Show possibilities OF LEAD there seems to be a growing impression that this country is reeling headlong into a lead famine and that if the situation does not soon improve we shall be experiencing a similar condition to that which has been prevailing as a result of shortage in the gasoline industry in fact one of our friends george huston of the engineering firm of huston thayer mullan idaho believes that lead is destined to play such a prominent part in the transportation of humanity in the future that the demand for the metal in the automobile and kindred industries will necessitate the opening of many new mines before production can be expected to anywhere near approach consumptive requirements in a letter to the mining review the other day mr huston says in common with the production of gasoline which now is at the point of limiting the manufacture of internal combustion machinery must be kept in view the production of lead gasoline and oil shortage are also the limiting factors in the design of a cheap machine for city transportation work to relieve population congestion in the cities and to make it possible to enjoy life in the suburbs under cheaper and better living conditions some cheap invention is necessary that will provide adequate and rapid haulage facilities for the masses who find employment in the commercial and manufacturing centers that inventive minds are working on this problem is certain in the popular science monthly for july I 1 notice a description of a cheap automobile employing electric drive that seems to be a step in the right direction this utilizes the storage battery which can be easily recharged and stored and is good for thirty miles under almost any condition of weather and service the battery is made of lead mostly Edi sons battery made of nickel and cobalt will do but the first cost is treble that of lead though yielding longer ability cobalt and nickel is rare in occurrence experts believe that lead will be the storage battery metal of the future for auto and all other individual and isolated lighting sets or units already the consumption of lead for automobile work is alarming those who know intimately the facts concerning production of the metal it begins to look as if street railways in cities are doomed to very much curtailed operation under the competition of gasoline propelled vehicles and their escape from bankruptcy and growing competitive conditions may lie through conversion of their power plants into generating centers for the distribution of electric current to battery chargi charging n g stations etc for the new classes of vehicle that is surely crowding the street car to the wall streets I 1 believe are due soon to be cleared of rails cars and other impediment ia and given over to the use of electric and other classes of automobile we know from study that lead production in the united states is in a bad way for the future its production could be easily and quickly overtaken by an inflated demand due to some invention satisfying a popular need which Is precisely what the use of automobile and truck has done for the gasoline industry prevailing prices of lead are indicative of the short supply while the lack of new shippers for years back producing in sufficient volume to replace the output of old exhausted mines confirms and emphasizes the apparent shortage of the black metal we have had a high tariff fence around load lead particularly in its raw form of ore since the windom decision of 1882 inside of which we have depleted our supplies with great rapidity the war pushed production to the point of exhaustion of every old dump and tailings pile without compensating development of new sources of supply due to lack of manpower man power during the war and the disinclination of men to work pince the war closed so as previously stated we would be decidedly up against it should a sudden popular demand occur for lead in connection with alth the automobile industry as lately befell the production of gasoline and oil while agreeing with mr huston on the world scarcity of lead and the apparent need of greater production we fail to see where the use of the metal in the automobile industry is going to create any alarming condition it may become a greater factor than it is at present that seems natural enough but a sudden determination to paint every barn in the united states that his has been neglected for several years would cut closer to exhausting the supply than most anything else that could happen at any rate it behooves the lead and silver miners and those seeking profitable investment to make possible a larger production the decks of the commercial financial and industrial craft of the country are being gradually cleared for action and it is not going to be long till the demand for all metals will far outstrip production now is the time to make ready to meet future requirements |