Arizona republican., 1904-12-25


 Phoenix and the Salt River Valley, is upon the threshold of the most notable industrial activity ever witnessed in any inland region of the south and far west. This comment is not idle nor is the wish the sole warrant for the thought. Business men more than any other, perhaps base their judg- ment on the experiences of themselves or others in other communities under similar conditions. Evident unusual advantages are given careful consider atiOn and proper allowance is made for lacking favorable conditions if any there be. Of all men it behooves them to make no miscalculation for they recognize that the governing influences of prosperity cannot be juggled with nor can the certain effect of immutable laws he avoided.
 There is no section to which this city and valley may be so pertinently compared, as los Angeles and that DOT etion of California immediately tribu tary thereto. In climate there is won derful similarity. What that section gains by the moisture and exhiIaration of ocean breezes in the summertime is compensated for here by healthful lack of humidity the year round. Natural products of farm and garden are too
  only great advantage of that city is tidewater and consequent transconti- mental business, developed only after the city had reached proportions far beyond the conditions existing at its stage of development to which the greater Phoenix is now sought to be compared. Included in that business is in great measure the traffic resultant from it's being a supply point for many of the great mining industries of Ari zona, a business that is predestined to be largely transferred to Phoenix just as soon as the city is big enough to of fer inducements.
 What Los Angeles accomplished pre- vious to reaching the 50,0O0 mark may be and w,n be done here. It was done there with conditions almost identical, through cooperation, civic pride and eternal hustling. However much the citizen may have been an American. a western man, a Californian, over shadowing everything else, he was an Angelano. He did business himself anG helped his neighbor to do it. He re- fused to knock but boosted in season and out. He was convinced of his op- portunities and knew that prosperity was certain the moment the world was made to listen to his argument. He made it listen. What mas been accom- plished in Los Angeles is too cOmpre hensive for more than passing mention. Men who had apple stands and pop corn wagons became milliOnaires. Men who raised chickens on suburban lots in few short years were wealthy. Men who worked for wages and put their trifing earnings in realty not only close in but surburban, now revel in affiuence and clip coupons. Men who drove bread wagons now run bakeries or banks and women who toiled for their daily bread now occupy palatiaI homes in aristocratic surroundings. This is not unwarranted boom talk. Names could be given were space available and any doubter may be convinced who seeks the proper channels for informa- tion. The Republican has data for it's statements. These results were not be- cause of the superior business acumen of the fortunate ones in every instance. Many were there in the beginning and could not get away. They prospered by the wisdom of their neighbors until they had learned their lesson and did not want to get away. Others who had business foresight and could req son from cause to effect are the ones who made prosperity universal reaping their rewards in just proportion. In like manner there are many in this city today, too skeptical to venture largely but who are destined to some measure of success from the efforts of broader gauged men and neighbors. So much for the object lesson.
 But what of Phoenix? For a decade that prosperity which the knowing ones have recognized as inevitable, has been retarded by unexpected rebuffs and by the failure of important enterprises to mature. But each swing of the pendu- lum has been a lesser one till it's strokes have become measurably short ened and the hand of the dial is all but resting on the figure of unparalleled prosperity. The hour of fuIhIlment is at hand. Those who are accredited as standing foremost in the community are found to be those who have risked most and in like ratio will profit most. But there is time yet for action and plenty of opportunity. For a year the tendency of values has been upward. There has been no excitement but the market is a rising one. And it must continue to be for sometime until pri- ces approach a level commensurate with intrinsic values.
 4 score of things may be listed as the necessities of the past decade, to assure the permanent prosperity of
 
 pend vitalIy on two overshadowing de- mands, that once satified guarantee the others as definitely as the march of successive days through the calendar of the year. Those two things are water storage and railroad transpor- tation. Neither has been actually and fully accomplished but both are as cer- tainly assured as anything human can be. Every embarrassing difficulty has been swept aside and achievement is taking place just as rapidly as men and money can bring about the result. Years of preliminary work have been accomplished, focusing to the Sth day of next February when the contract for the building of the TOnto dam, the final large feature of the storage enter prise will assuredly be let.
 The building of two transcontinental railroad lines to run through this city is not only assured but under way. The date of the completion of these great