Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-05-27
CONDITION OF BUSINESS
IN THE CITY OF PRESCOTT
Review of the Growth of the City the Past Few
Months What Is Being DOne---What
Business Men Say.

There has been some complaint OF
late that business has been a little
dull in Prescott and some have even
ventured the assertion that the city
was threatened with set back, from
business standpoint, or had reached
the limits of its growth. There are
always a few pessimistic individuals
in every community who think the
place is bound to go to the dogs, and
Prescott is no exception to the rule,
for few people have been saying for
the past twenty years that the city
could not grow any more and property
values were bound to decrease. In
spite of these predictions the city has
almost doubled during the past three
years and when the cold facts are
looked into there is an indication that
the growth of the city has only fairly
begun, and that within the next five
years Prescott will be city of 5000
inhabitants.
For the benefit of those who think
that the limit of growth has been
reached in Prescott and that business
is dull, the Journal Miner will give a
few of the facts as they actually exist,
and which can be verified by investi-
cation.
Probably there is no greater evil
dence of the growth and prosperity
of the city than that furnished by the
telephone exchange. Manager Wright,
of the Prescott Electric company re-
ports an unprecedented demand for
telephones, the demand being greater
than the present supply, and in spite
of the effort of this company to keep
up with the demand for phones they
have been unable to do so. During
the past year nearly 300 new phones
have been put in and fully that many
more are expected to be placed in the
next twelve months.
Then comes the testimony from the
postoffice. Postmaster Smith reports
very marked increase in the bust
ness of the office during the past year
and every month adds to the volume.
Official reports show a greater per
centage of gain in the Prescott post
office than any other pOstottice of
any size in the territory.
An inquiry into the amount of bus
iness being transacted by the railroad
company brought forth the informa
ton that business was never better,
and that the company is constantly
adding to their force of men and
rolling stock in order to handle the
business. One of the employees of the
road, when asked regarding the vol
ume of freight being handed, said it
did not look like business was falling
off very bad, when fifteen cars of local
freight had been received Thursday for
Prescott merchants, seven of which
we're for one firm, the B. B Co.
A glance at the latest reports of the
local banks show the amount of money
on hand to be greater than ever be-
fore, and as further evidence of the
confidence that is displayed by men
who are in touch with the financial
conditions of the community, Messrs.
Hazeltine and Fredericks, cashiers of
the Bank of Arizona and Prescott Ma
tional Bank, respectively, have each
only recently completed and occupied
magnificent new residences, the costs
of which ran up into the thousands
several notches. If these gentlemen
did not know that the future outlook
for the city was good they would not
have put $40, 900 or $4,000 each into
residence property.
Another strong Indication of the
growth that is expected of the city is
the fact that men of means and good
sound business judgment are making
and in fact have started
the actual work of putting in an
electric street railway system, which
will mean an expenditure of hundreds
OF thousands of dollars before its COM
pletion.
Among the public improvements
which are now being made and which
are contemplated is the extension of
the water and sewer systems, for
which our people have recently voted /
to issue 800, 900 in bonds, and on |
which work will soon be commenced. |
Also the magnificent new $40, 900
school building which is now nearing I
and which will be second |
to no school building of its size in
the west. In this connection it might /
be mentioned that only a few days
ago the property owners and tax pay
ers of the city voted almost unani ,
for the establishment of an up !
to date high school.
Work is now progressing nicely on
the new public library building. This
building will cost in the neighborhood .
of 50, 600 when competed, ana will be
a handsome and useful structure.
In the way of private building and
may be cited the fol-
lowing, which does not indicate that
the improvements are at a standstill .
in Prescott:
John Gundall is just beginning the
erection of $4,000 business block
on north Cortez street.
A. Blumberg is excavating for a /
splendid business block on north Cor
teZ street.
A. ]. Head is just completing the
erection of a three story business |
block, the lower story of which is oc-
cupied by wholesale grocery firm
and the two upper stories will be fit |
ted up as lodging rooms. Mr.. Head /
is now in Los Angeles to make ar
for the moving of his res
idence building to Montezuma street !
and as soon as that is out of the way |
he will put up another large brick /
business block between the postoffice !
and his new building.
+. NJ. Murphy is now rushing work /
on the magnificent new club building |
on the corner of Marina and Gurley |
streets, which means an outlay of $4,000 /
to $1,000.
Robert Morrison, who only last year
built one of the finest residences |
houses in the city for his own home, /
is now putting up another magnificent !
property just across Ma