The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-25
For the Good of
 the Community

copper ana Inln0Tdl OILS, Ino Dulk or the exportations coming to the United States, with nitrates and copper increasing from 1914 to 1918 and mineral oils decreasing.
 Chile and Peru are the chief producers of copper and they also export some man. ganese iron ores to the United States, a small tonnage of it coming to the Bir- mingham district.
 Copper is being mined on a much larger scale in recent years, one or two big American interests having invested sev- eral million dollars in the industry in Chile, particularly.
 From 1910 to 1913 Chile produced an nually about 45,000 long tons of copper, with Peru making a close second With the opening of hostilities in Europe in 1914 both production and exportation of this mineral increased heavily, averaging 4,800 tons from Chile annually from 1914 to 1918 with an average of 45,800 long tons in Peru during the same period This record of exports to the United States was made. Some copper went to England and France, but on account of the hazards of the sea due to submarines and floating mines those markets were practically closed for four or five years.
 It was estimated on July that impor- tations into the United States for the year 1919 would be about 100000 long tons, owing to large supply having been accu- mulated in this country during the last year or two of the war;
 The sugar industry has been growing in importance in the west coast countries in recent years and the United States has been a liberal purchaser of this, most of the importations being brought to this country to be refined. Chile however, has built number of refineries and it is be- lieved that the cane grown in Chile and Peru and the other west coast countries will hereafter be refined in that country, or at least the greater part of 1t.
 Chilean and Peruvian wool was eX- ported to the United States in consideraA ble quantities during the war, increasing from 2246 long tons in 1915 to 12,752 long tons in 1918.
 Peru, Chile and Ecuador shipped large quantities of hides and skins to the United States, totaling 10000 long tons in 1918.
 The argument in favor of Birmingham as a center of the leather products indus try applies equally to the hide products of 2 tlC WCOC COctSI dS u UIlG OdSC COdSC.
 Transportation on the Warrior river which enables Birmingham to get these products from the west coast of South America at less freight cost than the ports on the Atlantic coast makes this an espe- cially favorable location for the develop 'ment of the leather and leather products industry
 The hides that come in from all South American countries go for the larger part to Wisconsin, where they are tanned and then shipped to the shoe and leather goods factories scattered over the coun- t try
 The freight charge to Wisconsin is con- siderably heavier than to Birmingham, as the rail haul is several hundred miles, ! whereas barges receiving the shipments from ocean steamers at Mobile can lay them down here at 20 per cent less than the rail haul from that port. Wisconsin is about 1000 miles from the nearest At lantic port and almost as distant from the nearest gulf port
 With ocean rates to the gulf and the IL.