The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-01-16
Operators Reticent
but Generally
Optimistic,
MARKET WILL RECOVER
Hercules Has Few Men on
Development.-Brit EN-.
barge on Lead
THE mining situation In the Occur
d'Alene district remains un-
chanped The radunad nricn Of


changed. The reduced price Of
lead and the absence Of demand
Tor the metal has naturally reacted
upon production, causing curtailment
generally, and with the exception OF
the two mines which have closed
down. this reduction in output is be-
ing accomplished without reducing
working forces to any great extent up
to date. Hecla, for instance, Ia work.
ing SIX days week instead of seven
and Is carrying on more development
work in proportion to mine produc-
tion. The Gem mill Is handling about
ten carloads of ore per day instead
OF fourteen as formerly On this basis
IL Is understood that the company Is
earning a profit. due probably to the
fixed price of silver. In a general way
this seems to be the policy adopted
by all the active producers of the dis
trict' The directing heads OF local
companies are still reticent in the
matter of expressing an unqualified
opinion regarding the future, but Il
Is evident that the belief prevails
among them that, while the lead situ-
alton is unsatisfactory, 1t will not last
long. The real trouble does not ap-
pear to be based upon fear of still
lower quotations, but rather upon an
insufficient demand to keen the metal
moving. 1t Is believed that this con-
dition will be Of short duration, being
the unavoidable result Of readjustment
while the people Of the country are
marking time and getting their bear
lngs preparatory to directing their
energies toward other than war ac-
tivities
Although the Hercules and Tamar-
ack have suspended production alto
gether it is learned that some 80 or
40 men are retained at the Hercules
on development work and 1t Is possi-
bic that a few are thus employed at
the Tamarack. Although no informa.
ton has been given out regarding the
duration of the shutdown, it is not
probable that there will be a resump.
ton until the lead market recoyers.
AS the Northport smelter depends
upon the Hercules and Tamarack for
ore, its suspension is also anticipated.
The Bunker Hill smelter Is running
as usual. and while there will neces-
sarily be a reduction in its output.
there Is no apprehension regarding ita
continuous operation. The company
Is understood to be storing its lead
bullion at the smeter and shipping
its silver, for which the government
continues to maintain the price and
for which there is an ever increasing
demand.
While there is probably little de-
mand for lead In Europe. 1t Is under.
stood that American producers are
barred from exporting through an ex-
cessive freight rate Of AZ cents per
pound How this rate can be main
tained effectively with the numerous
steamship lines is not clear,
but the report persists that such is the
fact. 1t is also stated that the British
government has placed an embargo on
Importation of lead. This was done
to protect the price Of large stock
Of lead in England, said to be $4,000
tons, on hand when the war closed and
which was bought at war prices. The
quoted price Of lead in London is ap-
proximately Sk cents per pound.
There is also reported quite q large
surplus Of lead in Canada accumulat-
ed during the war; which is also being
protected by the Canadian govern
ment through the exaction Of a pro-
hibitive freight rate on imported lead.