Bisbee daily review., 1918-03-06
Wednesday Morning, March 6, 1918.
COPPER IN THE UNITED STATES.

This country is threatened with, not only curtailment in supply of copper, but an actual famine in copper Expectations of metal to the allies during the past year have incresed largely; of ,800.000 pounds of raw metal, last year 100000 was shipped abroad, 326, 760, 900 more pounds than were exported in 1916. These fig ures do not include products of copper, which would make a large addition to the total Production in the past few months has fallen off Rich ore reserves have been eaten into at the expense of low grade re- serves. Development and exploration has been harnpered if not altogether halted. And small properties have been forced to cease operations.
 Now comes the first actual instance wherein Is cited copper shortage in the United States, and wherein is written the first warning of an approaching famine. in Los Angeles, copper wire has become so scarce that the telephone companies have been forced to substitute iron wire for short connections The Los Angeles Times reports the case as follows:
 Owing to the shortage of copper wire. the Southern California Telephone Com pany was granted permission yesterday by the Board Of Public Utilities to use iroh lines to buildings. including houses and business structures.
 Copper mines and their operators have for several months past realized that this condition would be inevitable. The low price set by the government for their prod uct has been cited frequently as the chief contributing element to threatened short age Conditions arising from the present fixed maximum price have forced on the operator conditions which he has been powerless to overcome. Strive as he may he has been able to produce just so much ore. just so much refined metal Mean time he has been forced to forego improve ments and work which IS absolutely neces- sary to the future of his mine.
 In keeping copper production at its pres ent level the operators have sacrificed more than can be estimated. To understand this sacrifice, however, 1t Is necessary to know that the supply of miners and qualified workmen in the mines depends today on the wage. scale, and that the wage scale is fixed accbrding to the price of copper as set by the government Without higher wages than are paid in other crafts the mines cannot retain full forces of skilled operatives. Without full forces, produc- ton suffers, development and exploration is practically suspended, and rich ore re- serves are mined, while poorer rock, for merly mixed with the rich, is practically abandoned. The result is a sacrifice in the future of the property, deterioration of reserve values, an unbalanced mining pro gram, and needless waste of much low grade ore which otherwise might be smelted
 Just such conditions have the mine owners faced for the past eight months. Higher wages have attracted their skilled men to other crafts. Lack of operatives has occasioned sacrifices of ore reserves, cur tailment of development and exploration, and neglect of low-grade rock Meantime, ore reserves have been drawn on so heavily that they are becoming less productive. And the result has been gradual falling off in production, until during the past month low record was attained.
 It is natural that the western coast of the United States first should feel the effec, of the shortage of copper. While the mines are in the west, the great refineries and manufacturing plants are on the Atlantic seaboard But, as surely as the Southern California Telephone Company mas felt the stringency the remainder of the nation will be affected if alleviation IS not provided.
 Mine operators and operatives are work