The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-08-29
SHORTAGE Of LEAD
HAS BECOME ACUTE
All lNon-Essential
Uses Must Be Dis
continued.
SHORTAGE OF LABOR
Outlook for Zinc Is Regarded
More Encouraging--.Fix
Grade Prices.
SHORTAGE OF LABOR
"HE DECREASE in the produc-
tion of lead has become so seri-
Gus that the government has

found it necessary to ex-
ution. The war requirements of
the government are very large and
steadily increasing and these must be
supplied, together with those of other
industries directly engaged in the
manufacture of war supplies. Short
age of labor for the mines is the cause
of the reduced output and this will
become more acute unless the govern
ment can adopt measures for the re-
lief of the situation. In this district,
which Is one of the chief sources OF
lead supply, all of the mines are short,
some of them not having half the nor
NAL force. To meet the emergency
the government is taking steps to
eliminate all non essential uses of
lead. Under date of August 20 the
following notice was sent out by Clin-
ton Fl. Crane chairman of the gov
ernment lead producers committee:
Regulate Consumption.
"The demand for pig lead for use
on our vital war work is now so acute
that all possible conservation Of the
existing supply has become impera-
tive. The lead producers committee
cooperation to this end of every man
ufacturer and dealer. All are asked
to endeaVor to eliminate non essential
uses of lead in order that there may
direct United States government or
ders and for other work of national
Importance 1t is necessary that all
consumers and jobbers refrain from
as will allow a reasonable working
margin. No pig lead whatsoever will
be sold by producers for resale in car
load lots. Remelted or scrap lead Is
the current market for virgin lead.
Retail dealers may be supplied solely
on the basis of their agreement to re-
sell only to customers whose require
to limit the price charged to 1a cent
per pound in excess OF the ruling
wholesale price"
Hard to Get Lead.
In its weekly review of the metal
markets on August 81, the Engineer
ing and Mining Journal has this COM
ment:
"Lead-The situation remains un-
changed. August lead is no longer to
be had, and practically the same can
be said of September supply. Anyhow
the latter is very scarce indeed. The
production of domestic lead in the
first semester of 1918 was 266,S74 tons,
not including antimonial. This figure
Is to be compared with $4,000 for the
whole of 1917 and $4,000 tons in 1916;
wherefore it is evident that there has
been serious decline in production,
which Is the root of the present trou-
BILE. The present effort is to reduce
ncn- essential consumption still fur
ther,"
Zinc OutlOok improves.
The same publication has the fol-
lowing observations on the zinc sit
uation:
"Zinc-This market advanced rath-
er rapidly on only a moderate volume
of business. The reasons for the ad-
vance are rather mysterious. The
weekly statistics that are now being
published have been favorable, and
without reflecting any fundamental
change they have undoubtedly created
a more optimistic sentiment. Some
recent buying for export to Japan has
probably had an effect also. We are
inclined to think however, that some
domestic manufacturers who have
failed to cover their requirements for
the remainder of this year have over
stayed their market too long. On the
10Th spelter was sold at S75c In the
early part of the day, while in the lat
ter part S.S5c was realized for round
lot, with buyers over. On the Goth SC
was realized, and on the 21st there
were sales in the morning at &C., and
in the afternoon, at 9bc with buyers
over.
'iThe sheet zinc producers met the
war industries board on August 21
and discussed price, with the result
Of an agreement to maintain the ex-
listing prices. The producers proved
substantial increases in cost Of pro-
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