Show COPPER INDUSTRY prosperous the midyear mid year review of the copper situation by B S butler of the united states geological survey records a general betterment in the six months period at the beginning of the year 1915 most 0 of f the large copper producing companies of the united states had for nearly five months been operating on a 50 to 60 per cent basis and probably none were producing at normal capacity A considerable proportion of the smaller producers had shut down their plants where this could be done without great loss developments and improvements had been generally suspended copper was selling below 13 cents a pound and had been considerably lower wages had been reduced in most of camps and many men had been either laid off or were employed only part time soon after the first of the year however there was a notable improvement in the demand for copper and the price has rather steadily advanced from below 13 cents to about 20 cents a pound the highest price reached since 1907 with the increase in demand and the advance in price there has been a corresponding steady increase in in the production of the metal and at the present time most of the larger producers have brought their output to normal while many of the smaller producers have lave resumed operations the output of copper has also probably nearly or quite reached the normal wages have been raised in the camps where reduction had taken place and the industry in general is in a highly prosperous condition |