The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-04-17
MARKET IS BETTER
FOR LEAD AND ZINC
Steady Increase in
Buying is Ex-
pected
WILL WAIT NO LONGER
Large Producers of Metals
Take Optomistic View.
Local Situation
WILL WAIT NO LONGER
.HE METAL situation Is improv-
ing and beneficial effects are al
ready being felt In the Occur

ing and beneficial effects are al
ready being felt In the Occur
d'Alene district. While the con-
dition of the market for lead and zinc
SHOWS no material change, there ap-
pears to be no apprehension that IL
Will become worse, and on the other
hand there Is an unmistakable feeling
of conAdcnce among men closely iden-
titled with large lead and zinc produc-
ing companies, who keep in close
touch with consumers of these metals,
that the tide has turned and that we
may now expect a steady increase In
the demand for the metals. This feel
ing is reflected locally by the large
number of development companies
which have resumed operations or are
preparing to do so, and especially Is
it reflected in the resumption Of two
of the large lead producing mines
which have been idle for four months.
The best feature of the situation Is
the beginning of long period Of pros
perity for the mining industry. For
four years there was almost a COM
plete cessation of building operations,
public and private improvements
which under normal conditions pro-
vide the chief market for the metals.
The entire product went into NUM-
tions Of war. Now that the people are
beginning to realize that a return to
normal prices does not mean a return
to pre-war prices, that business Is 60
ing to be conducted upon higher cost
level, the tendency is to proceed with
public and private improvements
without waiting for further reduction
in prices which may never come, and
which will certainly never reach the
level that prevailed before the war;
Lead Outlook Good.
President Cornish of the National
Lead company in recent interview
in the Boston News Bureau empha-
sizes that there never was a time
when there was so much need for the
products Of the company as at pres
ent, due to deferred building and
painting operations during the war;
He says stocks of merchandise in re-
tailers' hands are the lowest ever
known at this period of the year and
looks for consuming demand to set
in in the spring months that will
speedily reestablish good business
conditions. While the price Of lead
has suffered with that of other metals
since the close of the war. recent re-
ports from large consumers and mar
keting interests indicate that the con-
dltion of the lead business Is very sat
isfactory and an immediate demand Is
expected for about the normal pre-
war consumption plus an added de-
mand, due to deferred industrial i'm
provements and manufacture which
soon will be in the market for the
metal.
Zinc Market Improves.
The Butte & Superior company, Of
Butte, one of the largest zinc produc-
ers In the country, which has been
! oh q oooiS VI dOoul w pei
cent production since the armistice,
will this week increase its output to
about rs per cent, according to a
statement by ]. L. Bruce, manager.
This announcement is made in the
following from the Anaconda Stand
ard of last Monday:
Improved conditions in the demand
for zinc in the eastern markets has
caused the Butte & Superior company
to increase production, and the work.
ing force at the Black Rock mine has
been increased by about $50 men in
the last two days. According to a
statement made by President J. l..
Bruce last night, production will be
normal. Since the armistice was sign
ed the Black Rock has been running
about so per cent.
"Mr. Bruce has just returned from
an extended visit to New York and
, other eastern cities He found that
the demand for zinc was increasing
! steadily in the east and manufactur-
ers Of galvanized iron products have
resumed the purchase of zinc metal
: to considerable extent. Deferred do
mestic orders in other lines are now
: being filled, building is to be resumed
very soon and manufacturers of brass
, utensils are getting busy,
e "All of this has taken up consider