El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-11-11
ELL PASO'S CURIO TRADE.
1t is Much Larger Than Most People
Imagine.


The curio business of Ell Paso is
factor in it's commerce, far gre ater
than II OF people imsgir e. 1t Is not
in the re Ill business that is done dur
ing the winter months, but 1I the
Wholesale trade that is carried on the
year around. Ell PasO curlo houses are
now supplying all parts of the United
S ates trade WITH curlO goods OF all
kinds, but especially those from Mex
leo.
This morning a HERALD reporter
was talking to one of Ell PasO's leading
curio dealers about the wholesale trade
in curious and was surprised at the IN
formation received on that subject.
Orders from Maine to Oregon were
produced to show the scOI G OF country
that depended on Ell PasO for Mexican
curious of every kind. There were Or
ders for flligree work in silver ana
gold, drawn work, csrved leather, pot
Lery, onyx, Mexicsn straw hats and
many other liues. The demand for
this class of goods is much gret ter
than the supply, although the firm has
branch houses in the southern repub-
lie that buy up everything in sight.
In regard to tie trade the dealer
said: The demand for gods IN VIII Oh
we deal Is continually oh .nging. lea
years ago the re was great de mand IN
this country for Mexican pottery ana
at that time we were uraOIe 10 supply
the demand; TT en- all of a sud- IN the
demand for Mexican pottery ceased
md large orders for filligrse work snd
ONYX goods came in. When we first
introduced our carved leather work
the dema was light. but now 1t has
grown to such an extent that we are
unable to, supply the demaLd. This
line OF goods runs in ladies' belts,
purses, pocket and men GRAND um
books, cigar and watch cases and m any
other thir gs in that line. This carv-
ed work is hmething beautiful and Is
wors men in our City of Mexico fac Dry.
The work shoa for Itself and when
compared with American pre- sed ork
it eau be quickly seen which is the
pre- tiest. Take ladies' belts fer n
stsIce, we keep the American made
belt that is ru through rJllers and
pr ssed. This we sell for one dollar
but the Ne khan be 1t is carved By
hand and there is 70 comp rieOn Tor
Mexi, al and American work as 1t can
be quick ly Sc n that the Mexican
work is far super O., ard the Mexican
te't sells readily a: 1928, although
the e IS more pre- fit to US in selllpg tie
AmeriC an :; cit at one dolla
The d mand for onyx goods i stead
lily on tn in rea- G and has be ONE a
sta IL al tic e in commerce because the
goods are mac up for use as well es
cor iosity. I his line of go DIS consists
tf lax stands. paper welgot is, paper
knives, p u hold rs and doz rs o 9th T
useful ard or; am ntai things too 8um-
rouS to M ntiOn.
For Mexican drlvn work We have
strong corp titOrs south tf her. Tt is
is cecavsa of the laXity of customs Of
ficers at Eagle Pass, Lar do AID
Brownsville DR. WI work is light
AID large amount can be hrouga IN
small tur d., thus l tting smugglers
bring in large quan,. isS where The
contact with this o. ditiOn at So An
tonic. There we have to sell drawn
work at actual G st 20 compete with 'he
amount Ct that class of goods that Is
smuggle il at La edo ana Eagle Poss
by news butchers. trail en- and T, gu
lar snuqgfers. The amount of SNUG
Cling carr c On at tbs s. po:uts - al
mos ia al to the drawn wQ"k trr de at
this poirt. excepf for T. ia purposes.
but if the smuggling at those points is
stopped then Fl Pas, can ho d s own
with any American port OF ent on
that liue of go DIS.
The past summer there was a lar e
demand for Mexican straw or palm
haas. IN fact we had orders for l 2OO,
600 Mexican hats during the summer
SEA son, but we could not possibly sup
ply the det.ard, although We tai out
buyers in different rarts OF Mexico,
buying eve"y hat in sight 1t l. diff
ferent tracing in Mexico than in this
country. Take j. the hat trade for
in-tanr e. All the Mexican penn hats
are made in the rural distr let and $. Id
ia the towns untrimmed. Ha'ters in
tie toN rs triB them and put them on
the market, but the trade 80 far / as
never been able to supply the de- |
mand."
This trade brings to Ell Paso every
year thousands OF: dollars from every
part of the country arc At groN ing
yearly.