The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-01-09
EXPLOSIVES COST
TOO MUCH MONEY

III Out WIN 10 PiOQutAAk 6Olu at a
cost of s21 to s22 per ounce, the
declaration of peace holds out some
hope. Indeed, it is difficult to under
stand why the granting Of m ,rmis-
tice has not already been felt liz OH
of our supply bills. What the govern
ment can and will do to stimulate the
production of a metal which we are
given to understand by financiers is
greatly needed is something beyond
the writer's ken. 1t would seem that
gold was a peace metal rather than a
war metal. Certainly the necessity
for its production has not disappeared
with the cessation of hostilities, and
it may be that the demand for 1t will
grow more rapidly than we who are
holding on by the ragged edge can
now hope for. With the cessation of
hostilities we should see a material
reduction in our fuel bills, the bills
for machinery, tools, steel, and explo-
sives; and in due time, as the cost of
food and clothing drops, we will hope
to get more tons broken for $40 than
are being broken today.
A large item entering into our min
ing costs is that of explosives. l think
that it would be fair to say that the
increased cost of explosives has been
much greater than the increased cost
of their production; and now that the
demand for high explosives has al
ready fallen off, we ought to begin to
benefit. If we do not, this is some
thing on which we might call for Fed
eral assistance.
My hope, that it will come naturally
in the everyday our of business, Is
based to some extent upon an address
by Colonel E. G. Buchanan of the Du
Pont company, delivered before that
company's statesmen on June 10 last.
Colonel Buchanan was not dealing
directly with mine explosives, which
at that time formed but a trifing por-
ton of the output of the Du Pont
company, but his remarks must GER
tainly reflect the general policy of the
organization, which could not justify
the adoption of a different policy
toward blasting powder, 30 essential
to the production of raw material for
was purposes and for the production
of gold.
l quote a few passages from Colonel
Buckman's remarks respecting prices
for firearms explosives:
I'VE have never raised our price to
a single n of III regular custom
ers here in the United States. /. +.
Home military concerns have been
charged throughout the period of the
war our regular pre-war prices, and
also have been given the benefit of
every reduction.
Throughout 1914, 1915 and 1916,
when the price ranged 81, 80 cents
and 80 cents to foreign governments.
we furnished the United States army
and navy all their requirements of
smokeless powder at SO and
SO cents per pound"
Prices quoted show powder selling
at 81 per pound in October. 1914, with
gradual reductions, until in April,
1917, it reached ATM cents per pound.
Invention after invention. economy
after economy, were developed for
savings which more than kept pace
with the rapid increase of raw mate
rial and labor. 1t was not costing the
steel producers 100 per cent more to
produce a ton of steel, but the supply
and demand enabled them to charge
more, and they did SO.
Our price on INT has been re-
duced from time to time, until now
we sell at 35 cents per pound. as
against 81 in the beginning, which is
nearly as low as the pre-war price of
20 cents.
I'm April, 1917, the Du Pont bid for
llO,UUU,UOV POuHuo VI POWuSi " thc
United States, which is today selling
its product at less than pre-war
prices. AS fast as it could do
so, it has of it's own volition reduced
the prices"
To one who has been paying ever
prices for dynamite during the
period of the war, these quotations
do not make pleasant reading. He
feels that the mines must have been
singled out as legitimate game. If
the government really needs the gold.
and If we are willing to mine 1t at
little or no profit to ourselves, GER
we should not be called upon
to pay large profits to those who fur
nish us with supplies.
We have nc desire to see our gov
eminent go into the production of