Bisbee daily review., 1920-05-19
WORLD DEMAND
 FOR RED ME TAI GROWING FAST.
Walter Douglas Says Surplus Stocks are Decreasing in
 Copper Centers

The consumption of copper in the world is enormous at the pres
 ent time, according to Walter Douglas, president Of the Phelps Dodge corporation. Mr. Douglas said that the outlook for a heavy demand for copper in the future is regarded as certain and fixed,
 though there had been much inter- ference with consumption by rail
 road strikes and the strike of the longshormen in New York during the winter and spring. These
 strikes have not only interfered
 with the movement of the copper
 output from the reduction works,
 but they had prevented the copper
 fabricators from delivering the fin
 ished copper to customers. nc es-
 tmated that the fabricators had r. lost at least six weeks time in de- |, liveries on account of strikes.
 Consumption Great
 MT. Douglas said that the consump tion of copper in the world has reacnro an enormous amount, compared with all past periods in the worlds history. The worlds consumption for the year ending, April l, 1929, amounted to two billion and a half pounds; of this amount the United States produced a million and half pounds during that period of time. In March there was a heavy demand for copper in this coun- try; the demand was comparatively light for April, said Mir. Douglas, who added that sales of copper were often Ispasmodic.
 The Phelps-Dodge corporation, ac- cording to Mir Douglas, is now engag ed in expanding it's plants at many points, with expectations of increas- ing demand for the red metal. At Naco- Zari, Mex. the concentrating mills be- ing doubled in capacity from 1900 tons daily to 5000 tons daily; at Tyrone, N. NJ, the mill is being enlaged and will have a new, capacity for treating 1900 tons daily, which will be an in crease of 400 tons. In the Warren district the Copper Queen branch is constructing a concentrating mill which will have a capacity of 4000 tons daily and the calculations are that this mill will be ready for operation at the beginning of next year.
 Important Work Planned Here Mir Douglas spoke of tentative plans and tests which are underway in Doug las which would mean important work at the shelter of the Copper Queen branch in Douglas.
 The plans and tests which have been going on for many months
 are expected to be ready for final consideration some time next
 month. The smelter is expected
 to undergo many changes, so that
 the increased output at Nacozari, Tyrone and Bisbee. Just what the
 alterations will consist of cannot be stated now, but that will be a story of importance to Douglas when the plans have been ap- proved and work ordered started. MT. Douglas said that these eXpan- sions were being taken care of now as means of giving employment to 1 laborers who would otherwise be ! tion period. Then. he said that it was desirable to be ready for meet ing the future demand for copper which he regarded as drawing near.
 Surplus copper Disappearing
 Mir. Douglas said that the present amount of copper on hand did not ex' ceed one,third. of the amount on January 1, 1919, thus showing de crease in the surplus stocks of two thirds in 16 months. This he regard ed as very satisfactory showing for the industry.
 MT. Douglas is staying at Douglas and expects to be in this section several weeks before returning to his home in New York.