Bisbee daily review., 1919-07-31
SURPRISING FIGURES REVEALED IN
 INCREASED COSTS IF PRODUCTION IF COPPER; MATERIAL PRICES SOAR
Nearly Every Product Needed in Mining and Smelling of Red Metal From 25 to 800 Pct Higher Than in 1914; 0
 Coal Powder FuSe Dynamite Timber, Steel, Labor and Mill Prices Avate, But Warren Mines Still "Carry 0n

"A survey yesterday of the prices for essentials being paid by the mining companies of the Warren district re- vealed some surprising figures on the extent to which basic costs have risen in the last few years and cast an il- luminating sidelights on the increased cost of copper production. While in a few instances the cessation of hos tiiities has brought about slight re- auctions in the price of materials, a comparison with before-the-war costs shows that nearly every product need ed in mining and smeiting the red metal is from 25 per cent to 800 per cent higher than in 1914.
 Little hope of any early or marked reduction in these prices was held out by the men whose business it is to watch the worlds markets. Indeed, the impression prevailed, that prices are firm" - extremely firm - and show every indication of becoming firmer. Cement is about the only ray of sunshine amidst the gloom, having for some reason made but a slight ad- vance in the last five years
 Fuel Oil One of Chief Costs.
 In both Bisbee and Douglas one of the chief items of cost in the produc- tion of copper is fuel oil. The local companies use the oil produced in the California fields and approximately nine carloads a day are being deliver ed here and in the shelter city. Fuel oil shows an increase of 90 per cent over the prices prevailing five years ago. This is for oil delivered to the consumer.
 While oil has largely displaced coal, a considerable amount of this old, re- liable fuel is still being used and shows an increase of between 100 per cent and 300 per cent according to quality. The coal used in this dis trict comes largely from the New Mexico fields. Coke, of which a large quantity is used in the smelters at Douglas, has, gone up about 75 per cent.
 Prices of Explosives Soar.
 The price of powder and dynamite has been affected perhaps more than any other commodity by the war. At one time during the conflict the. price of dynamite scared to 130 per cent more than it's peace time status. Since the cessation of hostilities dynamite prices have been going down some what until it costs "only'' S6 per cent more than 1914. Fust shows an ad- vance of 93 per cent, and caps S2 per cent. One of the large companies in this district had until recently been using 125,0O0 pounds of dynamite month, so in the aggregate the S6 per cent increase represents at the end of a year a considerable fortune.
 Timber Important Cost.
 Timber for timbering the mines is another tremendously important item of expense, five to six million feet month being necessary to supply the local demand. This timber comes largely from Oregon and Washington and is landed at Los Angeles by the ocean route. Just at present timbers cost 100 per cent more than they did in 1914 and there is every indication of another advance.
 Steel Up POO Per Cent.
 Steel also plays an important part in the increased cost of copper pro- duction. The base for steel bars at Pittsburg in 1914 was $115. Today it is $3.25, an approximate advance of 200 per cent. A proportional increase is shown in the prices for angles and plates, channels, beams and structur- al steel.
 AS a consequence of the heavy ad- vances in steel and iron all sorts of machinery and tools show core