45O,-
600. 900 in 1915, according to reports re-
ceived by the U. S. Geological Survey
A corresponding increase in the output
of the precious metals and in that OF
lead and zinc, which is probable, VIII
at the greatly increased prices make
the total value of the output In 1917
nearly double that of 1915, which was
about sSS. 1000, 600. Thus Arizona MOI