Bisbee daily review., 1919-02-16
COPPER OUTLOOK
 FOR 1919 BRIGHT
Good Demand Expected. and Few Months Industry
 Should Improve

President Walter Douglas of the Phelps Dodge corporation through the simplicity of it's treatment or the ob Ticus and fundamental facts involved in the copper industry. wIlI go far 10 wad el3rifying the situation for the lay resder. The article fOllows-
 In marked contrast with conditions prevailing during the previous year, the copper indurry of Arizona was practically free from labor disturb snces in 1918 This most desirable result Eas 10 large extent due 10 the able and intelligent control and super vision exercised by HyWen Davies and Joseph S. Nyers, federal mediatOFs or the bureau Of IaLcr With the .sJS- Crnment demanding a maximum out put of metal the production reached record proportions, but al the ex- pense, through shortage of skilled Ia Dor, of development and exploration in the mines, and proper maintenance of the plants and mechanical equip ment.
 Gain in Production
 The production in Arizona for 1918 
 mated) will probably attain the high figure of 76O.00O, 900 pounds or ap- proximately 100, ,0O0, ,00O pounds more than in the previous year.
 The 231z cent price agreed upon between the copper producers and the price fixing committee on September 21, 1917, remained in force until July, 1918, when an increase of 21z cents per pound was permitted, to take care Of increased costs created by the raise in freight rates and higher tolls demanded by the refiners- A wage increase. amounting to 75 cents per day, was also at that tIme granted to all classes of labor in the industry, as a compensation for the increased cost of living. The average copper quota ton for the year. will, therefore, ap- prOximate 21z cents per pound less than in 1917: though the cost Of pre- duetiOn, owing to the above factors. together with marked decrease in la bOr efficiency, increased greatly
 Strikes Retarded Output
 The most notable contributors to the grand total for the year are the NeE COrnelia, which completed it's first calendar year of regular opera tion; the Inspiration; the United Verde, the Miami and the Phelps Dodge corporation, all Of which were retarded in 1917 by strikes which pre- vented their attaining maximum out put Certain other large producers showed small decreases, due to local conditions which did not affect the industry as a whole The new smelt- cry of the United Verde in the Je- rome district, was placed in operation in July, and thereafter that company treated all its own ores and ceased shipments to the customs smelters-
 Development Work Postponed
 For the first time in many years it is not possible to report new additions to the number of the larger mines, nor is there immediate prospects of any accessiOns to the list of important copper producers in the state.
 For the last four years every prop erty has been pushed to it's capacity to get out the maximum tonnage of ore and thus has been compelled to neg lect or postpone its development and exploratory work os that it is prob able that with the pressure removed the metal production in 1919 will show a very material decrease. Inability to obtain material for construction or re- pairs has seriously affected the eff ciency of the plants, and it will prob ably take at least six months or a year of heavy expenditures of capital and labor to restore their physical condition to that of the pre-war period. both above and below ground.
 
 With the prospect of arecord- breaking demand for the red metal within the next few months, or when satisfactory financing has been ar ranged. the present situation is ideal to bring operating conditions to a standardw hich will permit of maxi mum output within a reasonable time. Producing. tse he United States does. nearly 80 per cent of the copper sup ply of the world, the country will be called upon to furnish the require ments not only of the domestic mar ket, but of the large tonnage which will be needed for the rehabilitation oi the industrial sections of northern France and Belgium IT, as is estimat ed. 30 per cent of the copper prOduc- ton in the last three years has en- tered into teh manufacture of essen italy war material, the majority of Whie has been only 20 per cent appli cable to the peace industries of the world It is obvious therefore, that to furnish the necessary supply for nor nal industrial requirements, replace ments and deferred extensions. the mines of the world can be called upon in the near future for an output that will be inadequate to meet the bs mand
 With an improved labor supply and a reasonable time in which to ore pare. Arizona mines can be confident ly counted upon for an increased out put of copper for many years.