Bisbee daily review., 1917-12-23
CHARLES HAYDEN TALKS ABOUT THE
 COPPER STATUS
Authority on Metal Says That if Market Had Been Left Alone That It Would Be Now Selling at Near Forty Gents.

Charles Hayden of Hayden. Stone & Co. says concerning the copper slt- nation:
 Copper is a metal that stands in , a class by itself IL is unique in that. generally speaking. there is no sub stitUte for it; particularly is this the case where it is used for war pur- poses. It is adaptable and enduring to a marked degree and therefore is be- ing used for thousand and one things associated chiefly with muni- tions, telegraphiAg. telephonmg. ship and engine building. locomotives. rail. read work, etc,
 Copper is in a unique position. and if the market had been left Co take ! care oi itself. supply and demand be- ing the controlling factors. the price Wouit today be 70 cents per pound and hitie ohtainable even at that figure.
 't may be recalled that copper sold up to B cents last spring. At that time production was at top notch and the United States was buying on q peace basis practically nothing. Con- pare tEat period with the present. Now the United States is using vast quantities or the metal and because or priority given 70 execution and shipment Of all its orders the copper Is withdrawn from the market in- stantly.
 This country promises to be the largest consumer os copper for war purposes in the world because of the fact that so much Is needed now and forthwith in preparation Of equip ment here and abroad which repre- sentS absolutely new business. This part of the war business. that of pre- paratioa, has long since been cOmplet- cd by, the allies and now they are working for the most part on muni- iions cI which this country is just be- ginning.
 AS To the statistical position. the public records show expOrtS averar. ing 10000 tons monthly for first 10 months Of lSl7 compared with s7.Soa tons for same period Of 1916. a gain or 70 per cent. The exports for the ilrSt I've months averaged 47.OO0 tons; Tor second five months the aver age was SS,0o0 tons: scarcity of steamship tonnage was chiefly re. spOnSiole for the falling off.
 The record Of shipments January to May is fairly representative of what the exports are likely to be from now on. We will asume. therefore. that the allies and foreign industries will require approximately per month So.OOo tons. and that the United States government and domestic in. duStrieS will take. if any. when il is to oe Lad. per month 65.000 tons. there Is shown a monthly reQuirement of llS.Oe0 tons against which there nas been a production for October of about SS.0O0 tons and November %. 0o0O tons with gradual increase i'm prospect and available for market as refined copper by March or April next Of llS.e00 tons monthly.
 The world has lost production because of strikes and lowering of price Ot at least l00.O00 tons which can never be made up. This lost pro ductiOn Of the past six months. taken m connection with the entry Of the
 +%-NN@ ~HNANNN AANO AAN ulIEkGA A~ 70 buyer. has brought about an acute shortage m supply. and nOtwithStand. ing the producers committee Is dis tr'huting the output with absolute impSrtiality and on the principle of the greatest good tO the greatest mum. Der. tee selling agencies are said Co he at present time more than a month behind in taking care of their orders.
 This condition will not correct it- self until supply largely exceeds de mand. and this is not likely to be realiRed during the war as not only have the producers to provide for the great war demand in all probability up Co the signing Of peace. but for the mSiStent domestic demand for indus try which is calling for all the copper Il can get and would take as much more it it were to be had"